LINCOLN PARK — Panera Bread has closed its bakery-cafe at 2070 N. Clybourn Ave. after a decade and a half at the location.
The company issued a statement Tuesday saying: "For 15 years, the Panera Bread bakery-cafe on Clybourn Avenue has been privileged to serve our neighbors in Lincoln Park. Panera continually invests in our bakery-cafes to ensure that guests have the dining experience they have come to expect from the brand. Unfortunately, in some locations, it is difficult to achieve the standards they believe will meet expectations. With the expiration of our long-term lease at Clybourn, we have decided to close this bakery-cafe on Nov. 29."
The strip mall across from the Treasure Island, 2121 N. Clybourn, has proved problematic for some tenants, although Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop has made it work, recently being named the top place to shop in Lincoln Park.
A phone message at the bakery-cafe's old number sends loyal Panera customers to another outlet at 400 W. Division St. in Old Town. According to Panera, employees who wanted to continue with the company were offered jobs at other locations.
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