Panera Bread in San Marco to close

[riverside planner]

Aren't these the same guys that got into a fuss with RAP over moving an historic house for a new development?

Yes.  He also was proposing a 4 or 5 story project that would have been shoe-horned on the corner lot by Mossfire Grill.  That lot has been entitled through a PUD, cleared and is now on the market for what I understand to be a ludicrous amount of money.  In my experience, he has not been the most reasonable person to work with.

[Bativac]

From my experience, while searching for my brewery location, is that most landlords in this town would rather have an empty building than take $2 less a square foot. They also want you, as the tenant, to make improvements to their building in exchange for the "privilege" to lease from them.

I have a friend in San Marco whose landlord raised his rent and he had to sell his business. Shocking in this market, but in-town property owners are just as clueless.

Most landlords in this town get what they deserve...(maybe I should not have said that!)

This seems to be the case in some vacant downtown locations as well. Property owners are unwilling to perform basic upgrades to their property (seriously -- who wants to rent a space with no air conditioning in Florida?! What kind of customers do they expect you to get?) and are of the mind that the space is "worth" something, despite that same space having been vacant for months or years.

This makes it difficult for us would-be entrepeneurs to get a business going, outside of running it out of our living rooms (which in my case has worked thus far but just barely). The greed is absurd. I am all for making as much money as legally possible but come on... you aren't gonna make ANY money if you are totally unwilling to make any concessions. That's just common business sense.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

I was just thinking...  that "for sale" sign next to Panera has been there for a long time. Several months in fact.

Oh well. Parking was a ***** anyway, so going there for lunch was not always practical.
And I can always go to the Roosevelt location if I get a craving.

[Dan B]

What about the building just south of Chan's?

Has environmental issues, and the owner (Hionides) doesn't want to do anything with the building until it is cleared (this may have happened, I haven't looked into it in a while)

Just spoke to Petras property manager about this building. He said while the environmental are still a concern, they are going to try to put a plan together to make it lease-able in the not too horribly distant future. This is great news, even just a new roof and some glass would make that building a real gem again.

[Bewler]

They never would have had this problem if they did like I’ve always suggested and changed their name to Pantera Bread.

[David]

That would be the most metal of breads. RORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Not a bad idea, that's what the guys from the Metalocalypse did for coffee. ::death-metal voice:: Do you folks like coffee? real coffee? From the hills of Columbia..........french vanilla roast, time for a cup!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4zYdav57SA

[Traveller]

They never would have had this problem if they did like I’ve always suggested and changed their name to Pantera Bread.

You keep this LOAF! (wheat) LOAF! (rye) LOAF! (white)
You keep this LOAF! LOAF! LOAF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsHnigAMBNc

[Bewler]

I'll have to check it out later Dave, Youtube is currently inaccessible for me.

You keep this LOAF! (wheat) LOAF! (rye) LOAF! (white)
You keep this LOAF! LOAF! LOAF!

HAHAHA, good one. That’ll be the official song.

As for a slogan?

“We’re baking over this town”

[thirdeye]

They never would have had this problem if they did like I’ve always suggested and changed their name to Pantera Bread.

You keep this LOAF! (wheat) LOAF! (rye) LOAF! (white)
You keep this LOAF! LOAF! LOAF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsHnigAMBNc

That is really funny! Dimebag Darrel would be proud!

[David]

Looks like they closed up shop within the past 48 hours. I went to grab a bagel yesterday morning and it was totally empty inside, doors locked. They moved out with haste!

[fsujax]

Yep. all the furniture is going to be for sale at the ReStore on Beach Blvd. Check out this article.

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/12/14/daily18.html?ed=2009-12-16&ana=e_du_pub

[jaxzjax]

Has anyone heard what - if anything - is going in to replace the Panera? And when? My friends say they saw someone walking around the outside, maybe measuring for a patio. A sports bar would be cool as I don't think there really is one in/near the square. (?)

[copperfiend]

San Marco Ale House?

[JC]

Maybe a REAL bagel store will replace it?  Doubtful, but one can wish!

[Captain Zissou]

San Marco Ale House?

This is what I was thinking should replace it.  The Loop just doesn't really cut it for a bar and grill type place.  The Alehouse format would be ideal.  I'd open one myself if I had the resources.