Last day for Panera Bread at the Louis Joliet Mall is Tuesday

The restaurant closed temporarily in the past due to a shortage of staff, but this time is permanent.

Image by Elvert Barnes/Flickr.com

The Joliet Patch reported that Panera Bread in the Louis Joliet Mall's last day of business is Tuesday, August 30, 2022.

According to the Patch, a sign hangs on the entrance door to the restaurant stating, "This is a difficult time for all of us, and we regret to inform you that Tuesday, August 30 will be this cafe's last day of business."

Panera's temporary closings

The Louis Joliet Mall Panera Bread location was closed temporarily last year due to a shortage of staff.

Staffing was an ongoing issue for Panera Bread stores during 2021, as locations across the country temporarily closed for a limited time, such as the Panera Bread in the Chicago suburb of Plainfield.

What's happening at the Louis Joliet Mall?

The Louis Joliet Mall, located 40 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, has been suffering the fate of malls across America with bankrupt retailers and empty storefronts.

Over the last five years, the mall has lost two of its anchor stores, Sears and Carson Pirie Scott. At this time, nothing has replaced those stores, and the retail spaces sit empty.

The mall does have two anchor stores remaining, Macy's and JC Penny. Also, a Cinemark Theater is open near the food court.

Are Panera Bread restaurants in trouble?

A report from NewsBreak Contributor Joel Eisenberg took a deep dive into a rumor seen on Reddit, that Panera Bread may be going out of business and closing all of its stores for good. Eisenberg concluded individual stores may be closing, but this is likely due to strategic reasons, such as underperformance of the store, and not an overall problem for the company.

Panera Bread is still in Joliet

According to the Panera website, people in Joliet can still find a Panera Bread at 2400 W Jefferson St. There is also a Panera location just minutes from the Louis Joliet Mall at 2360 South Route 59, near Caton Farm Road.

About Panera Bread

Panera Bread began in 1987 as the St. Louis Bread Company and is now located in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. There are currently 2,177 locations in the United States.

To get NewBreak stories delivered for FREE on your phone, download the NewsBreak App. If you use my link, I get a small commission (at no cost to you.)