Elaine Tughan opened a new soup bar at The Paris Soda Shop and Restaurant in downtown Niles. Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT

“No soup for you!” is a phrase made popular by the eccentric restaurant owner in “Soup Nazi,” a popular episode of the NBC sitcom, “Seinfeld.”

Elaine Tughan, Seinfeld fan and owner of The Paris Soda Shop and Restaurant in downtown Niles, said she wants to become the “Soup Nazi” of Niles with the hope of creating interest in her new soup bar promotion, which began Monday.

For $5, customers get access to several homemade soups and unlimited homemade bread and biscuits.

“Most people still think I’m just an ice cream shop,” said Tughan, who opened the nostalgic 1940s-style restaurant on Main Street in June 2007.  “I thought what’s better than fresh homemade soup every day — I make all my soups — and I decided I was going to become the Soup Nazi.

“No more soup for you one year!”

While the character in the Seinfeld episode was known for banning customers that didn’t follow his strict rules, Tughan said she isn’t going to be that controlling.

“We’re not going to have any rules — it’s more just for fun,” she said.

The soup bar will feature about five soups that change each day, except for chili, which is offered every day. Tughan is also offering homemade biscuits and baguettes.

“I want to limit it to two bowls and as much bread as you can eat for $5,” she said. “In the wintertime, what’s better than fresh hot soup and a good hunk of bread?”

Winter hours for The Paris, 220 E. Main St., are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday.

“We’re just trying to catch the lunch hour,” she said.

Customers can also stop by and say hello to the restaurant’s newest member — a 3-month-old dachshund named Paris, appropriately.

Check out The Paris online at facebook.com/TheParisNiles or call (269) 687-5975.