Ron Shaich has a reputation for taking on challenges. As the founder and board chairman of the hugely successful Panera Bread Co., with more than 1,450 stores nationwide, Shaich has succeeded in the restaurant business on a scale that is the stuff of entrepreneurial dreams. His company’s sales in 2010 exceeded $3 billion.
But after a visit to Portland’s Hollywood District Panera Cares café two weeks ago, Shaich said there is something different going on in Portland, something that makes it a bit more difficult for him to realize success for his latest project, a noble experiment dear to his heart. Portland is presenting a challenge that Shaich never anticipated.