soupbox

History of Soupbox

Long before the vegetables were being chopped and soups were being cooked, there was a young man named Jamie Taerbaum who was paying his way through college at the University of Illinois in Chicago studying business management.  One of his few indulgences was enjoying homemade Italian ice at Mario’s Italian ice in Chicago’s Little Italy. Wanting to pursue an entrepreneurial path he decided to learn how to make his own version of homemade Italian ice with just fresh fruit and juices calling it “Icyfruit”.  

His Icyfruit recipe was so good that he decided to max out 6 credit cards to open a storefront named “Icebox” on the northside of Chicago at 2943 N. Broadway in 1995 making 20 flavors of his Icyfruit. Little did he know that serving his homemade icy concoction made right in the back of the storefront would cause such a fuss, with lines reaching out the door.  He discovered folks loved his simple comfort food served with a genuine smile and a friendly thank you. So, as the fall cool weather approached, he decided to take his hand at learning to make another comfort food - fresh gourmet soups - continuing the business all year long.

In October 1995, Jamie started making 70+ gourmet soups serving a variety of 12 each day with fresh baked bread, a genuine smile and the friendly thank you his customers had become accustomed to.  He decided to call this seasonal side of the business “Soupbox”.  Although it took some time for folks to learn “these aren’t your grocery store canned type soups”, the Soupbox business gradually started taking off; and the Seinfeld’s “soup nazi” episode airing in November of 1995 helped too!

In 1996, Dru Melton joined Soupbox as a frontline soup server hoping to utilize his culinary education while he pursued his dream of being a rock star.  Melton soon learned, however, that his true passion was utilizing his culinary skills to develop the Soupbox business.  Today, the magic continues with Dru as General Manager at the original East Lakeview 2943 N. Broadway location where they still make the original Icyfruit (from Memorial Day through Labor Day) together with Dru’s homemade grilled cheese sandwiches, and at the new Gold Coast 50 E. Chicago Ave location where they make custom ordered salads together with Dru’s homemade grilled cheese sandwiches.

Soupbox now features award-winning soup recipes with 12 rotating daily varieties, including low-fat, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and spicy options. Soupbox has been recognized by a myriad of media including Rachel Ray’s Tasty Travels, Best Soup in Chicago, Best Comfort Food in Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, WGN TV, ABC News, MetroMix, Chicago Magazine, the TV series "ER", and many others.  

Soupbox is a unique place as it’s customers say “there’s something special about soupbox soup and the way it elicits thoughts of family, well-being and comfort.”  For that reason, Soupbox strives to offer authentic, hand-crafted soups that are as good – and as “feel-good” – as the homemade soups mothers and grandmothers used to cook up.