2nd Panera Bread will open in Tri-Cities at site of old buffet near Columbia Center

Panera Bread will open in the former Old Country Buffet spot in Kennewick, according to a permit issued by the city of Kennewick for a major renovation.

It’s been more than six years since Panera Bread, based in St. Louis, opened is first Tri-Cities location.

The bakery and restaurant at 2768 Duportail St. in Richland’s Queensgate area threw open its doors at 6 a.m on a Monday in November 2017 to a crowd of about 100 who started gathering outside the night before.

The company has not directly confirmed its Kennewick plan or if additional locations are being considered. The project is being developed by Yakima-based Hogback Development.

The permit authorizes the partial demolition of the 11,316-square-foot former buffet restaurant and identifies both Panera Bread and Cafe Rio as future tenants. A designer said Cafe Rio is no longer part of the project.

The demolition work is valued at $65,000 in city records.

Old Country Buffet closed its Columbia Center mall location in early 2019 and then the Canal one amid a company bankruptcy.