Covelli Enterprises to open 2,000th Panera Bread

WARREN — In Elyria on Wednesday, Sam Covelli will open his 271st Panera Bread location for Covelli Enterprises.

What’s more, he has the additional honor of opening the 2,000th location for Panera Bread.

Sitting in his Ohio State University-themed room at his headquarters, Covelli thinks back to when the Warren-based company first got into the Panera brand.

“If it wasn’t for the people in this [Mahoning] Valley, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” he said. “That’s why we are here. We aren’t moving our headquarters. We really are fortunate to be able to have the amount of stores we have and still be at home.”

Covelli Enterprises was started in 1959 by Sam’s father, the late Albert Covelli.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com