KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Nearly a year after Covering Katy first reported the closures in August 2025, two Panera Bread restaurants serving the Katy area are preparing to reopen under new ownership.

Hamra Enterprises, a Missouri-based franchise operator, announced it will reopen the restaurants at 25546 Kingsland Blvd., near Katy Mills, and 19506 Katy Freeway, on the westbound frontage road between Greenhouse and Fry roads.

The company said the Kingsland Boulevard restaurant will be among the first of seven Houston-area Panera Bread locations to reopen, with the first restaurants expected to open this month. All seven locations are expected to be open by the end of 2026.

The announcement brings Panera Bread back to Katy after the two restaurants unexpectedly closed, along with 13 other Houston-area locations, in August 2025.

The closures followed a legal dispute between Panera Bread and franchise operator EYM Café of Texas LLC, which lost the right to operate under the Panera Bread name. EYM later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after reporting millions of dollars in liabilities.

For longtime Katy residents, this is not the first change to Panera Bread’s local footprint. Before the Kingsland Boulevard and Katy Freeway restaurants closed in 2025, the chain operated a popular restaurant at LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. That location closed in 2023 after its lease ended, leaving the Kingsland Boulevard and Katy Freeway restaurants as the only Panera Bread locations serving the Katy area.

Hamra Enterprises purchased seven of the former Panera Bread restaurants during a November 2025 bankruptcy sale, marking the company’s first expansion into Texas.

“We have spent 50 years earning the trust of guests across 11 states, and we do not take lightly what it means to serve in a new market,” Hamra Enterprises CEO Mike Hamra said in a statement. “Houston is one of the most dynamic, diverse and food-forward cities in the country, and we are committed to being an operator this community is proud to have. We are here to serve, we are here to give back, and we are here to stay.”

The company said reopening the seven restaurants will create approximately 280 jobs across the Houston area.

The Kingsland Boulevard restaurant is located near Katy Mills, placing it in one of the city’s busiest shopping areas. While the restaurant benefits from heavy traffic generated by the mall and surrounding businesses, it also faces strong competition from dozens of nearby restaurants for the lunchtime crowd.

The Katy Freeway restaurant has long served commuters, nearby office workers and residents traveling the Interstate 10 corridor on Katy’s east side.

When the restaurants reopen, customers can expect Panera Bread’s familiar menu of freshly baked breads, bagels, sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries and beverages. MyPanera loyalty rewards, Rapid Pick-Up service and drive-thru service also will be available where offered.

Hamra Enterprises also announced a partnership with Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, allowing customers to support children with critical illnesses through future fundraising efforts.

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Hamra Enterprises operates Panera Bread, Wendy’s, Noodles & Company and Caribou Coffee restaurants across 12 states and employs more than 6,000 people. The company currently operates 88 Panera Bread restaurants and said the Houston expansion represents its first venture into Texas.

Specific opening dates for the two Katy-area restaurants have not yet been announced.

For many residents who have driven past the vacant buildings for nearly a year, the announcement answers a lingering question: Panera Bread is coming back to Katy.

https://coveringkaty.com/business/panera-bread-returning-to-katy-nearly-a-year-after-sudden-cl/