Where the large Panera sign used to be.
The Panera on Spring Street shut Monday - right in the middle of the day.
Last night, workers removed the ovens. The large Panera sign on the front is gone, although the menus over where the cash registers used to be remain illuminated.
An employee said this morning workers had known for awhile plans were in the works to shut the location, because it had never done the business of other Paneras in the area, but that the sudden closing - managers ordering everybody to start shutting things down midday on Monday was a surprise. He said the chain is trying to get workers jobs at other Panera locations, such as the ones in Dedham and Chestnut Hill.
The move comes after a franchisee bought Boston-area Paneras from the company. In September, Nation's Restaurant News reported the sale was part of an effort to increase profits in the Boston area, which the company said was "well below" the company's profit expectations.
The Spring Street location opened in 2010.
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Comments
I'll miss the place
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:14am
Yeah, it's just a chain, and it's not like the Dedham outlet is that much farther away from UHub Central here in Roslindale, but the kidlet and I shared many a broccoli-and-cheese bread bowl there.
Fortunately for my morning-bagel-and-WiFi needs, there's still Bruegger's on VFW Parkway.
Don't feel bad
By cybah
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:27am
According to this op ed Chicago Tribune article:
Everyone poopoo's chains, but we all seem to still eat there. And it's almost always for price and consistency.
And at least it was Panera.. which was OK for a chain (vs McDonald's or Applebees). You can at least get some decent healthy options there.
Umm... they're actually not
By anon
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:37am
Umm... they're actually not all that consistent. It really depends on who's cooking the food. You can get screwed up meals or decent meals at chains... or norovius from one Chipotle, but not another.
K
By Rob Not Verified
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:12am
K
Chipotle
By Stefanie Couch
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 7:23pm
I was under the impression the illnesses were from the food providers, not the method of cooking
It's both, obviously
By lbb
Thu, 12/31/2015 - 10:59am
Chipotle prides itself on stuff done in store, such as grating cheese. It's great, but it increases the risk of disease transmission. Now, obviously, the solution is to not have sick people work, but for many chains a preferable solution is to simply prepare and package everything at a central location and ship it out to the locations all packaged up, so it can be "cooked" and "served" with minimal handling.
"Cooking"?
By lbb
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:35am
I was under the impression that very little "cooking" happens at most chains. The food arrives pre-made and is thrown in a microwave or a fryolator; the "cooks" are more button-pushers and packagers. Chipotle was an exception, but will be less of one in the future, because you know.
consistency
By Neighbor4
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:41pm
But compared to mom & pop's, chains are very consistent.
There are other options besides "chain" and "fine dining"
By Ron Newman
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:25am
It would surprise me if all the local independent sub shops, pizza joints, tacqueries, falafel places, Chinese take-outs, etc. etc. accounted for only 11% of all meals out.
I'm also curious if "chain" means any place with more than one location (which would include places like Tenoch in Somerville and Medford).
Going back to topic, I like Panera and hope they don't next close the Porter Square location.
Lots of places have ONLY chains
By Gary C
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 3:27pm
A friend from the mid-west was surprised at all the seasonal ice cream shacks that open around New England in the summer. Back home, all they had was Dairy Queen. In many places if you want pizza you get Dominoes or Pizza Hut; those are your only choices. We are blessed around here with plenty of local mom & pop options.
A world with Dominoes and
By Kinopio
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:43am
A world with Dominoes and Pizza Hut as the only pizza options is not a world worth living in.
Part of the fun of travel
By tachometer
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:18am
When traveling I/we always try to find local places to eat, usually the old-fashioned way by talking to some locals rather than relying on the internet or phone apps. A few years ago we were visiting my wife's relatives in LA and they offered to take us out to breakfast, I was pretty disappointed that they brought us to IHOP. I could've had some kick-ass huevos rancheros or chicken & waffles at a local joint but didn't want to be rude.
thank you
By cybah
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:24pm
I think that was kinda my point of the 88%.. We're lucky here in New England to still have non-chain decent local options still avaliable. I have friends who live elsewhere and talk about the good meals they have at Applebees, Golden Corral, and Longhorn. They really have no other option.. locally owned, non-chains are very hard to come by. We take for granted that we have it real good here in New England in terms of food.
Dairy Queen
By Harold
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:50pm
Do what's wrong w Dairy Queen? The soft serve is not full of air like some others, though it is full of chemicals and petroleum products.
