Panera Bread Expands into Rio Grande Valley
Merit Commercial Real Estate is finishing construction on the first Panera Bread locations in the Rio Grande Valley. The new restaurants will be located at 2800 West Expressway 83 in McAllen, in front of Dave & Buster’s, and at 201 E. Trenton Road in Edinburg, near the intersection of Trenton Road and Closner Blvd. Panera Bread is a bakery-cafe based in St. Louis, Missouri and operates more than 2,100 locations nationwide.
The restaurants are 3,800 square feet and include drive-thru lanes. The Edinburg location is scheduled to open in October and the McAllen location is set to open in November.
“We could not be more excited to open the first Panera Bread restaurants in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Will Collins, CEO of Merit Commercial Real Estate. “As the largest retail landlord and developer in the Rio Grande Valley we invest significant time recruiting top-tier restaurants and retailers. Panera Bread has been at the top of our list for the past five years.”
Rebecca Olaguibel, Director of Retail Recruitment and Retention for the City of McAllen, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Panera Bread to the City McAllen, adding to our vibrant dining scene and offering our community a fresh, healthy dining option. This aligns perfectly with our city’s growth and commitment to quality-of-life amenities for our residents and visitors. Congratulations to Merit Commercial Real Estate for adding Panera Bread to their tenant lineup and further establishing McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley as a premier destination for business, investment and commerce.”
“This is an exciting opportunity for Edinburg residents to enjoy a restaurant we haven’t seen in the Rio Grande Valley before,” said Mayor Ramiro Garza, Jr. “Our list of retailers continues to expand, reflecting Edinburg’s growing appeal for business investment. Panera Bread is a testament to the success we’re seeing in attracting new businesses to our city.”
Merit Commercial Real Estate is a San Antonio-based development and investment company with in-house brokerage, development and construction capabilities.
