Business & Tech

Soup's On, But Going Fast

The Hampden restaurant Soup's On will close on Friday.

Sitting at a table outside her restaurant on a muggy July afternoon, customers approached Cynthia Shea to tell her how much they’ll miss her eatery Soup’s On.

The business has thrived in Hampden for nearly seven years, and became a favorite lunch spot on West 36th Street (aka The Avenue).

But now Shea, 40, said it's time to begin the next phase of her life.

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“I have two small children, a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, and I’m going to focus most of my attention on them,” Shea said. “Right now is not the time in my life to run and own a small restaurant.”

The decision to close the restaurant on Friday has not been an easy one. Shea said she wrestled with the decision for at least six months. 

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She moved to the Baltimore area eight years ago from San Francisco. After the move, she did some catering and held her first and only office job while she saved enough to open her own place.

"One of the best things about Baltimore is that I could start a small business,” Shea said.

Shea said she decided to focus on soup for several reasons. She could produce soups cheaply, but it also allowed her creative latitude with her use of ingredients.

“The one thing about soups is that soups are eaten and loved everywhere in the world,” Shea said.

She also saw a need for a restaurant like Soup’s On in Baltimore.

“I felt there was a real need in Baltimore … for a specialized restaurant,” Shea said.  

She said it’s been tough telling her staff and customers about closing the restaurant.

“It’s been heartbreaking,” Shea said.

She said the people she has told have been very disappointed, but at the same time very understanding.

“Really at the end of the day, the best decision for me and my family is for this chapter to come to a close,” Shea said.


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