New restaurant celebrates grand opening in Bellingham
Panera Bread celebrated its grand opening Wednesday, March 22, at its first location in Bellingham.
More than 40 people were lined up outside the restaurant at 1295 E. Sunset Drive by midnight to try their shot at being one of the first customers inside when Panera opened at 6 a.m., according to Panera Bread Market President Ken Adams.
“They were camping out — had a blow-up couch out there for a while,” Adams told The Bellingham Herald.
Panera offered free bagels for a year to the first 25 customers in line. The deal includes one bagel pack of 13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese each month for a year, according to previous reporting by The Herald.
“We’re just so excited to be here,” Adams said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
The restaurant is partnering with Miracle Food Network and Lighthouse Mission Ministries to donate food that isn’t purchased throughout the day, according to the location’s general manager, Sasha Burnett.
“We care about people and connecting with local organizations to be part of the community,” Burnett said.
The new location has close to 80 employees, Burnett told The Herald. About 75% of them are part-time.
The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.
This story was originally published March 22, 2023 at 11:28 AM.
