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“We feel fortunate to operate this kind of estab- lishment in this kind of town.” Rodney. 51. 'We know so many'of the cu? tometsweserve.” . Rodney and Margaret have two daughters. lenni- fer. l6. and Kassandra. l4. lan and Heatherlhave three sons, Mitchell. 19. Devin. l7. and Carter. 15. In addition to four lionons two in Stouffville and two in Uxbridge. they cash-crop 1.000 acres in a partnership knownasKing Enterpriu-a It was two years previ- 0115 to the first Stouffville opening that Rodney and Ian learned the likelihood of an outlet coming here. They immediately con- tacted llortons head office in Oakvifle and expressed an interest. Interviews fol- lowed and the choice was her 20 years and 20 million- rups of cofl'eo. Smuffvflk's Main 5mm Tim Hor- lu'ns cnnlinuvs to brew up an abundance ufbusiness. The fast-food eatery that opened May 27. 1993 is operated by Rodney and Ian King in claw co-oper- ation with Mm Margaret and I‘lcather. All are native residents who. for close to half a century. have called this community home. To cope with long cus- tomer lineups. 10 full-time counts! stafiwrn-empioyed plus two bakers. Today. the four outlets require 190 full and pan-time people. “The decision was some- thing of a surpr'me.’ Rodney says. “At that time. we little about the restaurant business.“ They would soon learn through enrolment in a sixâ€"week training course and even more eight months later when the doors finalty 'She's the giue that holds everything together.“ Rod- {he director of operations is Stmlflvillc's lessica Smith. an employee who. during the past 14 years has earned the hmthers' mnfidenoc. has its uwn manage! and Kings of coffee pouring I it on 20 years later N am..- Stree assistant manager. At the same time. Rodney and Ian are equally praisewnnhy of assistance provided by their says Rodney. “They run the show.” In addition to assist- ing behind the counter. they take charge of all adminis- trative duties. While it wasn't sup- posed m be. the Uxbridge Hortons actually opened five months in advance of The Hoover Park cutie! followed in 20% and the Uxbridge Walman kiosk in 2.012. Rodney's non-commitâ€" tal. “If a site appeared likely within this area. we'd con- sider it.‘ he 1119 no smoking policy launched by Tim Hortons several years ago stirred mixed customer reaction. Rodney admits. Is a fifth King Bros. fast food restaurant a possibil ity? “The decision was trend. setting within the industry and dcep-dm~n I knew it was right.” he says. “Because of it. we lost some patrons but gained many more. All- in-a". the adjmumem went smoothly.‘ “They're our While walk-in traffir continually inmses. with [I'm Thomas OPINION 1m "tomes vs 0 SW w mmmmnxmm~ mummwm Every year. Stoutfville's Main Street Tim llonons will receive more than 300 worker applications. In dealing with these. tmee specific areas are addressed: natural smiles. customet eyeâ€"contact and thank-you "We strive to be the employer of choice in While as important as this is. Rodney/“s quick to point out cleanliness always will be a lop priority. This requimmem is strictly gnforced by head office as While walk-in traffic continually increases. 60 per cent of the Main Street store’s business comes via the drive-through. says Rodney. It's here that ser- vice pmmpmessisvitaland it’s here that Stouffville's Tim Hortons has received severalawards. Well as thé Region of York. Rodpey explains» Although hesitant to detail community invoke- mem. funding of wonh. while projects and’ events range from the Teuy Fox Run and ‘the Children's Camp Foundation to the Whitchurch-Stouffville Food Bank and Markham Stouffville Hospital. related perforinances. the For Rodney and Ian. the most appmciated repay- ments come when former employees who have gone on to Establish permanent careersexpressappreciation through letters of thanks and bouquets of flmvers. Also. they host a free skate during Christmas hol- idays and a free swim dur- ing March bmk. Mugthepastzoyears. they've sponsored more than 2.000 Whitchurch- Stouffville Tim Bit hockey andZ.500 soccer players. "That's made the past two decades (‘xtromely worthwhile.” Rodney said. I didn't brag about my work like a George (instan- u~“llowlwishyoucouid m'akealivmgparmel parking" , , yadda yadda â€"â€" just checked mth In my maniew. let the last car in the line of tmflic pass and l was greeted with a string of expleuves fiyingbyontwowheels lamnwdwdosemdooflngaqdist.as drysayfiouomlimlwaswmngbmlwasfar happiatoleamafewmwwmdsdnnlotw helphgmmeomotnonhesueawum L Thank God it didn't. I'd "successfully p’ar- allel-[HIM on lmndy Queen Spec! “es! in Ibronlo. when- ! aupdsingly found myself on a Saturday night and d'unw- and the spots are shorter than on Mam in ' ltdidn’thelpdlat.asmypawmn. anavidblgdtycydisnpoimedoptfircbike hadbeenweavinginoutamioutofopen parkingspots Plugitwasduskandthelfike didn'thavealight.makmgitevenhmdeno Backon our quieter maindmga few days. lateranditappeamddwcyclinggodswem Iookinghrrevenge. Uncomfortable dance wheels along bumman aMboWyMcont-a Mum.de k Whom my four wheels. I was now on“ lwas a dumb move that Luuld gunc totally sidr- ways With Iim Mason Offlhe'l‘op |I~WI cu.- We don't want our kmngfilun trying lu share the narrow main road with the far too many big (nicks that end up (kM'nnmn. but we don't want them nmning over a senior ur a stroller either. And motorists of all ages must give them their space. Fsmcially. this driwr. But once wasn't enough. It’s. been my uwn Gmund» hog Day. all summer long Bikes. BTW skateboaxds and even a motor- m‘d with which I haw [Wasn't no quarrel., have Imunted my stops. Repeatedly. A5 (M-rsizrd as Main 51mm 's sidewalks may be. it seam to always be hosting an uncomfortable dance lx'twevn pedeslnans and all things wheeled. The kids can either walk their bikes ur take a back road. ~ ‘ MMasmmedmdmeSanm.FoIoanm Adult cyclists should be on the road. peri- ~“'-IW two feet and exiting the Sun- ‘l'tibtu w other in wealth of coffee. With one foot pH the threshold. then: was that familiar sound of fast~spimting bicycle wheels and the mush of clothing hit» ting Again. I looked up in time to see a bicycle trip by my now and hvad castlxmnd un the sidewalk.