About Us
The Founders: Mike Donahue & Lauren Walker
Two ambitious creative types that have a particular affinity for mobility, multi functional small spaces, and fast food. So naturally, in 2022, they set out to create a food truck concept that became a physical manifestation of their joint love for storytelling, nostalgia, and low brow food fare.
No strangers to mobility, before San Diego this duo has been designing in San Francisco, New York City, & Costa Rica where they renovated and designed a tiny, minimal luxury retreat in the tropical mountains, which was featured in Dwell.
Mike received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has experience working on hospitality & high-end residential projects. Lauren is a journalist by training turned self-taught artist, designer and entrepreneur.
Together they are an ambidextrous team, highly creative and equally analytical. They are inspired by their travels around the world and are big proponents of the democratization and attainability of design and experience. They march to the beat of their own drum leaving beautiful creations in their wake.
The Van: 'Pani Vanette'
The 'Original' Round Window Food Truck
The crown jewel of the Panihole experience is the Pani Vanette, She's a salvaged and fully restored 1959 Ford Vanette (P-400) bread delivery van.
The Pani-Van has it all: irresistible utility, grace, and curves... in all the right places. This classic beauty was chosen for its captivating design, guaranteed to turn heads and catch the admiration of all who pass by.
The Kitchen
Round Windows
Compact Design
Compact Design
Featuring unique custom round order and pickup windows!
Compact Design
Compact Design
Compact Design
Efficient layout packed with modern cooking equipment!
The Build Journey...
The 'hole thing started with 'boring' bread baguettes, and a silly new word... Mike and Lauren set out to create Panihole, a unique new food vending experience that combined nostalgia, mobility, and fun!
Over the course of two years, the project involved a meticulous restoration process, brand development, custom kitchen design, & permitt
The 'hole thing started with 'boring' bread baguettes, and a silly new word... Mike and Lauren set out to create Panihole, a unique new food vending experience that combined nostalgia, mobility, and fun!
Over the course of two years, the project involved a meticulous restoration process, brand development, custom kitchen design, & permitting. Ultimately, transforming a vintage 1959 bread van into a one-of-a-kind mobile food vending machine!
Concurrently, the duo worked on developing the signature 'One Handy Sammy', a stuffed baguette sandwich concept designed with mobility and people on the move in mind.
Vehicle Procurement & Design: The search began for the perfect vehicle to house their unique mobile food concept. An exhaustive search led them to find a 1959 Ford bread delivery van sitting for sale in the Phoenix, AZ desert - they were sold!
'Pani Vanette' was quirky from the start. Perfectly missing the ‘R’ emblem on the hood (look closely ;). This added to the desired blend of nostalgia and uniqueness, with its round beady eyes, and pillowy front.
Preliminary photos and measurements of the van quickly transformed into detailed 3D modeling & drawings designing the ‘Original’ Round Window FOOD Truck.
Brand Development: A vital initial phase focused on curating the brand's 3 spoke identity;
Brand, Van, & Sandwich!
Mike and Lauren teamed up with vintage brand expert, Jim Kennelly to craft the Panihole brand.
Vehicle Restoration: The restoration process involved a complete overhaul of the vehicle's exterior, interior cab, and powertrain in Phoenix, AZ. Inspired by vintage Ford brochures, every detail, from historic paint colors to custom bodywork, was carefully considered and executed, ensuring the van maintained its classic charm while gaining modern functionality. Special attention was given to the integration of the van's unique round windows, the internal kitchen design, and the fun experience of the customer outside the van
Custom Kitchen Design and Installation: Mike & Lauren worked closely with Stradabella Custom Mobile Kitchens of Phoenix, AZ to create this one-of-a-kind machine that maximized efficiency and adhered to local health and safety regulations. The installation process included outfitting the van with state-of-the-art culinary equipment, storage solutions, and proper ventilation systems, while keeping the round windows as a central design element.
Permitting and Approvals: Throughout the build process, Mike & Lauren worked closely with local regulatory agencies in San Diego, CA, to ensure the new mobile food concept met all necessary health, safety, and zoning requirements. This included special plan check processes to have the unique round window concept approved.
The culmination of this two-year journey resulted in the successful transformation of a vintage 1959 bread van into a truly unique mechanical synchrony of form and function!
Before & After
Thanks for rolling by!
We've got something special cooking up...