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Panera Bread to Fill Open Restaurant Space at Guilford Commons

After more than a year without adding any new tenants, the Guilford Commons shopping center by Exit 57 in Guilford is heading into the holiday season with some promising news: Two new tenants are coming in the new year and the long vacant restaurant space is to be filled by the national restaurant chain Panera Bread.

Guilford Commons (formerly and informally known as the Rock Pile), opened in 2015. Current tenants include The Fresh Market, Ulta Beauty, Michaels Craft Store, Bed Bath & Beyond, DSW, Charming Charlie, and Petco among others, but the addition of new tenants had recently slowed.

Now, Economic Development Coordinator Brian McGlone has reported two new tenants are coming into the main plaza this coming year. Mattress Firm is making the move to the Commons from its current location in town on Boston Post Road and an exercise studio, Pure Barre, will also be leasing space.

The big news, however, is that the designated restaurant space—the open lot on the left side as one enters from Boston Post Road—at the Commons will finally be filled by Panera Bread.

"Panera Bread has signed a lease to build on the left-hand side, which was always designated as a restaurant spot," he said.

McGlone said people seem excited about having Panera Bread come to town.

"Over time, Panera Bread's name was mentioned a lot and they were early on, the owner/developer was talking about Panera and a lot of people got excited about the idea and then it went cold for a while," he said. "Now they have come back around."

Mattress Firm and Pure Barre are expected to fill some of the existing space sometime this winter. McGlone said Panera Bread, because the space still has to be built, would likely open sometime in 2019.

"I am assuming they are just waiting for the spring and the better weather," he said. "I know some representatives have been over to Town Hall South inquiring about building permits and going through what they need to do."

McGlone said Panera Bread also has the opportunity to have a drive-through component to the restaurant if it so chooses based on the original plans for Guilford Common.

"That was an approved site for a drive-through window and it's yet to be determined whether they will utilize that or not," he said.

Since filling the Common had slowed for a bit, McGlone said all of these additions are good news.

"People have asked for a restaurant up there and thought it would help to have a restaurant to go to," he said. "In theory it is going to bring more people to the plaza and these shops should bring additional traffic to the plaza so that is all great."