The Foothill Panera Bread in Pasadena
On the northeast corner of Fruit Street and Foothill Boulevard where the closed Michael J’s restaurant now sits, a Panera Bread Bakery Café (PNRA) is expected to open in La Verne by June 2010, “with hopes that it might be sooner,” the City of La Verne has announced in its Dec. 23 “Blue Sheet.”
Plans for the new building, expected to be about the same size as the former Michael J’s, include a 1,500-square-foot patio and a “new architectural” style. The City’s Development Review Committee, Planning Commission and City Council have all given their thumbs up for the project.
According to company’s website, the La Verne restaurant will be one of between 80 and 90 units the Richmond Heights, Mo.-based Panera Bread expects to open in fiscal 2010, with slightly more than half-being Company owned. Average weekly sales for new Company-owned units are between $36,000 and $38,000.
In an economic environment in which such national eateries as Bennigans, Black Angus and Bakers Square have recently filed for bankruptcy protection or closed their doors, Panera Bread has been something of a high flyer. As of Sept. 29, 2009, there were 1,362 company-owned or franchise-operated Panera Bread restaurants in 40 states and in Canada. In the third quarter, its net income was up 38% over the comparable 2008 third quarter. Management projects 2010 income growth to be in the 14% to 18% range.
Panera Bread, whose mission is “A loaf of bread in every arm®,” freshly bakes more bread each day than any bakery-cafe concept in the country. Every day, at every location, trained bakers craft and bake each loaf from scratch, using the best ingredients to ensure the highest quality breads.
Panera Bread bakery-cafes showcase the art and craft of bread making, helping customers appreciate and enjoy a great loaf of bread by studying its crust, crumb and craft. Panera Bread understands that great bread makes great meals, from made-to-order sandwiches to tossed-to-order salads and soup served in bread bowls.
Panera Bread is widely recognized for driving the nationwide trend for specialty breads. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Panera Bread scored the highest level of customer loyalty among quick-casual restaurants, according to research conducted by TNS Intersearch. For the sixth consecutive year, customers rated Panera Bread tops among chain restaurants in the 2007 Sandleman & Associates Quick-Track “Awards of Excellence.” Additionally, Zagat named Panera Bread Most Popular and No. 1 for Best Facilities, Best Healthy Options and Best Salads (for chain restaurants with less than 5,000 outlets) in 2009.
Currently, the two nearest Panera restaurants to La Verne are in Chino Hills (13865 City Center Drive) and West Covina (1036 West Covina Parkway).