Another downtown restaurant expansion

NEW BEDFORD — The owner of Destination Soups is planning to open a bigger and better version of his beloved lunch spot in about three weeks, after closing a deal Friday to buy the nearby On a Roll sandwich business.
“I plan to be there if all goes well for at least a decade,” said Devin Byrne, who will move into the On a Roll space on Wing’s Court. “I’ve invested a lot of money and commitment in this new space. “» It’s really got to work.”
Kelly J. Carvalho has operated On a Roll on Union Street since 2004. Her last day was Friday.
“My family means the world to me and the restaurant was taking a lot of time,” she said. Carvalho, 37, who has two sons ages 4 and 17, said she and her husband hope to move into a bigger house soon. “It was an opportunity to walk away with no debt and to walk away with something that I needed “» I just took the opportunity.”
The 38-year-old Byrne, who opened Destination Soups in 2008, said he will keep a similar menu and maintain similar hours to start but he has ambitious plans for his new space, including dinner and music and movie nights.
“I feel like my space has been limiting me for a while,” said Byrne, who has expanded his payroll from one part-time employee to three workers to keep up with demand.
He said the On a Roll spot offers outdoor seating, a bigger kitchen with air conditioning — and one other amenity critical for expansion: “You can’t have people come in for a nice, sit-down dinner and tell them, ‘I don’t have a bathroom.'”
Destination Soups will remain open in its current spot at the corner of Union Street and Acushnet Avenue as he moves up the street gradually, Byrne said.
“I’m attempting to make it as seamless as possible,” he said, adding, “I have a lot of different ideas about what I want to do. I’m very excited about where things are.”
Original Title: Destination Soups to move up the block
By NATALIE SHERMAN
nsherman@s-t.com
July 02, 2012 12:00 AM
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