Dumps Like a Truck/Irritable Bao to Make a New Home in Downtown Auburn
M. A. Hughes | Auburn-Opelika Tourism
In good news for bao fans, the heralded Dumps Like a Truck/Irritable Bao store is soon moving to downtown Auburn! It will be located on Magnolia Avenue in the former Locker Room.
“We are super excited to be on a strip with so many rockin’ restaurants,” said owner Whitley Dykes. “To be situated between Moe’s and Little Italy’s—that’s really special for us.”
Most in the Auburn-Opelika area have heard of Dumps Like A Truck/Irritable Bao. It’s hard to miss—currently located next to the Goalpost on North Donahue Drive, it is normal to see a line out the door Wednesday through Friday between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Patrons don’t mind the wait. It’s well worth it for a taste of authentic Chinese bao, hand-crafted daily by Dykes’ wife and co-owner Kunyu Li.
“We’ll literally be in the heartbeat of Auburn, and we’ll be way more accessible,” Dykes said. “I feel like we’ll have more of a chance to become a staple and a solid part of this community.”
Dykes is also excited about the opportunities a bigger space will bring to the restaurant. He and Li hope to host a community outreach program that will “mobilize a unit of people, to put their hand to the plow and have a hand in improving their community.” He also plans to host “Dumplin’ Date Nights,” bao-making workshops, and even special dinners to honor local people who have made an impact in the community.
In addition, the new storefront will also give Dykes and Li an opportunity to expand store hours and the menu. The new menu will be a combination of the storefront and food truck offerings. The new space will also offer a late-night dumpling window for those who just can’t kick the after-hours bao cravings.
Moving to a new location has not come without its share of challenges, but Dykes and Li have taken them all in stride.
“It’s definitely been a bit of a leap of faith,” Dykes said. “It’s a difficult project, but I’m so excited to walk with God through the process. I know that I’m going to be able to love the people around me and make them feel special, and everything else will fall into place.”
Dykes and Li plan to open doors at the new location in January. However, they’ll be sure to wait until students are back in town before hosting any sort of grand opening celebration.
“They’ve become such a part of who we are and our identity,” Dykes said. “We’d never do anything like that without them here.”
More than that, the two want the building of the new store to be a community project. They will be offering sign-up days for those who are interested in volunteering to have a hand in creating the new storefront.
“The community built us, and so we want them to have a hand in building our new store,” Dykes said.
Above all, Dykes is excited about the opportunity to continue to serve the local community.
“We want to be a light to every single business and person around us,” Dykes said. “Before anything else, we’re community-focused, and we want to love people well.”
To stay up to date on everything Dumps Like a Truck/Irritable Bao, follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
ABOUT DUMPS LIKE A TRUCK:
Dumps Like a Truck/Irritable Bao is a Chinese dumpling food truck and bao restaurant that educates and empowers kids living and scavenging in trash dumps across the globe. Through a partnership with Empowering Young Warriors Asia, Dumps Like A Truck focuses on overseas donations, giving a portion of its profits and all cash tips.
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