Panera Bread Co. opens in Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich received another fast-casual dining option in the village's Rand Road corridor Tuesday.
Panera Bread Co. opened at Lake Zurich Corners mall at the northeast corner of Rand and Route 22. Village board trustees last September granted a special-use permit to allow outdoor dining with 12 seats and a drive-through lane so the Panera could be built.
Panera franchisee Hamra Enterprises brought the restaurant to Lake Zurich. Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Hamra now owns 38 Panera Bread franchises in the Chicago area.
“We are thrilled to open our newest bakery-cafe in Lake Zurich,” said Mike Hamra, president and CEO of Hamra Enterprises. “Lake Zurich is a community that we have wanted to serve for many years and we are excited that we now have a location that will be conveniently located for the (residents) and those that do business in Lake Zurich.”
Panera has a 15-year lease with options for Lake Zurich Corners, on the southern edge of Paulus Park. Hamra representatives said the drive-through service in Lake Zurich is relatively new to the fast-casual chain.