Panera saves the day!

Unless you live under a rock, you heard about the devastating storm that took place across the country this past weekend. Central Ohio was one of the hardest hit. I personally lost power at my place from Friday evening through Tuesday afternoon. My facts are probably incorrect, but I heard that there was over 500,000 without power in the Central Ohio region. Many still are without power.

The storm hit rather unexpectedly. I was getting ready for a fun evening out with friends and family to watch my favorite local band (Conspiracy Band). As I was searching for the perfect outfit to wear, the sky turned ominous, winds started picking up, and soon the power went out. I grabbed my dog Boomer and we sought shelter in an interior room. I thought a tornado was imminent.  Thanks to my lack of planning for severe weather, I had no way to confirm my suspicions.

Boomer during the storm. Note the Yuengling Light bottles on the table.

Eventually the storm passed. I was left without power, so naturally, I decided to meet everyone as planned and drink/dance my worries away. The band was amazing, as usual. I arrived back at my place several hours later, still without power. As luck would have it, I had zero trouble falling asleep that night. I awoke around 8:30 the next morning to my friend/neighbor (Amy) calling me to discuss the power outage.

We decided to walk around the neighborhood to assess the situation. Needless to say, it was a mess. Trees and power lines were down everywhere. Considering the facts that: A) Amy is 8 + months pregnant B) Amy was pushing her 1 year old son, and C) I was walking my dog...it probably wasn't the safest decision to stroll around the neighborhood. But no one ever claimed we were the smartest.

It was going to be another hot day and our power coming on seemed like a long shot. The next logical step was to pick up some Panera and eat it poolside.

I volunteered to pick up the Panera to-go. It was probably 10AM at this point. As I pulled into the Bethel Road Panera, my jaw dropped. The parking lot was packed and people were literally standing in line outside of the store to get in! Wow.

The parking lot was packed. Also the only photo I took. Big mistake. Huge.

Surprisingly the line moved relatively quickly. As to be expected, the line was filled with chatter about the storm and every one's experiences. Lots of talk about the most recent AEP report that power would not be restored for 5-7 days.

Everyone that day found themselves in an unexpected and uncomfortable predicament. The employees at Panera certainly had no idea what they would be facing on that Saturday morning. Certainly that had to have been the BUSIEST Saturday ever for that particular Panera. I commend the Bethel Road Panera for staying cool in a time of panic. I guess they really followed their corporate slogan: "Make today better"

ITEMS ORDERED:
Me: Chicken Salad Sandwich, Chips, Large Unsweet Tea/Acai Tea mix. Yum.
Amy: Sierra Turkey and chips

Random NOTES:

• Generators. I'm buying one. And not just a little one. I am getting a good one. Well not anytime soon. But I probably should.
• Radio. I'm buying an emergency radio. That will happen soon.
• Pool. Who decides to go to the pool after a hurricane like storm hits? Answer: Idiots. For whatever reason going to the pool sounded like a good decision. We brought the Panera back to the pool, only to discover the entire pool and kiddie pool was filled with debris and elements from the storm. Duh.

Example of the devastation. This was a billboard.

My Panera, My surprise! The Clintonville visit...

How surprised I was when my, "MY PANERA" card was swiped this past Saturday and I received $2 off my meal!! What a great reward. My friend Amy, the pregnant one, joined me on this outing...and I immediately turned to Amy upon hearing the news and proclaimed what a great deal that was! Previously, the only rewards I have been getting were a free bagel and/or pastry. 2 bucks off a Pick 2, in my book, made my day!

I had been looking forward to visiting this Clintonville Panera, located on North High Street for some time now. This was my first visit to this Panera. If you are not familiar with this area, Clintonville is a nicer neighborhood of Columbus, located about 10-15 miles north of OSU campus. This Panera is located next to a Chipotle and some other retailers inside of a strip center. I would say the building is fairly new, maybe 6 years or so?

THE REVIEW.
Date visited: Saturday, January 29
Attendance: Myself and Amy
Time of Day: 11 AM
Items ordered:
Me: Pick 2 combo, with the turkey artichoke sandwich and a greek salad. Wheat baguette, and unsweet tea.
Amy: Pick 2 combo, with the Frontega Chicken sandwich and the french onion soup. Wheat baguette and a drink...I think it was water, but it could have been sprite?

That's Amy pictured. She was concerned after she realized I was taking pictures for the blog.

I am trying to order items off the menu that I wouldn't normally...for the sake of my fans. (Note the sarcasm) So on this visit, I really went out of my comfort zone and ordered the turkey artichoke, upon a recommendation from my friend, Megan. I must admit...this sandwich was delightful! If you haven't tried this one, put it on your list of must-haves! The description reads as such from the menu:

Smoked turkey, spinach artichoke spread, Asiago-Parmesan cheese,

tomatoes & caramelized onions, grilled hot on our Focaccia.

I wanted to order a bowl of soup instead of the salad, but I got nervous at the last minute, and went with what I knew...I was already trying a new sandwich, and going for a new soup would have been overkill. Predictably...the greek salad was good. As was the baguette, and of course the unsweet tea.

In regards to Amy's order...I must say I am a little fuzzy on the details. I am 95% sure she ordered the Frontega Chicken Panini. Amy, if you are reading this, please confirm. Also, her go-to soup is the french onion, which she did order. Overall, I believe Amy would recommend her meal.

