Serving out of a repurposed school bus, The Breakfast Bus brings something magical to the growing food truck scene in Harrisonburg.
This “bustaurant” has been up and running since August 2017, after former JMU student Christian Heafner dropped out of JMU’s business program to start his own business selling breakfast. Worker Elijah Minor said, “They said it wouldn’t work and we wouldn’t make it, but here we are, about to move into that building over there.” Minor gestured to the current Strite’s Donuts location off Port Republic Road, the parking lot of which the Bus occupies.
The refurbished bus is hard to miss if you know what to look for. Bright purple with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign, the Bus demands attention. The license plate reads “RL FUD.”
Boarding the Bus hits me with a wave of nostalgia — an emotion this restaurant certainly thrives on in a college town. Through the folding doors and up the clunking steps, I feel like I should have brought my backpack. Or perhaps some spit wads. Inside, though, the vibe is much happier than the atmosphere of my childhood school bus. Upbeat music booms from the stereo.
Minor hollers a happy hello. He seems as excited about The Breakfast Bus as Ms. Frizzle is about her Magic School Bus, though this bus doesn’t fly. It is, however, decked out in fluorescent colors, and the driver’s seat fabric is reminiscent of Ms. Frizzle’s patterned dresses.
Unlike some tiny-house projects, the Bus has retained pieces of its original function, like the driver’s seat, the stop sign, the pinch-and-slide windows, the leatherette bus seats, and the emergency exit pop-out. They have turned the bus seats around into mini booths on the left side, and added a bar with stools on the right. In the rear sits the kitchen, sizzling sounds eloping out the back hatch with the heat of the grills.
On a touchscreen pad, I build my sandwich from the bread up, choosing between Mr. J’s bagels, Strite’s donuts, sandwich bread, and waffles that the bustauranteers whip up fresh from scratch. I go with the waffle base, then add fried egg, gouda cheese, spinach, and tomato for a total just shy of $5. Moments later, whisks dance and the waffle batter squishes out the sides of the gridded iron.
Minor encourages me to sign the wall with a bright colored paint pen, which I do, squeezing my name in one of the few empty spaces. The wall is cluttered with signatures and hearts and notes of appreciation.
My sandwich comes wrapped in foil, catering to the to-go culture of most college students, but I want to try it hot. The first bite is a winner, thanks entirely to the quality of the waffles. Warm and sweet and savory all at once, the waffles make the sandwich. There must be a secret ingredient in there, because I doubt I could replicate the batter if I tried. The egg oozes its yolk like a sauce over the melted gouda and veggies. The yolk sauce plus the flimsiness of the waffles makes for a sandwich that proves difficult to hold, but this is a non-issue. For $5, this sandwich just earned The Breakfast Bus a spot on my visit-often list.
With business booming, Heafner plans to renovate the Strite’s building next door into what he will call “The Breakfast Bus Station,” a permanent location with eventual 24/7 service.
Until then, you can find the Bus at 710 Port Republic Road, open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, with late night options from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Seriously, go check it out. In the words of Ms. Frizzle, “To the bus!”
