Reader Mike tells me that construction has started at the new Panera Bread at 700 State Street, the former home of Left At Albuquerque. I broke the news on April 17th about their pending arrival downtown. Panera Bread opened their first South Coast location at 3851 State Street in La Cumbre Plaza last March.
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Why we need two of these in town is beyond me.
One caters to uptown/Goleta, the other to downtown. Time will tell if we can support two of them.
What a waste of a prime location.
That location has been vacant now for 3 years. Is it better to be vacant forever or occupied by Panera?
from first and last experience of panera, definitely better vacant
I’ve had Panera elsewhere while traveling and it wasn’t all that bad. The SB location though for some reason is terrible, from the food to the service. I’m not fully against chains, but this location is just so lame for a Panera. What a waste of a great downtown patio.
Thank goodness someone is going in that location. It is a eyesore empty. I hope Panera makes a killing. What local can afford the rent?
agreed. rent is too high for that location. g’luck to panera!
Yuck. What a horrible product.
I got a loaf of their sourdough the other day for turkey sandwiches and was pleased, but then again I don’t treat myself to bread that often.
My mother loves Panera (she also loves IHOP, Sizzler and Denny’s…sigh..). We had lunch at Panera, I had the Broccoli Ched. Soup, which left the strangest sensation in my mouth for the whole rest of the day. I think I ate a salt lick for lunch. I would love to see what the ingredients are and how much MSG and sodium is present in this stuff! So yeah.. one Panera is enough, already.
They are really popping up. 90 in So Cal and 130 in Ca. Just went to the one conveinently located 1/2 way to LA in the Camarillo Outlets for a potty break. The decors are nice, food is Ok and the prices are on the high end is about all I can say. The downtown one will be geared for tourists I’m sure and will probably be able to afford the rent with high prices charged. As long as they follow a state st starbucks model they should do Ok.
Maybe somebody should open another “authentic” Mexican taqueria there. That would be totally unique and ground breaking in SB! Panera isn’t all that bad people and I don’t see any of you snapperheads opening a restauraunt downtown or anywhere else for that matter!
The Dude Abides.
I have only had their Tomato and mozzarella panini and their tomato soup. Both are great and even better in combination.
Obviously all these snapperheads are smarter than you think. Opening ANOTHER restaurant downtown or anywhere else for that matter would be financial suicide, just ask all the restaurants that close each year.
How many restaurants turn a proper profit over and above the place paying them a replacement salary. Anyone can buy a job but to make a decent profit in restaurants is something else.
When I was young, I remember that “going out” was simply a treat. Someone else bought
the food and prepared it. Then another someone took care of cleaning the dishes. I just
sat there and had fun being served. Expectations can undermine an otherwise good time.
I have expectations when I go out to eat…as I do when I get my hair cut or any other service that I’m paying for.