Exterior of Panera Bread in Berlin; the store's Berlin location has recently closed. Photo by Carla Occaso.
It appears that the Panera Bread restaurant is, in fact, permanently closed effective Nov. 30.
Dumpsters and other signs of deconstruction began appearing during the first week of December.
The property is owned by Pomerleau Real Estate of 69 College Street in Burlington.
“Yes, they (Panera Bread) are permanently closed,” confirmed commercial property broker Kendra Kenney by phone on Dec. 9. According to the Pomerleau website, the property was built in 2012 and is a standalone 3,800-square-foot building located on the Barre-Montpelier Road. It is part of a larger development called Berlin Plaza. Berlin Plaza tenants include Big Lots, Jo-Anne Fabric, Advance Auto, Mattress Firm, Snap Fitness, Bouchard Pierce Appliances, and Pizza Hut. The total plaza size is 110,040 square feet.
The Bridge recently reported Panera Bread was closed but could not determine whether it was temporary or permanent based on a call to the corporate office. The Bridge received an unconfirmed tip that perhaps other businesses in the plaza property would be closing as well, but those rumors could not be confirmed.
Kenney declined to answer the question whether a new buyer has been identified for the Panera Bread site or if she had any more information on the disposition of other businesses in the plaza. Information is only given out once leases are signed, Kenney said.
The empty interior of the now-closed Berlin Panera Bread. Photo by Carla Occaso.
