Panera Bread lures 1,000 to new Richland store

Oct 01, 2008 (Tribune-Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- PNRA | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Panera Bread restaurant was welcomed by more than 1,000 visitors upon opening Tuesday at Richland Town Centre.

Store management said a line had formed when the doors opened at 6:30 a.m. and continued to build throughout the morning. By 11:30, the start of the lunch rush, more than 750 people had passed through the restaurant's doors.

Management expected to easily eclipse 1,000 customers for the day.

The peak came around 10 a.m., when the restaurant began distributing free coffee mugs that entitled the holders to two weeks worth of free coffee.

The line, which began to build at 9 a.m., stretched out the door of restaurant and wrapped around the sidewalk, finally ending at the back of the parking lot adjacent to the store.

"The response has been great," spokeswoman Ashlee Mauti said.

"I've had people asking me all morning about different menu items and our specialty drinks. I think they're finding that we serve as a much healthier alternative to fast food."

The space Panera occupies has a dubious history.

Since the Richland Township shopping center opened four years ago, two buffet-style restaurants have occupied the property, and both failed in relatively short amounts of time. If Tuesday's opening was any indication, the space may have finally found a long-term tenant.

"They say that the third time's a charm," Mauti said. "I think that will be the case here."

According to Panera Bread's Web site, the company was established in 1981 and is based in Richmond Heights, Mo.

It is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange.

The company operates more than 1,100 Panera Bread and Saint Louis Bread Co. bakery-cafes in 40 states. More than 500 are company-owned and more than 600 are franchised.

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