Background on Tim Horton
Tim Horton founded Tim Horton’s Inc., a coffee and donut shop, in 1964. Tim Horton was born in Cochrane, Ontario and grew up playing hockey in the small leagues of northern Ontario. He was drafted into the NHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom he played for seventeen years, winning four Stanley Cups. Early in the morning of February 21, 1974, while driving the QEW from Toronto to Buffalo in his Pantera sports car, a gift from Sabres’ GM George ’’Punch’’ Imlach, Horton lost control, crashed, and was killed. He was negotiating a curve on the QEW where it crosses over Twelve Mile Creek in St. Catharines, lost control, and crashed into the Martindale Road overpass. A police officer pursuing Horton’s vehicle said that he had been travelling at over one hundred miles per hour. There were also reports Horton had consumed a considerable amount of vodka, and was rumoured to have been taking pain killers due to a jaw injury suffered in a practice the day before. An autopsy report released 31 years after his death showed Horton had a blood-alcohol level of twice the legal limit. The blood test also showed signs of amobarbital, possibly a residue from the Dexamyl amphetamine pills that were found on Horton’s body. The autopsy showed no indication he was taking painkillers. The entire NHL went into mourning after his death, especially the Buffalo Sabres, a group of young players for whom Horton had played a crucial role in maturing them into a group of stars who would reach the Stanley Cup finals the following season. Horton left behind a wife, four daughters and a son.
Horton was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977.
The entire NHL went into mourning after his death, especially the Buffalo Sabres, a group of young players for whom Horton had played a crucial role in maturing them into a group of stars who would reach the Stanley Cup finals the following season. Horton left behind a wife, four daughters and a son.
In 1965, Horton had partnered with investor Ron Joyce, who took over operations and expanded the chain into a multi-million dollar franchise.
Today, ’having a Tim’s’ is synonomous with having a coffee. In fact, I can’t drive 10 minutes without seeing a Tim Horton’s! Because most restaurants in Canada are now smoke free...you can enjoy the coffee without the disgusting smell of cigarettes!
The Food
Of course, Tim’s is known for their coffee. The best way to have it is a double double. This means 2X the cream and 2X the sugar. But I found the coffee varies in it’s taste. I have had some that taste fantastic, however, others were not as great. I think this has to do with the fact that each Tim’s is individually franchised. Having individual owners means that there is no strict guidelines in how the coffee is made/how long it is kept on the pot etc. The donuts are great, no matter which Tim’s you go to. Taste is very fresh.
Summary
When you visit Canada, you’ll be sure to spot numerous Tim Horton’s. When you order, act like you know what you’re doing...just say ’Can I get a large double double?’
The reason I’m writing about Tim’s today is because today Tim Horton’s went public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol THI. The shares opened at $23.16US and closed at $28.17. They traded as high as $33 earlier in the session. Nearly 26.5 million shares were traded. Investors may have been buying based on the taste of the coffee!