A Panera Bread restaurant that closed after getting struck by an SUV has been vacated by the company, and will remain closed for the immediate future.
In July, workers removed furniture from inside the restaurant, located at the corner of National Avenue and Elm Street. Panera signage along the building was also removed.
A spokesperson for the company said a re-opening date has not yet been set, and many staff members from the South National store have started work at other locations.
“We are working with the landlord for future opportunities,” said spokesperson Jennifer Arnold. “Many of the associates have accepted transfers to the surrounding neighborhood bakery-cafes.”
According to state and county property records, the owner of the building is listed as Nouvelle Realty, LLC. Its owner is listed as Jo Ann Junge, co-owner of Brown Derby liquor stores. The Hauxeda has attempted to reach people with the company to talk about negotiations, and will update this story if they respond.
An SUV struck the restaurant at 4:28 p.m. on April 27. According to a crash report from the Springfield Police Department, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz G55 driven by Davinder Singh, 34, of Springfield, traveling south on National, failed to complete a left turn on Elm Street. The SUV drove through a window on the building's northwest corner and stopped inside the restaurant.
One person was struck by the vehicle as it entered the restaurant, according to the report, and three others were struck by debris from the impact. Two people were treated for minor injuries. The driver was not injured, according to the report, and police determined the driver was not impaired by alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident.
Restaurant employees boarded up the crash site and closed the restaurant; it has remained closed since the collision.
Panera Bread has four other locations across Springfield, including 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, 4100 S. Campbell Ave. and 2641 E. Sunshine St. The chain’s first location in Springfield, 1570 E. Battlefield Road, also remains in operation.
When that first location opened in 1993, the company was known as Saint Louis Bread Company. In June 2023, the company celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Springfield franchises.
