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“Everyone was waiting for this,” said Kimberly Parker, general manager. “We thought, 'Why not Danbury?' It has our market of people who want quick service but not fast food.”
The café is located in a newly constructed shopping plaza across from the Danbury Fair Mall, where Petco and Whole Foods will eventually open. Panera’s proximity to the mall and holiday season opening is likely to draw in new customers in addition to longtime patrons who previously had to travel to Panera locations in Newtown or Brookfield, Parker said.
A steady stream of customers filled the café throughout the day while extra employees were on hand to ensure the first day ran smoothly.
Although diehard Panera fans are sure to frequent the new location, Parker said she hopes new customers will be drawn in by Panera’s dedication to nutritious, hand-crafted food and the café’s organized atmosphere. It is modeled according to the company’s latest designs and is set up to feel like “an everyday oasis,” according to Parker.
“We want you to come here and relax and use our free wifi and forget about everyday life,” she said.
Panera Bread in Danbury is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.
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