BY ETHAN STAMPER
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN —
Auburn’s Staks Pancake Kitchen, a Tennessee-based brunch concept, officially opened its doors to the public on May 30.
The restaurant opened to immediate buzz within the community as people waited to try the first Staks Pancake Kitchen to open in the state. The chain is based in Tennessee and has only recently begun branching out into Alabama and Mississippi.
Staks offers a large variety of foods to fulfill any breakfast, brunch or lunch needs. That means guests can choose from pancakes, waffles, omelets, chicken, melts, burgers and more. They also place a large focus on using locally sourced products from the community to make the experience feel uniquely Auburn.
“We definitely wanted to have a fantastic lemon pancake, and it’s probably one of our top sellers,” said Kim Wirth, Staks co-owner. “It’s been nice to have the flexibility to make it local and fresh to serve, and not just feel like it’s part of a corporate chain.”
Kim and Brian Wirth are the owners and operators of the new restaurant and said they are excited to bring Staks here to Auburn. The two originally met while attending college at Auburn University in the ‘90s, and they also own and operate The Collegiate Hotel in Auburn.
“I’m so glad there’s a place downtown for breakfast and brunch,” Kim said. “We feel like we did kind of find a need in the market around food, and we’re so excited about having our local community here.”
While raising their family in Memphis, Tennessee, Staks Pancake Kitchen was one of the Wirths’ favorite places to eat, so they reached out to the owners of Staks about franchising, and the rest is history.
“When you send your child somewhere, you want it to feel like home,” Kim said. “We always try to extend that to new parents and families and let them know we really are a family here. The community is going to take care of their kids while they’re here, so it really is a blessing to be able to see that firsthand.”
With the bright colors and open floor plan, there is a welcoming feeling the moment you walk through the door. Staks Pancake Kitchen is located at 145 E. Magnolia Ave. in downtown Auburn and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day.
