Panera opens Wednesday, July 6

[ron_newman]

according to a sign in their window. Panera is in the Porter Square Shopping Center, where McDonalds and later Qdoba used to be.

Comments

[smammy]

C'mon, where are you guys with the holier-than-thou anti-corporate butthurt? I thought I could count on you! :(

[ilai]

The heat has melted our brainzzzzzzzzz

[amy-s1.livejournal.com]

Porter Square shopping center seems to be a lost cause - lets just accept it as a little slice of suburban strip mall in our midst.

That said, Porter needed a decent sandwich place, so it doesn't bother me as much as the McDonalds did, or even the Qdoba (looks like Annas ate their lunch).

[ron_newman]

You don't like Porter Square Books or Tags Hardware?

Cafe Zing at Porter Square Books no longer sells sandwiches, so Panera is fine with me. Though sandwiches are also available across the street at Gourmet Express (the former White Hen) and at Brugger's Bagels.

[amy-s1.livejournal.com]

No I like both of those, but even in the burbs a few stores in the strip mall are independent too.

I spend more at Tags than anywhere, but isn't it an "Ace Hardware" chain location?

[ron_newman]

Ace Hardware is a buying cooperative, as is its competitor True Value. The cooperatives provide their member stores with some Ace and True Value branded products, but the stores are still local and independent.

[gingicat]

Tags has always seemed a bit pricey to me. (This is also true of Economy Hardware, also an Ace affiliate.)

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

The staff at Tags helped me solve several home repair problems which other stores said couldn't be done.

[gingicat]

Awesome! Great to know.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

Also, soup and salad! This is the only quick made-to-order salad place I can think of in Porter, unless Gourmet Express has them (I've never been there)?

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

If you go, pick up one of the Panera rewards cards. It's a frequent guest card and they will drop some freebies on it. I don't go very often, but have already gotten several gifts.

[madrigal.livejournal.com]

Asiago cheese bagels!

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

I am going to be working there! They might still be looking for nonprofit organizations to take their nightly bread/bagel/pastry donations, if anyone knows of a nonprofit that might be interested. It's a weekly donation, so they need seven nonprofits and last I knew they only had four, but that was a few weeks ago so they might be full by now.

I second josephineave's suggestion to get a MyPanera card. It gives you spontaneous awards, rather than any kind of points system, so it's way more fun. Just ask a cashier for a card, and then register it online (no awards until you register).

[ron_newman]

I suggest the Somerville Homeless Coalition, which has a shelter in the formerly-Methodist church on College Ave.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

I think Panera is waiting for people to ask them, rather than the other way around. Not sure how they're publicizing it. I bet they've already gotten to SHC though.

[ron_newman]

Also there are worthwhile programs at St. James Episcopal Church, a couple blocks from the new Panera: Summer Shelter, Helping Hand Food Pantry, and Women's Meal

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

Beware the Addictive Broccoli Cheese Soup! Bewaaaaaaaare.....