Panera Bread will shutter its downtown Grand Rapids bakery-cafe on October 20, closing the book on more than 13 years of business on the ground floor of 99 Monroe Ave. NW. The cafe, which opened in June 2013 as part of a major renovation of the building, employs about 30 people, and the closure marks the end of a fast-casual anchor that once helped fill a struggling office tower in the city's Central Business District.
The closure was first reported by MLive.com, which detailed how the cafe's operator, Manna Development Group, said customer demand has shifted toward catering and delivery, leaving too little in-person business to sustain the location. Manna Development Group, based in Encinitas, California, describes itself as one of Panera Bread's largest franchisees. The company first entered the West Michigan market in 2011 by acquiring 16 Panera locations through its affiliate Bread of Life, LLC, and it now operates somewhere between 130 and 160 Panera cafes spread across 11 states, according to Manna Development Group.
When the roughly 4,500-square-foot cafe first opened in 2013, it employed about 50 people and sat along the Louis Campau Promenade, the pedestrian plaza connecting Rosa Parks Circle with the JW Marriott hotel and the Grand River, per the same MLive report. That same stretch of ground-floor retail also connects directly to the Grand Rapids City Skywalk system, a detail noted by Rapid Growth Media in its coverage of the building's history.
A Downtown Anchor Born From a Struggling Office Tower
Panera's arrival at 99 Monroe wasn't just a restaurant opening — it was central to developer Franklin Partners' push to revitalize a building that had stood at only 50 percent occupancy, according to Rapid Growth Media. The 12-story Class A office tower dates to circa 1985 and remains a fixture of downtown Grand Rapids' Central Business District, per LoopNet listing data.
Manna Development Group said it will continue serving catering and delivery through neighboring Panera Bread cafes, and it has offered all of the downtown cafe's employees positions at nearby locations, including a Panera at 3150 Alpine Ave. NW in Walker, about five miles north of downtown. The company also expressed gratitude to loyal guests and the downtown Grand Rapids community for their support over the years, per MLive's reporting.
Other Panera Cafes in the Metro Area
Panera also has cafes at 2044 Celebration Drive NE and 5630 28th Street SE.
The closure comes amid a broader corporate effort. Panera Bread launched a transformation initiative called Panera RISE in November 2025, focusing on menu innovation, ingredient quality, digital capabilities, guest experience and changes to its restaurant portfolio, as reported by TheStreet. The company has also closed underperforming stores and reassessed its restaurant portfolio.
Downtown Office Market Still Outpacing National Trends
The closure comes even as downtown Grand Rapids' office market remains relatively healthy. The area maintained an office vacancy rate between 10% and 13% in early 2026, well below the national office vacancy average of roughly 19%, according to data compiled by Ann Huizen. That gap suggests the Panera closure may say more about shifting daily foot traffic and lunch habits than about the broader downtown office market's stability.
Panera Properties Changing Hands Across the Region
The Grand Rapids area has also seen notable real estate activity tied to other Panera locations. Commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap brokered the $3.08 million sale of a net-leased Panera Bread property in Grand Rapids, according to REJournals.
For now, downtown Grand Rapids diners have until October 20 to grab a final meal at the 99 Monroe location before it closes for good.
