If all goes according to plan, Panera Bread could be setting up camp in Baton Rouge.
Franchise owner Tom Krings said he’s working on ironing out details on a land lease for property on Corporate Boulevard near Towne Center.
Panera Bread defines itself as a bakery-cafe, offering a variety of sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries and baked breads.
Krings said he couldn’t offer a projected opening or construction date, but he hopes to sort out the lease logistics within the next two or three weeks.
He said a free-standing Panera Bread location usually takes about 120 days to construct.
This will be the second Panera location in Louisiana. The first is being constructed in Metairie starting next week.
“We’re looking forward to getting into the Louisiana market,” Krings said.
A Louisiana location wasn’t previously possible because store locations must be built near a fresh dough facility, Krings said. But the facility built in Houston in 2012 opened up an opportunity.
According to Panera Bread’s website, the chain has
1,541 locations.
 
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Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]