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Local Voices

Panera Bread Opening Southington Location in February

Opening Events will support several Southington Community Organizations

SOUTHINGTON, CT – January 30, 2014 – On Monday morning, February 17, Panera Bread will begin serving Southington when its new bakery-café and drive-thru open for business at 365 Queen Street.  Hours are Monday through Thursday from 6am to 9:30pm, Friday and Saturday from 6am to 10pm, and Sunday from 7am to 8pm, with Panera Catering and delivery also available.

Panera will host pre-opening events on Friday and Saturday, February 14 and 15. These fundraising parties, called Drive Thru for a Cause, will benefit Bread for Life of Southington, Foodshare, Southington Community Theatre, and Southington Education Foundation.  For a donation of $10 per person, guests will enjoy a full meal, with all proceeds going to the named charities.  If you would like to attend, please visit www.panerabreadhbg.com and click on “contact us” for more information.

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“We are excited to partner with so many great local non-profits right in our new neighborhood,” says Christopher Feeney, General Manager of the Southington Panera Bread.  “We will have hired 60 people in total by the time we open, with the majority from Southington.  And we’re happy to welcome everyone who lives, works and visits in the area to our new bakery-café and drive-thru on opening day February 17,” he added.

The public is also invited to a Free Coffee Event on Friday, February 21 at the new Panera Bread at 365 Queen Street in Southington.  The first 500 customers at the new Southington Panera on February 21 starting at 6am will receive a free Panera travel mug and free coffee refills for 30 days at the Southington Panera (Southington location only; not valid at the drive-thru).      

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Panera Bread’s mission is to offer high-quality food in an inviting and comfortable environment, while making a difference in the communities it serves. The company carries out its purpose-driven philosophy to “Live Consciously” by participating in charitable events and by donating all unsold bread and baked goods at the end of each day to local hunger-relief agencies and charities through its “Day-End Dough-Nation” program. Charities of Hope based in Hartford, an existing partner of the Farmington, Hartford and Wethersfield Panera locations, will also receive all of the new Southington cafe’s leftover bakery items for distribution to its local network of food banks.

Over the past 10 years, with their customers’ support, Panera Bread/HBG has donated over $7 million in food and funds to local charities within its communities. Panera Bread/HBG also has a Donations Department where organizations can request food donations for various non-profit fundraisers and events.  Please visit www.panerabreadhbg.com and click on “Donations, Partnerships and Charities” to request a donation.

The Southington location will be the 28th bakery-café for the Howley Bread Group who owns and operates a total of 28 bakery-cafes in the Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Eastern Connecticut markets.  The company’s other Panera bakery-cafes in Connecticut are located in Bristol, Canton, Enfield, Farmington, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Glastonbury, Groton, Hartford, Lisbon, Manchester (Shoppes at Buckland Hills and 179 Deming Street), Newington, Waterford, West Hartford and Wethersfield. Panera Catering caters and delivers, too; visit www.paneracatering.com for a list of catering cafes.

Media Contacts: Wendy Kopp, (860) 306-3858, wkopp@howleybread.com; Tod Kallenbach, (860) 899-8546, todk@dk-advertising.com

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