Sure, it's OK
By Gary C
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 3:31pm
DQ is sometimes just the right thing, but I prefer to have the option of choosing JP Licks or Toscannini's or something else if I want to.
DQ/Brazier
By not in the dark
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 6:34pm
In other areas are quite popular for more than just ice cream too.
Panera's healthy Image
By HungryMartha
Thu, 12/31/2015 - 2:02pm
Not so sure about healthy, especially if you're watching calories, carbs, or fat. I almost freaked when I looked up the salad I felt so good about having for lunch and found out it was almost 700 calories without the dressing and 800 with it. An Italian on Ciabatta is 1000 cal., a Bread Bowl without the soup is 660 cal. Pumpkin Cookie, 460 cal., Sierra turkey Sandwich 730 cal. (27 grams fat), bowl of clam chowder 720, in a bread bowl 1140......... There are some healthier choices but not as many as you would think and not the items you would think.
https://www.panerabread.com/content/dam/panerabrea...
Bagelville
By nona
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:25am
Have you tried Bagelville? Its become our Weekend go to. You can get a half dozen for under $5. Bagels are way better than Dunkins and on par with Brueggers / Café Fresh orthe other high end bagel places around. Their sandwiches are also great and breakfast sandwiches are cooked fresh to order.
Yes, I did
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:00am
I'm probably just an old bagel snob from New York, but their bagels seemed to be small fluffy bread things, so I'll stick with Bruegger's, which are a bit closer to what I remember from the old country.
Go over to Chelsea and buy a
By kvn
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:48am
Go over to Chelsea and buy a dozen or so, freeze them, and there you go, you can stay home for breakfast! Katz got to be close to your bowery type bagel, am I right?
if Adam does this
By cybah
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:18pm
I'll buy them.. my treat. I live 90 seconds away from Katz...
Bagelville is what replaced the Arlington Panera
By jmeltzer
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 1:00pm
They don't seem to be doing much business here.
The WiFi at Bruegger's
By Jim_02130
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:34am
The WiFi at Bruegger's totally sucks! It is better to steal Misono's next door!
Hmm ...
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:25pm
True confession: I filed this post from Bruegger's. I sometimes have problems getting onto their WiFi to start with, but once I do get on, it seems to work. My problem there is with the brain-dead people who seem to use the parking lot for demolition-derby practice runs (my car still has the scratch marks along one side to prove it).
Other true confession: The reason I even know about the Union Street Panera downtown is because my old laptop just would not get on the WiFi at City Hall. Ever. And I know how important it is to get you all your licensing-board and City Council stories as fast as possible!
Fortunately, my new laptop seems to like Wicked Good WiFi just fine, so I can file from City Council hearing on my laptop, rather than trying to type something on my phone.
I think every car that parks
By anon
Thu, 12/31/2015 - 12:07am
I think every car that parks in that lot has scratches down their sides. That's what happens when parking spaces are 2 feet wide.
Off-topic
By Cutriss
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:38pm
Is Misono actually any good? I know Japanese restaurant names are only slightly less derivative than Chinese restaurant names, but there's a Misono on Rt 1 in the rough part of Peabody (near the Cabaret) and I'm guessing they're owned by the same guy?
I just assumed it was probably not a great place.
Japanese?
By lbb
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 1:37pm
There's a "Misono" in the Super 88 food court that is Korean, not Japanese.
this one,
By CRD
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 3:29pm
apparently, offers both Japanese and Korean. I haven't been. http://www.mymisono.com/menu.asp
Looks like it's completely different.
By Cutriss
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 8:58pm
Here's the one I was talking about:
http://www.misonojapanesesteakhouse.com/
Japanese
By Gary C
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 3:37pm
They have been there for years and years. Looks clean. Never eaten there...not my thing.
Sorry to break it to you, but
By Allison
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 5:18pm
Sorry to break it to you, but I think that Breugger's on VFW shut down a while
Are you perhaps confusing it ...
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 5:39pm
With the Finagle-a-Bagel on Spring Street (where Burger Fi is now) or maybe that Canadian coffee place that was open briefly next to where the Bruegger's is? Because I got a coffee and a salmon spread on a pumpernickel bagel at the VFW Parkway Bruegger's this morning.
Jeez, I hope you didn't have too many.
By JPNative617
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 7:26pm
That broccoli and cheese bread bowl has more calories than a double quarter pounder with cheese.
The Panera in Arlington Heights
By jmeltzer
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:39am
closed a few years ago, because it "had never done the business ..." , or so they claimed.
