Panera in Newton Centre to open next week

By Sarah Thomas, Town Correspondent

After a lengthy renovation and over a year of controversy, Panera Bread will finally open its doors to the Newton Centre community at a ribbon cutting scheduled for Monday morning at 11 a.m.

"We met with inspectional services today, and feel confident that everything can go forward on Monday," said Gregg Godfrey, Panera operations chief. "We really feel that we've made something special here."

Panera first set its eyes on the Centre Street location in July of 2008, and obtained permission from the Newton aldermen to go forward after a heated debate in December of 2009. Residents were concerned about traffic, and also about the effect that a chain restaurant would have on neighborhood character.

Panera marketing manager Valerie Sodano said those concerns were taken to heart when designing the new restaurant.

"We tried to design something that would be a fantastic addition to the community," Sodano said. "We have full-length glass windows on both sides of the building, and a three-season room that takes advantage of the beautiful views. In the back, we have a small patio with outdoor seating and a fireplace and trellises. We were very conscientious of Newton's desire for a beautiful location."

The ribbon cutting will feature music and giveaways from radio station 92.5, as well as balloons and prizes.

After Panera, few other upcoming restaurant openings are more anticipated than the new Newton Centre Deluxe Town Diner, a satellite of the popular Watertown eatery. Owner Daryl Levy is planning to turn the former Newton Centre Starbucks location into a diner with space for 90 guests. Plans were approved in May.

"We're about midway through our construction process, but there's still a lot to do," Levy said. "We don't have anything finished, but we're working on the kitchen and the dining room."

Levy said she was shooting for an opening date around Thanksgiving or in early December.

Sarah Thomas can be reached at sarah.m.thomas@gmail.com.