diff --git a/services/blob/src/config.rs b/services/blob/src/config.rs
--- a/services/blob/src/config.rs
+++ b/services/blob/src/config.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use aws_sdk_dynamodb::Region;
-use clap::{builder::FalseyValueParser, Parser};
+use clap::{builder::FalseyValueParser, Parser, ValueEnum};
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use tracing::info;
 
@@ -7,9 +7,18 @@
   AWS_REGION, DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT, LOCALSTACK_URL, SANDBOX_ENV_VAR,
 };
 
+#[derive(ValueEnum, Clone, Debug)]
+pub enum Protocol {
+  Grpc,
+  Http,
+}
+
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(version, about, long_about = None)]
 pub struct AppConfig {
+  /// Protocol to use for the service server
+  #[arg(long, value_enum, default_value_t = Protocol::Grpc)]
+  pub protocol: Protocol,
   /// HTTP/gRPC server listening port
   #[arg(long = "port", default_value_t = DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT)]
   pub listen_port: u16,
diff --git a/services/blob/src/http/mod.rs b/services/blob/src/http/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/blob/src/http/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+use crate::config::CONFIG;
+use crate::database::DatabaseClient;
+use crate::s3::S3Client;
+
+use actix_web::{web, App, HttpServer};
+use anyhow::Result;
+use tracing::info;
+
+async fn hello_handler() -> impl actix_web::Responder {
+  "Hello, world!"
+}
+
+// disable unused warning for now
+#[allow(unused)]
+pub async fn run_http_server(
+  db_client: DatabaseClient,
+  s3_client: S3Client,
+) -> Result<()> {
+  info!(
+    "Starting HTTP server listening at port {}",
+    CONFIG.listen_port
+  );
+  HttpServer::new(move || {
+    App::new()
+      .wrap(tracing_actix_web::TracingLogger::default())
+      .service(web::resource("/hello").route(web::get().to(hello_handler)))
+  })
+  .bind(("0.0.0.0", CONFIG.listen_port))?
+  .run()
+  .await?;
+
+  Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/services/blob/src/main.rs b/services/blob/src/main.rs
--- a/services/blob/src/main.rs
+++ b/services/blob/src/main.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 pub mod constants;
 pub mod database;
 pub mod grpc;
+pub mod http;
 pub mod s3;
 pub mod tools;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
+use config::Protocol;
 use tracing_subscriber::filter::{EnvFilter, LevelFilter};
 
 fn configure_logging() -> Result<()> {
@@ -28,5 +30,8 @@
   let db = database::DatabaseClient::new(&aws_config);
   let s3 = s3::S3Client::new(&aws_config);
 
-  crate::grpc::run_grpc_server(db, s3).await
+  match &config::CONFIG.protocol {
+    Protocol::Http => crate::http::run_http_server(db, s3).await,
+    Protocol::Grpc => crate::grpc::run_grpc_server(db, s3).await,
+  }
 }