Plans for Vernon Tim Hortons approved

By Ryan Smith

12/07/07 December 06, 2007 11:03 pm

— VERNON TOWNSHIP — Tim Hortons’ coffee is hot enough for Vernon Township.
Township supervisors voted 4-1 at a public meeting Thursday to approve the Canada-based doughnut-and-coffee chain’s plan to add a new location in Vernon at the corner of Murray Road and Route 322.
Supervisors had previously tabled the Tim Hortons development proposal in order to further review site plans and related traffic studies. Supervisor Norm Cronin gave the sole vote against the development, citing traffic concerns.
Township officials didn’t indicate when construction on the new location may begin or when the company plans to open in Vernon.
Originally founded in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964, the chain — named after a famous Canadian hockey player — has more than 350 stores operating in the United States, including several current locations in Erie.
According to the company’s official Web site, Tim Hortons merged with Wendy’s International Inc. in 1995 and became a publicly-traded, separate company in 2006.
The Canadian operation, which includes 2,750 stores, is 95 percent franchise- owned and -operated, according to the Web site.