Director – Retail Operations-San Antonio

Panera Bread returns to Spring and Conroe as new franchise operator begins Texas expansion. July 20, 2026 North Houston / North Houston July 14 2026 For residents who watched several Panera Bread cafés across the Spring area go dark with little warning last summer, the reopening of two north Houston-area locations represents more than the return of bread bowls and morning coffee. It restores familiar places where neighbors met for lunch, students studied after school and remote workers settled in for the afternoon. Hamra Enterprises, a family-owned restaurant operator and longtime Panera Bread franchisee, plans to open cafés at 3548 Rayford Road in Spring and 1302 West Davis Street, Suite F, in Conroe by the end of 2026. The Rayford Road Panera will lead the company's Texas expansion when it opens Thursday, July 16. The two cafés are among seven former Panera Bread locations across Greater Houston being brought back under new ownership. Hamra purchased the seven restaurant properties through a November 2025 bankruptcy sale and expects its Houston-area expansion to create approximately 280 jobs. Rayford Road Panera reopens after nearly a year. The Rayford Road café's return will be especially noticeable for residents of Imperial Oaks, Benders Landing, Harmony, Legends Ranch and nearby communities along the rapidly growing Rayford Road corridor. The location was one of three Spring-area Panera Bread cafés that closed in August 2025 after former franchise operator EYM Café of Texas LLC lost the right to operate under the Panera name and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The closings also affected restaurants on Kuykendahl Road and Louetta Road, leaving many residents without a nearby Panera for coffee, lunch, takeout and informal meetings. EYM operated 15 Panera cafés in the Houston area before the business collapsed amid a federal lawsuit and mounting financial problems. Court and bankruptcy reporting indicated that the company carried between $10 million and $50 million in liabilities while reporting less than $50,000 in assets. Panera accused EYM of failing to pay royalties and other obligations, falling short of required food-safety and cleanliness standards and continuing to use Panera trademarks after franchise agreements had been terminated. The locations have remained dark since August 2025. Their return under a different franchise operator marks a new chapter rather than a continuation of the former operation. What Spring and Conroe customers can expect. Guests can expect Panera Bread's standard menu of freshly baked breads, bagels, pastries, soups, salads and sandwiches, along with Rapid Pick-Up, drive-thru service where available and participation in the MyPanera loyalty program. Hamra Enterprises has operated Panera Bread restaurants since 1998 and currently oversees 88 Panera cafés across eight states. With the addition of the seven Greater Houston locations, the company will operate 190 restaurants under the Panera Bread, Wendy's and Noodles & Company brands and employ more than 6,000 people across 12 states. "We have spent 50 years earning the trust of guests across 11 states, and we do not take lightly what it means to serve in a new market. Houston is one of the most dynamic, diverse, and food-forward cities in the country, and we are committed to being an operator this community is proud to have. We are here to serve, we are here to give back, and we are here to stay," Hamra Enterprises CEO Mike Hamra said. For the July 16 grand opening on Rayford Road, the first 100 dine-in guests who make a purchase will receive a certificate for one free You Pick Two meal each month for a year. The first 50 drive-thru guests who make a purchase will receive a freshly baked French baguette. Both offers are available while supplies last, with the drive-thru giveaway limited to one per vehicle. New Panera operator announces local Make-A-Wish partnership. Hamra is also entering the Houston market with a charitable partnership benefiting Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana. The nonprofit works to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses, including families throughout the Greater Houston region. "At Make-A-Wish, we believe life-changing wishes are made possible when our community comes together to support our mission. We are incredibly grateful to partner with Hamra Enterprises, a Panera Bread franchisee that empowers customers across Houston to make a meaningful difference for local children with critical illnesses. This partnership helps create hope, joy, and renewed strength for wish children and their families," said Shelly Millwee, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana. Founded by the Hamra family in 1975 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Hamra Enterprises reports contributing more than $7.2 million to nonprofit organizations since 1976. Its national community partners have included St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Boston Children's Hospital and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. For Spring and Conroe residents, the reopenings bring back two recognizable dining options while returning vacant restaurant spaces to active use and creating new local jobs. The Rayford Road opening will provide the first look at how Hamra plans to rebuild customer confidence following the abrupt closures that disrupted Panera's presence across Greater Houston. The remaining Panera Bread cafés in Hamra's Houston-area portfolio are expected to open in phases through the end of 2026.

Panera Bread returning to Katy Nearly a year after sudden closures. July 16, 2026 KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) - Nearly a year after Covering Katy first reported the closures in August 2025, two Panera Bread restaurants serving the Katy area are preparing to reopen under new ownership. Hamra Enterprises, a Missouri-based franchise operator, announced it will reopen the restaurants at 25546 Kingsland Blvd., near Katy Mills, and 19506 Katy Freeway, on the westbound frontage road between Greenhouse and Fry roads. The company said the Kingsland Boulevard restaurant will be among the first of seven Houston-area Panera Bread locations to reopen, with the first restaurants expected to open this month. All seven locations are expected to be open by the end of 2026. The announcement brings Panera Bread back to Katy after the two restaurants unexpectedly closed, along with 13 other Houston-area locations, in August 2025. The closures followed a legal dispute between Panera Bread and franchise operator EYM Café of Texas LLC, which lost the right to operate under the Panera Bread name. EYM later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after reporting millions of dollars in liabilities. For longtime Katy residents, this is not the first change to Panera Bread's local footprint. Before the Kingsland Boulevard and Katy Freeway restaurants closed in 2025, the chain operated a popular restaurant at LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. That location closed in 2023 after its lease ended, leaving the Kingsland Boulevard and Katy Freeway restaurants as the only Panera Bread locations serving the Katy area. Hamra Enterprises purchased seven of the former Panera Bread restaurants during a November 2025 bankruptcy sale, marking the company's first expansion into Texas. "We have spent 50 years earning the trust of guests across 11 states, and we do not take lightly what it means to serve in a new market," Hamra Enterprises CEO Mike Hamra said in a statement. "Houston is one of the most dynamic, diverse and food-forward cities in the country, and we are committed to being an operator this community is proud to have. We are here to serve, we are here to give back, and we are here to stay." The company said reopening the seven restaurants will create approximately 280 jobs across the Houston area. The Kingsland Boulevard restaurant is located near Katy Mills, placing it in one of the city's busiest shopping areas. While the restaurant benefits from heavy traffic generated by the mall and surrounding businesses, it also faces strong competition from dozens of nearby restaurants for the lunchtime crowd. The Katy Freeway restaurant has long served commuters, nearby office workers and residents traveling the Interstate 10 corridor on Katy's east side. When the restaurants reopen, customers can expect Panera Bread's familiar menu of freshly baked breads, bagels, sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries and beverages. MyPanera loyalty rewards, Rapid Pick-Up service and drive-thru service also will be available where offered. Hamra Enterprises also announced a partnership with Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, allowing customers to support children with critical illnesses through future fundraising efforts. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Hamra Enterprises operates Panera Bread, Wendy's, Noodles & Company and Caribou Coffee restaurants across 12 states and employs more than 6,000 people. The company currently operates 88 Panera Bread restaurants and said the Houston expansion represents its first venture into Texas. Specific opening dates for the two Katy-area restaurants have not yet been announced. For many residents who have driven past the vacant buildings for nearly a year, the announcement answers a lingering question: Panera Bread is coming back to Katy.