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Tim Hortons Marks 25 Years Here

Its first WNY store opened in 1985

By Samantha Maziarz Christmann

January 26, 2010
 

It was 25 years ago today that Tim Hortons opened the doors of an Amherst franchise, unfurling its banner on U. S. soil for the first time.

Back then, the store was one of just 200 Tim Hortons coffee and doughnut shops in existence. The rest were in Ontario and Quebec.

Today there are 150 Tim Hortons locations in Western New York alone. The first U. S. store, which is still operating at 1705 Niagara Falls Blvd., is one of 3,500 locations around the world.

“Western New York was the gateway to the U. S. market for Tim Hortons,” said David Clanachan, chief operations officer at the company.

To commemorate the company’s milestone anniversary in the United States, Tim Hortons is rolling back the price of its regular coffee in any size to 85 cents — a nod to the year of its arrival here, 1985.

Tim Hortons, which affectionately refers to Buffalo as Coffeetown, USA, is featuring personal stories from Buffalo customers at its Coffeetown- USA.com as part of the celebration.

“There is no doubt Western New York is by far our largest market in the United States,” said Clanachan. “People in Buffalo have a great love for coffee and a particular appreciation for our particular brand, and we’re very proud of that.”

The company, which sells “tens of millions of cups of coffee” in Western New York a year, sells more than 2 billion cups globally.

Tim Hortons’ entry into the Buffalo market ushered in the “coffee wars” still happening today. Large chains such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Coffee Culture and Starbucks continue to duke it out alongside local chain Spot Coffee and small mom-and-pop cafes.

In addition to 100 full-service locations in Western New York, Tim Hortons coffee is sold at the University at Buffalo, Coca- Cola Field, HSBC Arena and Ralph Wilson Stadium. It is also the official coffee of the Buffalo Bills.

“As we continue to grow, we tend to look toward nontraditional stores,” said Clanachan. “More and more, we’re bringing the brand to the people in other buildings downtown or at colleges where it is more convenient, rather than building elsewhere and having people come to us.”

Tim Hortons was founded in Hamilton, Ont., in 1964 by onetime Buffalo Sabres defense-man Myles Gilbert “Tim” Horton.

schristmann@buffnews.com