Funny, it was always crowded, and nothing has replaced its niche in the Heights. The bagel place that's there now never caught on.
I buy the argument for West Roxbury
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:44am
The place was never really that busy, not even at lunch (unlike busy Paneras, for example, they never limited WiFi use to 30 minutes midday).
Arlington's did have a limit.
By jmeltzer
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 1:03pm
30 minutes during lunch hour.
Why would they "claim"
By bosguy22
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:26am
they weren't doing business if the actually were? Do you think they don't like making money?
Lexington
By Cutriss
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:36pm
It was doing mad business before they opened the Lexington location, which is where most of the AH staff went. We moved out of Arlington just before that happened, but I'd wager most of the business dropped off when the Lexington store opened, and the plan all along was to kill off the AH store within 6-12 months. A shame really, it was a fantastic location, just needed more space.
Actually the business didn't drop off
By jmeltzer
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:55pm
but it was killed anyway.
I also heard that they didn't want it to compete with the Fresh Pond location.
That's insane
By Cutriss
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 4:08pm
They're like 15-20 minutes apart. If I still lived in Arlington, I'd never go to Fresh Pond, and if I lived around Alewife, I wouldn't consider driving/riding the 77/79 all that way instead...
Drive Thru Lifestyle
By SwirlyGrrl
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 7:53pm
The Arlington one didn't have a drive through. The new one in Medford that opened this week does have one.
I suspect that was a big part of it. When I lived in the area, that store was always hopping.
This is also what happens when stores are measured by expectations of companies headquartered and run from the drive through lifestyle states. They don't get the whole foot traffic thing.
They Union Street location
By westroxiemama
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:16am
They Union Street location outside of Faneuil Hall shut down abruptly midday Monday as well
More on Boston-area Paneras
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 10:49am
I just added a link to the original post to a Nation's Restaurant Business report on the sale of Panera outlets in the Boston area to a franchisee. Seems the Boston area was not one of the company's better performing regions.
Buy 'em and close 'em?
By Gary C
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 3:44pm
I admit it's my ignorance showing, but how does it make sense for this new franchisee to buy 29 Mass Paneras and then quickly close several of them down? Why buy the dogs in the first place?
Maybe they bought regional rights?
By Waquiot
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 3:59pm
So corporate sold them the shining stars, but to get them they had to buy the dogs. Now they can start opening new ones that might do better.
Just a theory.
Side note
By Cutriss
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:01pm
I can't view that link on my phone (or any link in an article). I can open articles and read the discussion, but anytime I tap on the screen to click something (or to drag the screen down further), the page jumps straight back to the top. If I want to scroll the article down, I have to keep my finger on the page so that the mouse-up event never fires.
I think it may have something to do with the Amazon ad.
Ugh, sorry
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 9:04pm
What kind of phone?
Windows Phone 8.1
By Cutriss
Thu, 12/31/2015 - 12:42pm
Interestingly, I don't see the same ads in Edge or in Chrome on a desktop.
I know I'm a super-minority here with that phone but if you need/want me to help with any testing, lemme know. I'm out-of-pocket somewhat until next week but happy to help.
The boys from CM are going to
By RachelMLWright
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:49am
The boys from CM are going to miss it!!
Them boys should be eating
By kvn
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:24pm
Them boys should be eating honey dip donuts ..........
Bummer
By anon
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 11:51am
Their online ordering made it an easy place to pick up dinner on the way home. Not a ton of options for in-and-out pick up in that area that aren't greasy pizza.
Said lives-in-a-cave anon
By Jeff F
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 12:21pm
Seriously?! There's got to be several dozen non-pizza places to get takeout in WRox.
anon-just-moved-here actually
By anon
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 1:42pm
suggestions?
Centre St takeout alone
By Miss M
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 2:31pm
There's West on Centre, Banh Mi Ngon, the Red Eyed Pig, Los Amigos, Himalayan Bistro, Comellas, Phuket, The Real Deal, Sticky Rice Cafe, and probably a few more I forgot.
Or even right next door to where the Panera used to be
By adamg
Wed, 12/30/2015 - 2:38pm
Burger Fi (although some might still prefer Five Guys at the Dedham Mall).
CRAZY !!
By SadeLove
Fri, 01/29/2016 - 9:06am
its so SAD to hear this ii worked there for two years , and just left not too long ago because i moved to plymouth & got a job at the Hospital . i loved working here , loved my co workers . & i was a pretty damn good cashier ! if your reading this you probably remember me as the pregnant sweet girl ! RIP 175 spring street lol
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