Panera Bread Latest Chain to Confirm Lake Wales Location Plans

A new Panera Bread restaurant is expected to rise soon on a vacant parcel adjacent to the Aldi grocery on US 27 north in Lake Wales.

City officials have revealed that they have conducted a pre-construction meeting with the developer, and construction should begin within weeks. Panera is the latest in a wave of chain restaurants finding sites on the fast-growing corridor near Eagle Ridge Mall.

Panera Bread, based in St. Louis, MO, offers a bakery-café style restaurant that has proven popular in the marketplace. It has been privately owned for several years but recently announced plans to og public in a new stock offering.

The chain has over 2,000 locations in the United States and Canada featuring pastries and baked goods, including brownies, croissants, bagels, muffins, cookies, and scones. All the baked goods are baked by an on-staff baker at each location.

The Panera menu features a variety of sandwiches, salads, soups and pasta dishes, along with a variety of beverages.

Panera is expected to be joined on the US 27 corridor by a new free-standing Dunkin location, which will likely replace their current location in a strip center. Also being planned is a new Starbucks location, according to city officials.