An iconic Aldershot store has closed its doors permanently.
The Tim Hortons location at the corner of Plains Road East and Falcon Blvd. closed for the last time on Sunday night, December 13, 2020.
Aldershot Business Improvement Area (B.I.A.) Executive Director Judy Worsley described the store as “corporate,” not a franchise. Inquiries to Tim Hortons head office have gone unanswered.
The future of the property is unclear. Aldershot Councillor Kelvin Galbraith advised that he is unaware of any redevelopment proposals for the site. He speculated on the reasons for the closure.
“I would imagine that not having a drive-through at this location would add additional challenges during COVID-19.”
The Aldershot store was the fifth store created by Ron Joyce. He wrote about the 1967 opening in his book Always Fresh, referring to the event as “pandemonium.”
“Our grand opening was held on a rainy, muddy day, but that didn’t deter the customers, who packed the store. Once again, Tim (Horton) had recruited his teammates to help kick things off. I recall walking around the muddy, unpaved parking lot giving away trays of hot donuts to the throng of people waiting to get autographs. The store is still at the same location today, and for a long time after it opened it was the most successful restaurant in the area, thriving even as several well-known American chains opened and closed very quickly,” he wrote.
Three other Tim Hortons locations remain in Aldershot: near the corner of Plains and Waterdown roads and at two local gas stations, all of which have drive-throughs.
