Downtown Hartford’s retail real estate scene is about to get a boost as Panera Bread is expected to announce later Wednesday that it is opening its first location in the Capital City, authorities say.
The bakery-café operator has signed a 4,600-square-foot lease at the State House Square office tower, where Panera will be taking up prime street-level space fronting Main Street.
To make room for Panera, a portion of State House Square’s Main Street retail corridor–that connects the food court and Main Street–is being eliminated. The new Panera space will be an “assemblage” of numerous existing retail spaces, sources say.
The new location will be Panera’s 15th Connecticut location, but its first in downtown Hartford.
The opening is scheduled for early next spring.
“We are very excited to join the other great tenants at State House Square, and to become part of the growing vibrancy of Hartford’s central business, retail and residential community,” said Tom Howley, a partner in the Howley Bread Group, a Panera Bread franchisee serving Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts.
Panera will be joining a mix of retailers in State House Square including Morton’s, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Dunkin’ Donuts, Surf City, and Mooyah Burger.
State House Square, which consists of two office towers, is currently 92 percent leased, with 50,000 square feet of available office space. It also has one remaining 3,000-square-foot retail street suite, and two food court suites currently vacant.
Jones Lang LaSalle represented State House Square ownership, a subsidiary of FBE Ltd. and Cammeby’s International, in the lease
Panera was represented by National Commercial Brokers Inc.
