Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Yeun.
Brian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
James and I started The Bun Truck in 2011. We’ve known each other since middle school growing up in Michigan. I was living in Los Angeles working a finance position while James was working at Morimoto in New York. After three years of running the truck, we opened The Bun Shop, a brick and mortar restaurant in Koreatown which has been open since 2014. We just celebrated our six years anniversary!
Has it been a smooth road?
There has been many obstacles along the way. Restaurant ownership is not easy and we have dealt with every possible issue there is to deal with. Parking was a major issue with the truck, which we no longer have to worry about. We also forgot to fill up the propane tank and had to shut down our first service with a line of people. Needless to say, we have not been quite prepared or ready for the challenges of restaurant ownership all the time. We felt like we’ve made every mistake, but for whatever reason continue to keep going and rely on great service and consistency. The obvious challenges of restaurant ownership have been people management, labor changes, and rising rent in Los Angeles.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Bun Shop story. Tell us more about the business.
We are known for our Korean BBQ Bao Buns. Since the inception of our truck, we have moved away from the limitations of being just an “Asian fusion” restaurant. We now serve our bao buns, bowls, salads, shareable, and have an extensive beer and wine menu. Our longevity and our ability to connect with customers at this corner location in Koreatown on Western is what has allowed us to stay in business for all these years. The diversity in our clientele and our amazing employees who have created such a fun atmosphere and culture is what we are most proud about. Lastly, with Los Angeles’ ever-changing palette, we have adjusted our menu and have been able to ride a sense of consistency since our inception. We believe that is due to our customer-focused culture that we have built into The Bun Shop.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Since we started our truck, technology has changed rapidly. We use third-party platforms like UberEats and Postmates and do a tremendous amount of delivery and pick up business through them. I see this trend continuing and changing. I cannot predict how, but we will have to evolve with technology to stay competitive. We have currently positioned ourselves as a slightly moderately fast casual restaurant, meaning we are not quite as fast as a chipotle, but not as slow service as a Denny’s or other sit down restaurants. I think creating an environment where you can capitalize on delivery, pick up, catering orders, as well as creating a fun and inviting atmosphere is where we can maximize our effort and growth.
Pricing:
- $3.50 – 4 per bun
- $10-13 Bowls
Contact Info:
- Address: 151 N Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90004
- Website: www.thebunshopla.com
- Phone: 323-468-1031
- Email: https://www.thebunshopla.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebunshopla
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebunshopla
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thebunshopla
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bun-shop-los-angeles
Image Credit:
Ashley Yi
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
