No Soup Nazi for you (but famous soup coming to Windsor)

Sharon Hill, The Windsor StarPublished: Wednesday, September 24, 2008The Soup Nazi isn't coming but Windsor is getting Ontario's first Original SoupMan, a franchise based on the soups of Al Yeganeh, the real-life New York soup seller."You're not required to have your money out. You're not required to know what you're going to order or anything, and nobody's going to say 'No soup for you!'" Damiano DeMonte of BullsEye Public Relations said Wednesday.Windsor developer Murray Troup of Banwell Development Corporation, Denise Parent, also of Banwell Development Corporation and restaurant owner John Fuerth plan to open the Original SoupMan at the Devonshire Mall before the end of October, DeMonte said Wednesday. A spokesperson from that group wasn't available for an interview Wednesday.Seinfield's Soup Nazi, played by Larry Thomas, and his famous "No soup for you!" line was based on a restaurant started in 1984 in New York city called Soup Kitchen International. That restaurant, which was run by Yeganeh later closed but the Original SoupMan is based on Yeganeh's 50 varieties of soups including his lobster bisque. DeMonte said there are 35 locations in the United States. Other Original SoupMan restaurants that opened in Canada have since closed so the business run by the new Windsor group will become the only one in Canada.DeMonte said Yeganeh may come to the October opening but don't expect the actor who played the Soup Nazi. DeMonte said Yeganeh only had rules for ordering because he had to feed long lineups of people quickly."Al (Yeganeh) tends to believe that he made Seinfield famous... as opposed to the other way around," DeMonte said.As in Yeganeh's original restaurant, the soups are served with a piece of fresh crusty baguette, fresh fruit and a piece of imported chocolate. DeMonte said the American locations sell most soups for between $4.95 and $6.95 US and specialty soups such as lobster bisque go for about $8.95. Original SoupMan is also looking at a line of organic soups.During the Windsor location's grand opening, one customer will get a chance to win free soup every day for life.The Original SoupMan is also planning to donate $1,500 on behalf of Yeganeh's charity, Al's Feed the Hungry Foundation, to the Windsor and Essex County Food Bank of the Ontario Association of Food Banks.The foundation is headed up by baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.

read more | digg story