Seven Panera Bread locations in the Houston area that abruptly closed last year amid a franchise dispute will reopen under new ownership. Hamra Enterprises, a family-owned franchise operator, confirmed plans to revive the bakeries after purchasing them in a bankruptcy sale.
CEO Mike Hamra told Fast Company that the company aims to open the cafes beginning in Spring and Katy in July 2026. The effort is expected to create roughly 280 jobs across the seven sites, which include locations in Spring, Katy, and Houston.
The restaurants shuttered in August 2025 after a judge ordered their previous owner to stop using the Panera name, leading that operator to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Hamra Enterprises acquired the properties in a November 2025 bankruptcy sale, as previously reported.
The move signals a recovery for Panera's footprint in the region, though the brand faced disruptions from the legal conflict. The new owner already runs dozens of Panera locations across the Southeast, leveraging existing operational expertise.
Critics may question whether the reopened stores can regain customer trust and foot traffic after nearly a year of closure, especially in a competitive fast-casual market.