Panera Bread is headed to the City of Lake Wales. It’s another new restaurant part of the City’s economic development portfolio.
Site development plans for a new Panera Bread restaurant were approved by the City’s Growth Management Department. The restaurant will be located on US HWY 27 across from the Eagle Ridge Mall near Aldi Grocery Store.
Panera Bread is the third restaurant chain attracted to the City of Lake Wales, joining two other restaurants that recently opened – Slim Chickens and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers – both the first in Polk County.
City Manager James Slaton said, “The added benefits are the positive economic impacts to our local economy, and our citizens no longer have to travel outside of Lake Wales to find dining options they want– they’re spending money locally.”
More than 100 employees were hired at Slim Chickens. Seventy employees were hired at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.
“Both Slim Chickens and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers restaurants booked more than 14 hotel rooms for 10 nights at local hotels for corporate trainers to help prepare employees,” Slaton added.
More retail and restaurants are headed to Lake Wales. The City partnered with the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council and a national retail recruiting firm to study the market size and analyze reports to help attract new business to the City of Lake Wales.