Prepare to interrupt some bread in Texas this summer time.
A number of Panera Bread areas that abruptly shuttered final yr within the wake of a high-profile franchise dispute will quickly reopen their doorways, the brand new proprietor has confirmed with Quick Firm.
The Houston-area eating places have been darkish since August 2025, when their earlier proprietor—ordered by a choose to cease utilizing the Panera identify—closed them down and sought Chapter 11 chapter safety.
Hamra Enterprises, a family-owned franchise that already owns dozens of Panera Bread areas throughout the Southeast, bought the seven eating places in a November 2025 chapter sale, as Quick Firm beforehand reported. Now the franchisee is lastly discussing what it has in retailer for the websites.
“Hamra plans to open seven Panera Bread bakery-cafes in Texas, starting with Spring and Katy in July 2026, creating round 280 jobs,” CEO Mike Hamra instructed Quick Firm in an announcement.
The total listing of areas to be reopened are as follows:
- 3548 Rayford Highway, Spring, TX 77386
- 25546 Kingsland Boulevard, Katy, TX 77494
- 12220 FM West 1960 W, Houston, TX 77065
- 19506 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77094
- 22521 Tomball Parkway, Suite 125, Houston, TX 77070
- 1302 West Davis, Suite F, Conroe, TX 77304
- 13704 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77065
Hamra Enterprises additionally owns and operates Wendy’s, Noodles & Firm, and Caribou Espresso restaurant areas, using greater than 6,000 folks throughout a dozen states, in response to the corporate.
The Panera Bread eating places are Hamra’s first in Texas and can mark the corporate’s enlargement into its twelfth state. It has been a Panera Bread franchisee since 1997 and has cultivated what it calls “a detailed partnership with the model.” Its Panera portfolio contains 88 cafés throughout eight states.
Why did the earlier proprietor file for chapter?
The restaurant openings are an unexpectedly constructive final result after a long-running legal dispute between Panera Bread and the shops’ earlier proprietor, EYM Cafe.
Panera Bread had terminated EYM’s franchise agreements in early 2025 for alleged nonpayment of royalties and different obligations.
The fast-casual bakery chain then sued the franchisee for persevering with to function the shops as Panera Bread areas even after the terminations. A choose sided with Panera Bread and issued a everlasting injunction in opposition to EYM that took impact as of August of final yr.
Quick Firm reached out to EYM for remark.
Though Panera Bread areas have shuttered in several states this yr, its nationwide footprint has in any other case been rising. As of the top of Might, the bakery chain had 2,255 areas, together with firm shops and franchised areas.
A spokesperson lately instructed Quick Firm that Panera Bread expects to finish 2026 with a net-positive retailer rely.
