Lynchburg chef to open new soup shop downtown, donate some proceeds to those in need

A dollar from each soup sale will go to Lynchburg Daily Bread

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Lynchburg chef is expanding her catering business by opening a new soup shop downtown, which will also donate to those in need.

Michelle Ayers owns Purple Door Gourmet Kitchen and Catering and plans on opening the location on the 900-block of Main Street.

She said the restaurant will offer 20 different selections, including gluten-free and vegetarian options, both hot and frozen to-go.

Part of the proceeds will go to charity.

“A dollar from every single soup sale is going to be going to the Lynchburg Daily Bread. So, that is huge for me to just be able to continually give back and for customers to know when they come in—even if they’re just getting soup—they’re still helping to make a difference in the community,” said Ayers.

She will be turning her current location near Forest into a charcuterie shop. Ayers hopes to open the soup shop by late spring and the charcuterie business this fall.


About the Author:

Tim Harfmann joined the 10 News team in September 2020 and works at the station's Lynchburg bureau.