MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Panera Bread has made it’s way to Marquette Michigan!
Yesterday, November 16th, Panera Bread of Marquette opened their doors for the first time. With many customers eager to get into the new restaurant, Panera was welcomed kindly by the community.
Panera supported their opening, by offering free bagels and cream cheese once a week for a year to the first 100 customers. This promotion was heard and seen by many, making the opening line amount to about 300 people, with some getting there around 11pm the night before.
“I ended up coming in at about 4 in the morning, and there was a line all around the building before we opened,” said Sean Gifford the Area Operating Partner for Panera Bread. “The community really showed up and it was an incredibly exiting day for my whole team, and just overall everyone.”
Although the free bagels were only for a set amount of customers, Panera is still offering prizes for the first three days of their opening. Customers will have the ability to spin a prize wheel that could win them anything from a free tumbler to $4 off a you pick 2 meal.
“I’m hoping that this can be an everyday oasis,” said Gifford. “I do believe in warmth for the guest and warmth for Marquette, ever since I’ve been here the community has shown incredible warmth toward myself and my entire team, and we’re looking forward to bringing that warmth back to the community.”
This afternoon, November 17th, Panera celebrated their new opening with a ribbon cutting. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place at 11am outside the front entrance of the new building. During this ceremony, Panera Bread officially became a business commerce of Marquette.
“We wanted to make sure we were a part of the local business commerce, and participate in any way that we could.” Said Gifford. “So I reached out and just like everything with Marquette, they showed up for us and they helped us plan and coordinate.”
This Panera Bread is the first of the chain to make it’s way to the Upper Peninsula, and with the support that they have gained, it already looks like Panera will be sticking around for a while.
