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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
Ted Sweetland is a self-proclaimed corporate dropout. He recalls the days when he was so busy as a media executive, he often substituted a candy bar for a good, solid lunch.
So when he decided to open a restaurant, Ted fashioned his target customer after his former corporate persona. His goal was to create a healthy, hearty meal out of soup for business folks.
Why soup? Well, it’s all-American comfort food. And as you’ll find when you taste the gourmet fare at Big City Soup it’s fresh, flavorful and filling.
Located at 235 South 400 West in downtown Salt Lake City, Big City Soup is housed in a spacious old dairy building. Just kitty corner from the Gateway shopping center, it’s a convenient location for business execs and shoppers alike. And it’s now open on Saturdays in addition to weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Big City Soup offers eight to twelve daily options ranging from the restaurant’s signature Thai Chicken Noodle to Rock Crab ‘n’ Roma Tomato Soup. In the warm summer months, it features three or four chilled soups daily, including Gazpacho with Avocado. Each 12 or 16-ounce serving comes with bread, butter and cheese, and costs between five to seven dollars. Catering is also available. You can check out the updated daily menu online at www.bigcitysoup.com.
In developing his restaurant’s concept, Ted translated the see-and-sample philosophy of ice cream parlors into his own serving line. As patrons gaze through a sneeze guard into the stainless steel kettles full of soup, employees encourage them to taste a few different intriguing options before making their decision.
Ted doesn’t pour money into marketing. He invests in the food and allows the product to speak for itself. In fact, Big City Soup’s food costs are higher than the industry standard but that’s why customers keep returning for one savory bowl after another.
This is Fred Ball, I’m speaking on business.
