Soup chain to open 1st Dayton-area location

Zoup!, a restaurant chain that specializes in soup and also serves sandwiches and salads, will open its first of four Dayton-area locations this spring at 1028 Miamisburg-Centerville Road (Ohio 725) near McEwen Road in Washington Twp., Kevin Forrer, co-franchisee of the restaurant, said this afternoon, Jan. 26.

The franchise owners are shooting for a May 1 opening, Forrer said. The 2,150-square-foot restaurant will have 20 to 24 employees and will seat 50 to 55, he said.

Forrer and his wife Karen, of Troy, and Brian and Patti Wood, of Mason, are the franchise owners and Dayton-area developers for Zoup! Forrer said Monday the franchise owners are looking to open Zoup! locations in the Austin Landing (Miami Twp./Springboro) area, the Cornerstone of Centerville (Centerville/Sugarcreek Twp.) area, and the Mall at Fairfield Commons area in Beavercreek over the next two to three years, for a total of four restaurants in the region.

Forrer also serves as the supervisor of basketball and football officials for the Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC).

Zoup! offers 12 rotating daily varieties, including low-fat, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options, and also serves made-to-order salads and sandwiches. Customer favorites include Chicken Potpie, Lobster Bisque and Vegetarian Split Pea.

The first Zoup! restaurant opened in Southfield, Mi., in suburban Detroit in 1998. The chain operates more than 70 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, and is targeting Ohio for growth as part of its expansion strategy, Zoup! officials said. Zoup operates two restaurants in the Cincinnati area, in Deerfield Pointe in Deerfield Twp. and in Stetson Square near the Cincinnati Zoo.

For more information, visit www.zoup.com.

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