Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.

BIZ BUZZ

IDAHO FALLS

Man who defended Lori Daybell now owns a restaurant in Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS – John Thomas was a prominent name in the news this year as his client, Lori Daybell, was convicted of murder. He was also an attorney for Chris Tapp, who was exonerated of murder after spending two decades in prison.

RELATED | Chris Tapp’s attorney: ‘Victory! We have victory!’

Now, Thomas and his wife, Jolyn, who hosts an afternoon conservative talk program on 106.3 FM, are the owners of a restaurant.

The Give Back Soup Shack opened Nov. 1 at 684 East 1st Street in Idaho Falls next to Planet Doom.

Its menu includes a variety of soups, two of which are tomato basil bisque and potato leek soup with braised pork belly. It also offers charcuterie boards, a French Americana melt with cheese and a drizzle of honey on sourdough bread and s’mores made with a french butter cookie, toasted Swiss meringue, smoked sea salt and raw sugar crystals.

There’s a French drinking chocolate on the menu as well. It’s served with homemade whipped cream and raw sugar crystals.

“This is not food you will be able to get anywhere else,” chef Mac Schauster says in a news release. “We have a very refined taste and style.”

Schauster and his girlfriend, Jacklyn Thomas, the Thomas’ daughter, run the day-to-day operations. Schauster tells EastIdahoNews.com the response to the business has “been good so far” and there have been multiple recurring customers.

As the name implies, the restaurant was designed to give back to the community in some way. Every month, a portion of its proceeds will benefit a specific cause. The Bonneville County Jail’s I.G.N.I.T.E. (Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally through Education) program will benefit from December’s profits.

“It helps inmates learn new skills and other things that will help them on the outside so they don’t go back to prison,” Jacklyn says.

The program started in 2021, according to its website, and has spread into eight counties across the country since then. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office implemented it in September.

RELATED | Local jail launches program to help inmates spark new interests through education

Owning a restaurant is a passion project that’s years in the making for John. He “saw a lot of promise” in IGNITE when it launched and thought it was a good cause to open his restaurant with.

Jacklyn says her dad is thrilled to turn his dream into a reality.

“My dad has had this idea since I was a little kid,” says Jacklyn. “He loves to cook, and we just decided to make it happen. He bought this old taco shack, and we spent the entire summer renovating it and turning it into this.”

Schauster and Jacklyn have been together for a while. He’s worked at Copper Rill, Cast Iron and other restaurants in the past and is excited to use his experience in the Thomas family venture.

He wants customers to have a great dining experience and feel good that their purchase is going to a worthwhile cause.

“That strong sense of community was always a thing for us,” says Schauster.

The couple are eager to take the restaurant “as far as it will go,” whether that includes additional locations or a permanent storefront. They aren’t sure what the future holds, but they’re happy to be involved in a venture they enjoy doing together.

“We want to take these high-end techniques I’ve learned and deliver them to people in a way that’s more approachable,” Schauster says. “That will always be a core part of any future endeavors.”

The Give Back Soup Shack is open noon to 7 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Visit the website or Instagram page for more information.

BIZ BITS

Construction issues delay opening of bagel shop in Rexburg

REXBURG – The much-anticipated opening of Teton Bagel has been delayed.

Last month, EastIdahoNews.com reported the restaurant was opening inside BarberPop Shop at 175 West 2nd South, Ste. 103 in Hemming Village. It was originally supposed to open at the end of November.

Delays in construction have pushed the opening back to January. A specific date is hard to determine at this point, but it will be announced on the business’s Facebook page as it gets closer.

Teton Bagel will be open for breakfast and lunch Monday thru Saturday. Hours of operation will be 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A limited menu will be available those same days from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

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