Mayor Hofeld: Why can’t we have both Paneras?
Homewood store closing as new one is set to open
“The people going to the Cherry Creek store are not going to go to the one on Halsted Street. It doesn’t have the same feel.”
— Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld
When Panera Bread decided to build a new restaurant on Halsted and 175th streets just north of Portillo’s in Homewood, village officials were led to believe that it was not going to be a relocation of the Panera in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center at 183rd Street and Governors Highway. They were wrong. Much to Mayor Rich Hofeld’s dismay, Panera officials informed him last week that the Cherry Creek restaurant would be closing this weekend. A sign on its door indicates it will shut its doors for good at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The new Panera is scheduled to open March 20.
“It is simply a mistake they are making, and I don’t want to see them make that mistake,” Hofeld said. “In my role as mayor, I would be derelict if I did not encourage businesses to not make marketing mistakes. And this truly would be.”
Hofeld said there are two distinct markets for the Panera locations. The new site is in a high-traffic com--
mercial area. The current Panera is in a more residential setting and has more of a cafe vibe.
“We were hoping they would consider having both stores operating,” Hofeld said. “I don’t believe there will be a fall off in any revenue. There won’t be a transfer of sales. Thepeople going to the Cherry Creek store are not going to go to the one on Halsted Street. It doesn’t have the same feel.”
Hofeld said the Cherry Creek Panera has been there for about 18 years and he remembers being involved in getting it there.
“It has been a good store for them,” he said.
Hofeld said the project volume Panera would have at its Halsted location where they would have a drive-thru is slightly higher than Cherry Creek. But he has the numbers from the Cherry Creek store through the sales taxes paid from it and said they are substantial.
“Between the two stores they would be doing one heck of a business in town,”
he said. “From a marketing standpoint it is the wrong decision to make. I’m certainly hopeful Panera will reconsider and keep both stores operating and I’m sure they would be well satisfied with the volume they both do when they see the results.”
Hofeld has started a campaign to try to get Panera to reconsider. On the village’s Facebook page is a the name and contact information for the president and CEO of Panera with a request for residents to respectfully contact him explaining why Homewood needs both locations.
“Homewood and Panera has always had a good relationship,” Hofeld said. “I do want to see that continue. But I just don’t want them make a mistake of closing the Panera that is doing well.”
Representatives from Panera Bread didnot return calls or messages.