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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 18, 1992                   TAG: 9201180165
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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SOUP KITCHEN TO REOPEN

Howards Soup Kitchen, once a popular downtown Roanoke eating place, will return at a new location. The restaurant, which operated for 10 years before closing in 1990, will reopen in April at 24 W. Church Ave.

Brothers Jerry and Eddy Howard confirmed Friday they have bought the former Central Fidelity Bank building, vacant for six years, and they plan extensive remodeling.

In addition to a first-floor restaurant seating 300 customers, they will have three efficiency apartments on the second floor. Total cost of the project is estimated at $250,000.

"We're going to be the same casual `every person's place,' " said Jerry Howard.

The brothers expect to do some of the remodeling themselves and are trying to raise money for the project. The apartments will be built through a Downtown Roanoke Inc. incentive program for upper-story housing.

The brothers have been looking for a site since they lost their lease on the corner room at Franklin Road and First Street, Southwest, 16 months ago.

The restaurant specialized in homemade bread, soups and carrot cake, served on dinnerware made by the Howards, who are potters, too. They plan a work force of 11 people.

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