Rosenthal, a St. Louis native, and his wife Linda opened ... how to make bread and even would get up at midnight to make sourdough bread for the bakery. Soon, the concept saw success.

An original St. Louis Bread Company menu even reveals that back then, it measured freshness "by the hour, not by the day".

In 1987, Rosenthal founded St. Louis Bread Company, which later became the nationwide bakery-cafe chain Bailey Richards is a writer-reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023 ...

Ken and his wife Linda opened the first St. Louis Bread Company location in Kirkwood, Mo., in 1987 after discovering his love for sourdough bread in San Francisco. Known locally as “Bread Co ...

In 1987, Rosenthal started Panera Bread’s precursor, the St. Louis Bread Company. The small bakery used a sourdough starter from San Francisco, which Panera says it still uses in its “iconic ...

In 1987, Rosenthal started Panera Bread’s precursor, the St. Louis Bread Company. The small bakery used a sourdough starter from San Francisco, which Panera says it still uses in its "iconic sourdough ...

In 1987, Rosenthal started Panera Bread’s precursor, the St. Louis Bread Company. The small bakery used a sourdough starter from San Francisco, which Panera says it still uses in its "iconic ...

He would return with a sourdough starter that would serve as the foundation for his own cafe. The first St. Louis Bread Co. store opened at Woodlawn and Manchester Road in Kirkwood, on Oct. 19 ...

ST. LOUIS — In mid-1980s ... teeming with sourdough. On that same trip, he encountered other establishments. Cozy eateries with fresh bread, sandwiches, soups and salads. Coffeehouses with ...

ST. LOUIS — In mid-1980s, on a trip to visit his brother in San Francisco, Ken Rosenthal visited a bakery, teeming with sourdough. On that same trip, he encountered other establishments. Cozy eateries ...