Panera opens to surge of Richland customers

There was no soft opening for Panera Bread in the Tri-Cities on Monday. It was an all-out flood.

Nearly 100 people braved chilly temperatures Sunday night and Monday morning to be the first inside when the restaurant opened at 6 a.m.

They poured through the doors wearing winter coats and draped in blankets, some of them with young children in tow, when the Richland business opened for its first day.

Cars were lined up at the drive-up window since Sunday afternoon, said witnesses. At least one person pitched a green tent at the store’s front door to be the first in line.

The restaurant chain was offering special deals for the first customers through its doors.

Its sibling company, Krispy Kreme, got a similar response in 2015 when it opened across the street near the Queensgate Walmart.

Panera confirmed plans for the Tri-Cities a year ago. Its landlord, Browman Development, began construction on a 9,000-square-foot building for Panera and a dental clinic last spring.

Panera sells made-to-order sandwiches, soups, salads, gourmet coffees and a variety of bakery items, including breads and pastries.

Panera formed in the 1980s as a cookie store and evolved into a fast-casual bakery cafe and quickly evolved into a quality-oriented fast-casual food chain competing with the likes of McDonald's and Subway.

The Richland store is at 2768 Duportail St. and joins 2,050 outlets in the U.S. and Ontario, which operate under the Panera, St. Louis Bakery and Paradise names.

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Panera opens to surge of Richland customers."