Mr. and Mrs. Morrison — Mr. and Mrs. Morrison left their corporate careers to pursue their dreams, all for heart and family.
Urban Eats opened Sept. 18 at 130 E. Main St. in Morrison. Owners Stephanie and Eric Nias are devoted parents who wanted to spend more time with their children due to their previous careers.
Stephanie is a registered nurse and a licensed nursing home administrator. She worked as the executive director and administrator of Windsor Manor in Morrison. Eric was the Player Development Manager at Rhythm City Casino for over 10 years.
“We have five children, and one day I got tired of forgetting things,” Stephanie said. “Eric worked every weekend and we were both available 24/7. This was something we had always wanted. We finally had enough money saved up. I thought, “Let’s try it.”
The couple purchased the building in December 2023, but Stephanie said some adjustments were needed before they could open.
“We had to have all new plumbing, electrical, furnace and air conditioning,” Stephanie said. “One thing after another happened, and it just kept happening. So it took a lot longer than I expected, but once I got over the big mountain, I was like, ‘Okay, let’s go.’
Urban Eats offers light and healthy meal options including salads, sandwiches, soups, and desserts. Business hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“All our dressings, all our soups, we make everything in-house from scratch,” Stephanie says. “Sandwiches and salads are made to order, so they’re fresh and great. People can walk up and order in line, or they can sit down and have a waitress take their order.”
Stephanie said Urban Eats’ origins are in DeWitt, Iowa, where Eric’s mother, Jessica Jones, opened the restaurant in 2017. The couple gained valuable work experience from Jessica before opening their “son” store.
“Once we decided this was what we were going to do, we would go there a few days a week and see how the line ran effectively, how the dishes were done cleanly and efficiently, and I started learning the whole thing and the flow of how things should go,” Stephanie said. “Judging the timing of orders was the biggest challenge for me. I learned that the first few weeks, but I think I’m much better now. The town has been very patient with us. Thank you for being so supportive.”
Stephanie said that at the end of the day, family is what’s important.
“What I love about this place is that my husband and I are here every day and we finish work at a decent time so we don’t miss anything,” Stephanie said.