The LAYOUT.

My vantage point from the table.

This was fairly busy for an 11 AM visit, but not packed. There is a pretty big space between the entrance and the cashiers...similar to the Westerville Panera. From the entrance there are 2 main seating areas, one to the left which is a smaller, more quaint setting...and then the main dining area to the right. We sat to the left...not necessarily by choice. There weren't many options left.

I liked this Panera, and I would visit this one again.

Random NOTES.

• I forgot to check out the bathrooms...sorry no bathroom review. But I sense they would be decent.
• This Panera also had the bar seating area, like the Dublin Panera.
• My biggest complaint about going to Panera with Amy is that she is always in a rush to leave...ironically, on this visit, I had to rush us out. I don't think Amy will let me live this one down.
• Amy is pregnant, and is about to pop any day now. There is a poll on when the baby will be born and the sex. It costs a dollar to get in.

Columbus welcomes you, Mr. Covelli

As you know, I just recently began documenting my obession with Panera. But long before I documented this strange hobby, I have enjoyed my Panera Bread for quite some time. It is interesting to learn that a Warren, Ohio based company, Covelli Enterprises has recently aquired the Columbus area Panera Breads. What's even more interesting is the fact that as of 2005, they owned and operated over 100 Panera Breads throughout Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida! The annual revenues exceed over $220 million per year! (According to a Smart Business Online article)

Sam Covelli is the man behind these Panera Bread franchises, and chances are that if you live or vacation in these area you have been to a Covelli Panera. I was browsing through all of their locations on the Covelli website and was very surprised to learn that they have 22 restaurants in the southern portion (Broward and Palm Beach County) of Florida...of which, I believe I visited one years ago. Too bad I didn't pay more attention back then.

Covelli Enterprises also owns and operates several of the O'Charleys franchises.

I must admit, I know very little about this Covelli group, and even less about Sam Covelli. Regardless, it seems that the Covelli's are experts in the franchise restaurant business.

Also, there is good news for Panera fans that live in a Columbus area suburb that DOES NOT have a Panera: Mr. Covelli stated in a Business Journal article the following,

 

"I always wanted Columbus. We think there's a lot of growth in the Columbus area, but we're going to continue to grow in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and our other locations in Florida, but it's exciting to get the market."

 

My hopeful interpretation of Covelli's statement is that they plan to expand throughout Columbus wherever it makes sense. I have 2 suggestions, right from the start for Mr. Covelli: Newark & Zanesville.

Why am I doing this?

I might have a miniature obsession with Panera Bread. My friends will tell you that it is true, I do enjoy my Panera Bread more than the average person. They will also tell you that it really does not make sense that Panera is always my restaurant of choice.

You see, I am a pretty frugal person, and Panera is not a cheap meal...especially considering what you get for your money. A typical lunch at Panera runs close to $10.

This brings me to my first experiences with Panera. I was a college sophomore at UD. A newly built Panera was just a short-walk from my apartment. I had been to Panera beforehand, but I never had this much access to it. Shortly after it was built many of my friends liked to frequent Panera to help nurse a hangover. Reluctantly, I joined my friends on these outings. I was admittedly, disappointed on each of these occassions...so much so that I stopped going. As a poor college student, $10 for a hangover meal was far out of my budget. Not to mention the fact that it was my contention that the key ingredient of hangover food should be grease...french fries, burgers, etc. Clearly Panera did not meet any of the tough requirements.

That was in the year 2000. Fast forward to today. A lot has happened in 10 years. One of the biggest changes is Wifi. Sure, they probably offered Wifi back then...but I did not have a laptop, and I probably didnt understand what Wifi was. Another change in the last 10 years...my hangovers. While I would like to say I have grown up and hangovers are a rarity...let's just say I still have hangovers, but for some reason the classic greasy meal isn't as appetizing or as settling on the stomach as the fresh ingredients from Panera.

Panera can be enjoyed with a group of friends, with just one or two friends, and even by yourself. I can be found at many central Ohio Paneras working on my laptop...and sometimes you will see me dragging along a friend or two to join me. Either way I enjoy the atmosphere and the energy that Panera offers. From the background music to the people watching...Panera is a great place to dine.

I recently visited my sister in Cleveland, and had the opportunity to go a Cleveland area Panera. It sounds weird, and perhaps creepy...but as I was sitting at that Panera I couldn't help but think, "Wow, if I had to rank my favorite Paneras, this would be at the very top of the list"....and so you have it. I have decided to visit as many Panera Breads possible and rank them.

In an effort to complete this goal, I am starting with visiting all of the Columbus area Panera's. I have already been to several of the 19 locations throughout the years. But I am going to make a fresh start and re-visit even the ones I have already been to.

I will rank them based on my personal opinion, and my own likes/dislikes. As further background information....my favorite menu item is the Pick 2. I enjoy half of the sierra turkey on whole wheat (I dont like the default bread) and the other half is a greek salad, no olives. I also typically opt for a whole-wheat baguette as my other side. Drink of choice is an unsweet tea. And...even stranger...I will order this at anytime of the day...even for breakfast. I am not a big sweets person, so I can't fairly rank the bakery side of the restaurant.

Thank you for reading about my journey....