BSI Business of the Week: The Prairie Soup Company

 Popular Downtown Eatery, The Prairie Soup Company, Part of Change Post-Flood

            The Prairie Soup Company might not be here yet if it weren't for the flood. Owner Ryan Buresh was patiently waiting for the right moment to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant. He and his wife, Katie, were living in San Francisco, Calif., when they found inspiration in the restaurant San Francisco Soup Company. The two accountants started working on a business plan, but set it aside until the timing was right.            They moved back to their home state of Iowa in 2006 to be closer to family and to start a family of their own. After the flood of 2008, Buresh saw an opportunity to be part of change in downtown Cedar Rapids. Dusting off the business plan he and his wife had started, he was ready to make his dream a reality.            “Once I realized the size of the flood and the impact it was going to have, I started thinking about the business plan again,” Buresh said. “The entire landscape of downtown, and the town in general, was going to change. I saw it as an opportunity to be part of a clean slate for downtown.”            The restaurant opened in the fall of 2008 and Buresh admitted it was rough going at first. Experiencing the growing pains that go along with opening any new business, Buresh also faced a challenge with no customers in the immediate area. Located in what is formerly known as the APAC Building, he felt fortunate that it was one of the first buildings to gain occupancy after the flood.            As people returned to the downtown area, there was a new and interesting choice for breakfast and lunch. The Prairie Soup Company offers gourmet soups, sandwiches, and salads. Currently the restaurant has 52 regular soup recipes, not including their daily special. The various soups were part of the business plan that Buresh and his wife worked on while living in San Francisco, adding their own special ingredients to make each soup unique. Buresh claims the restaurant's calling card is the six different types of soups made available every day including vegetarian, gluten-free, and hearty options. All of the soups are made of natural ingredients.“You could come in every day for a few years and you're never forced to have the same menu choice,” Buresh said. “We are constantly rotating the menu, offering something new to choose from.”The success of the business is obvious just by looking at the line that forms during the lunch hour. Buresh said his sales revenue has more than doubled since the company started almost three years ago. “Everyone has been so supportive,” Buresh said. “We see a lot of catering business from the Chamber and Downtown District and other community leaders. Everyone has gone out of their way to do their part to make us successful.”That support has a sentimental value for the Cedar Rapids native and Washington High School graduate who says he has emotional attachment to the downtown area.“To be part of the reconstruction and development of downtown has been exciting,” Buresh said. “We are in what I feel is the heart of the city and I think people appreciate that we're down here.”The Prairie Soup Company is located at 425 Second Street SE, at the Skywalk Level. They offer cafeteria style dine-in, carry-out, and catering.

?View our photo gallery of The Prairie Soup Company: http://bit.ly/iejaRC

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