By Ashley Trinh
Seaside Bakery is a 24-hour, Cambodian-owned donut shop in Newport Beach. The bakery gained popularity amongst college students for its affordable yet enjoyable pastries and drinks. It was also known for its mellow and relaxing atmosphere; however, Seaside Bakery has recently gained more social media coverage, particularly on TikTok.
At the surface level, the newly-found attention is positive since social media is uplifting a small Asian-owned business. However, as the popularity of Seaside Bakery increases, the calm and mellow ambiance has dissipated into a boisterous and disorderly atmosphere.
Many customers have verbalized their disappointment on TikTok as they noticed the newfound commotion at the bakery. In a TikTok video, lifestyle and beauty content creator Kaylee Khen [@kayleee_khen] discusses the shift in atmosphere that she noticed within her three to four years of purchasing from Seaside Bakery.
“It was meant for vibes, you go there with your friends,” Khen said. “Now [the donut shop] is just an Asian stereotyping hotspot … It’s even more packed [now].”
Many blame the disruptive nature of Seaside Bakery on the male college students purposefully creating obnoxious videos. These TikTok videos include yelling and interviewing customers in line. Its content discusses or satirizes stereotypical qualities or interests that many Asian Southern Californian students share.
Consequently, this spot has grown into a staple hang-out spot for “stereotypical” Asians residing in Southern California. Thus, reinforcing the negative stigma around the already rambunctious nature that Seaside Bakery has grown into.
“Asian content creators have created, like, a new generation pseudo-stereotype for Asian Americans,” TikTok foodie Teyvat Barista [@teyvat.barista] said. “Those employees, they’re stronger than me because if I saw Kevin doing a street interview loudly outside while I’m trying to [work] I would lose it, truly.”
Luckily, this donut shop is only overcrowded from midnight to 4 a.m. So, if you ever feel like visiting the bakery to try out their food, don’t feel intimidated to visit before the sun goes down. It is always beneficial to uplift small-owned businesses, particularly those run by minorities.
At the end of the day, the bakery is famous for a reason.
