The first Souper Market opened its doors in 2002 in Ohio City, near the West Side Market. Since then, the business has expanded to other locations in Midtown, downtown Cleveland, Kamm’s Corners, and Lakewood. The business celebrated 20 years of operation in December 2022.

​Matthew Moore, the executive chef and founder of Souper Market, has worked in the fine-dining aspect of the business for seven years, but has also worked in the restaurant since he was younger.

“The idea came from the desire to open my own business, and I also wanted to get away from working nights and weekends with a lunch concept that was new and exciting,” Moore said. His vision for the business would focus on a healthier concept that people would love.

​The store offers many types of soups and salads, but the focus has always been on bringing them together. “I love soup and a good salad goes a long way too, so I married the two concepts, and Souper Market was born,” Moore said.

​“Souper Market” came from Moore’s father-in-law. People call grocery stores supermarkets, shared Moore, and his father-in-law suggested calling it the SOUPermarket. The name really catches your attention, drawing you in and making you wonder what it is.

​For Adam Alber, owning a restaurant wasn’t originally part of his career path, but it was always a dream. After years in information technology, an unexpected turn during the financial crisis led him to something he was far more passionate about: running a restaurant and serving the community.

​Alber’s journey into the restaurant industry began after the economic downturn that shook many industries in the late 2000s. “I got involved in 2010. I had worked in IT for a bank and got laid off during the 2009 financial crisis,” Alber said. Although it was difficult, the layoff pushed him to rethink what he truly wanted from his career.

​Around that time, Moore was seeking people interested in opening franchise locations. The timing turned out to be perfect.

​“At that time, Matt was looking for people to open franchises of the Souper Market. So we met, and I decided to open my own location,” Alber said. Alber already knew the brand well, as he had been a customer long before becoming an owner.

​Moore has accomplished many goals, starting with opening his own shop, serving the community and sharing what he loves for more than 24 years. “It’s very rewarding to create something that people love and can relate to,” Moore said.

​Tara Moran has been working with Souper Market for 18 years, serving as the Manager. Moran enjoys doing what she does and having a great team behind her. Moran said, “I like the people I work with…they all feel like family to me.”

Moran is also an artist, and her flexible schedule allows her to pursue what she loves.

​Although Souper Market has been around for years, new customers are still discovering the shop. Lucy McDonald, a student from Lakewood High School, shares, “I have never gone before, and my friend recommended it to me while picking up something for lunch for her.”

​McDonald was also caught by the store’s interior, the environment, and the surroundings, reminding her of her childhood.

“Global village aesthetic—the kind of vibes I saw in my mother growing up… it’s nice to see that there’s still some charm and no ‘millennial white,’ the dullness of more recent restaurants in Lakewood,” Lucy McDonald said.

​The staff places a heavy emphasis on creating a welcoming environment. “We always try to be nice to all of our customers and serve them as quickly as possible. All of us work pretty efficiently together,” Moran Said.

​The story of Souper Market reflects how a successful local business is created from scratch. What began as an idea from Matthew Moore to create a fresh, healthy lunch concept has grown into a well-loved restaurant with multiple locations and a loyal customer base. Its success highlights not only the strength of the simple concept of the great soup and salad, but also the people behind the business who continue to make it a place customers return to.