As Tropical Storm Debby casts a shroud of gray over a summer afternoon, a pair of young men race for cover under a large, slanted awning. One’s green umbrella spares him from the rain, while the other’s white T-shirt is dotted with fresh drops.
Their refuge? Surprisingly, a food truck park.
Named for the infamous bridge across Gregson Street where many trucks have lost their tops, the Can Opener is busy with lunch-goers, despite the ominous forecast. Couples and coworkers order at iPads stationed outside each food truck before settling at one of the round wooden picnic tables.
Weather-proofing was a priority of the park’s design, said Joe Choi, one of the co-founders of the Can Opener and a co-owner — alongside Bo Kwon and Charlie Ji — of the Korean BBQ and fusion truck, Bulkogi.
“The biggest thing that we discussed from the very beginning is making sure the trucks are covered so people can also access the trucks even when it’s rainy,” said Choi. “From a customer experience perspective, it dampens the mood of the food truck park if they can’t get to the food without getting wet.”
Choi founded the Can Opener with partners Gus Megaloudis and Ernest Harris.
Megaloudis co-owns and operates the Gussy’s food truck with his wife Yael Megaloudis and son Demo Megaloudis. Alternately known as The Greek Devil, Megaloudis’ truck offers Greek staples ranging from gyro pitas to souvlaki platters.
Harris also runs his food truck with his wife, co-owner Queen Harris. The bright red and yellow Chick-N-Que truck serves up chopped chicken BBQ from a “guarded family recipe,” according to the company website.
Along with the founders’ three establishments, the Can Opener features the Queen Eggxpress food truck, which offers breakfast, and a double decker, bright purple bus that’s home to Andia’s Ice Cream, a Triangle-based ice cream company.
While the founders had been discussing the park for some time, the Can Opener became a real possibility after a run of successful “Food Truck Flix” events during the COVID-19 pandemic, Choi and Harris explained.
From June 2020 to April 2021, the trio organized a series of drive-in movies featuring different vendors, donating proceeds to various local charities. With the group meeting nearly every day to facilitate the “Flix,” the plans for the park were set into motion.
On Tuesday, as the storm picks up, many Can Opener customers sit around the picnic tables and watch the buckets of rain from under the awning, while others stand up from their seats to peek beyond the cover and inspect the darkening sky.
The food trucks’ bright reds, yellows, and blues — and rows of string lights overhead — color the dreary day. The comforting aromas of falafel wraps, fried chicken sandwiches, and Korean BBQ tacos waft through the air. Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So” plays in rhythm with the rain drumming against the roof and the hum of conversation.
One outdoor diner grows weary of the storm and moves to the Can Opener’s sizable indoor space, where the menu blends the classic and the Instagrammable: cappuccinos, green tea, and craft beer alongside toasted coconut lattes, blue milk jasmine tea, and Poppi Prebiotic Soda.
Formerly the Tobacco Workers International Union Local 176 building, the interior holds onto elements of industrial architecture while integrating modish design. The chairs are cushioned with neon green and blue velvet, and a large bar adorned with yellow tiles stands as the room’s centerpiece.
Happy, a Yorkie of less than 10 pounds, sits politely in a chair at a center table, with a harness that perfectly matches the blue accents in the room.
On the design, Choi said, “We also wanted to make sure it was not too cookie-cutter, we want it to be different, because that’s what Durham is and that’s what North Carolina…is.”
Something different: A cheerful dining venue named after a chaotic bridge, an outdoor experience that withstands a tropical storm.
“I want to say there’s nothing like this,” Choi added.
Pictured above: Demo Megaloudis at Gussy’s, one of the food trucks at the Can Opener, Durham’s new food truck park.
