Has Tim Hortons hit the brakes on its Dayton-area expansion?

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

What to Know
By Mark Fisher
May 3, 2018
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Fourteen months ago, Tim Hortons’ Ohio franchisee appeared to launch a doughnut war of sorts against a rival chain when he told this news outlet he was “looking forward to competing with Dunkin’ Donuts” in the Dayton market, and vowed to add seven to 10 total new Tim Hortons restaurants in the Dayton region over the following three years.

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The January 2017 challenge by Tabbassum Mumtaz, CEO of Ampex Brands, coincided with the opening of two new Tim Hortons locations, in Moraine and in Troy; a third new location followed a few months later on Harshman Road in Riverside. Since then, however, the expansion has paused. Plans for a new location in front of the Airway Shopping Center stalled, and no announcements of new locations have been made.

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After opening this new doughnut shop on the Kettering-Moraine border and two more in Troy and Riverside, Tim Hortons’ Dayton-area franchisee is hitting the pause button on its Dayton-area expansion. MARK FISHER/STAFF

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Jim Liguori — chief development officer for Ampex Brands, the Ohio franchisee for Tim Hortons and a handful of other national fast-food chains, including Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s and KFC — explained the pause to this news outlet Monday, March 12 in response to an email:

“We are busy with Columbus development of KFC’s and are taking a breather from Tim Hortons for now,” Liguori said.

There’s been no breather for Dunkin’ Donuts’ southwest Ohio franchisee, Pat Gilligan. Two months ago, Gilligan confirmed that he expects to break ground this spring on a new Dunkin’ location at 168 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Road in Fairborn.

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And in February, Gilligan announced that a “next generation”-concept Dunkin’ Donuts shop will be built out in a former Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers/Clark’s Pharmacy space on Far Hills Avenue just north of Whipp Road in Washington Twp.

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Dunkin’ Donuts has accelerated its expansion plans in the Dayton area with an announcement last month of a new “next generation” doughnut shop coming soon to a former Wendy’s restaurant/Clark’s Pharmacy space on Far Hills Avenue just north of Whipp road. SUBMITTED

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Both the Far Hills Avenue store and the Fairborn location could open as early as June or July, Gilligan said.

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About the Author

Mark Fisher, a 1981 graduate of Ohio State University and a 1976 graduate of Beavercreek High School, is a third-generation Dayton-area resident who has worked for the Dayton Daily News since 1983. He covered higher education and K-12 education accountability issues for nearly 20 years before taking over the food and dining beat in 2006.