And of course the store front has already been defaced by some Toronto 'artists'. Welcome to the neighborhood!

There's been a garish Pizza Pizza on the corner for eons. The only harm a Timmie's can do there is tempting me to eat more doughnuts, now that they're such a short walk away.

"Its neighbours - Pizza Pizza and the Pita Pit - don't exactly scream "Art + Design District" and one would think that Cosmos West Records is wondering how it ended up with such a neighbour."

Tim Hortons doesn't seem like such a bad neighbour. I'm sorry if it's not "cool" enough for you. Would you rather have a whorehouse move in next door or something?

Clearly the neighbourhood had been doing its job supporting local businesses. I'm sure it's not Tim Horton's fault that the Queen's Head moved out.

Obviously the pub wasn't impressed with the money it was making.

The same thing will happen to Timmy's if the neighbourhood doesn't support it.

I thought it was odd too.

I remember being at the Paddock about 20 years ago ... it was such a dump them.

I liked the pub that had moved in there.

All the fat ass, mediocrity loving sheep can be happy. Tim's sucks! It's been so Americanized it's not enjoyable whatsoever. Coffee that tastes like water and donuts that weren't fried on site and are dryer than the humor in Hortons commercials. Blah! I hope this place dies a quick and painful death.And I personally welcome the graffiti as at least it reflects the character of the neighborhood unlike Tim's.

The dude wandering around on the roof is a nice touch.

Bwahaha all the uptight anti-establishment people are going to be up in arms about this.

If you don't like Tim Horton's, then don't buy it and then watch as they pack up and leave. Some of you act like one store will tear the fabric of a neighbourhood in one fell swoop.

There's a Starbucks near me - I hate how the coffee smells and tastes like an enema (and I'm not fan of Timmies either), but I don't see the point in tagging the facade, whining, etc.

You guys should find something better to do like make a poem about how much you dislike songs on the radio because they are commerical sellouts, or how its preppy to wear new clothes or join a union or something.

Breaking News: who gives a shit. Buy a coffee or don't. THIS JUST IN: A Gap might open on Ossington? Will this be the shift from skinny jeans to slightly less skinny jeans?

GREAT!!! One more reason NOT to go to Queen and Bathurst ever again.

And is Timmy's really canada's much belived donut chain anymore, really? It's like the equivalent of McDonalds, but for deserts!

Queen and Bathurst isn't really "Queen West" anymore, let's be honest. Now it's anything west of Ossington. And I love it when big chains move into a hip neighbourhoods, every LEAVES!(should teach them a lesson)

I don't know why people persist in the myth that people who live in this neighbourhood are all hipsters. I've lived here for years, I live metres from this Tim Hortons, and the vast majority of people don't give a damn whether Starbucks or Tim Hortons or Home friggin' Hardware open a store here. Maybe it used to consist of nothing but young pretentious asshats but they're long gone.

This neighbourhood isn't a clique, it's not Kensington Market - god love it - there aren't going to be people protesting stores like this opening. There are certainly stores in the area that attract the cliquey but I don't see those customers living here.

There's this needless bantering over whether or not a Timmies 'belongs' there or not. It belongs there if it works; if it makes enough money, if it satisfies and fills a role in the neighbourhood.

Un-hip? Roll up the Rim Coffee gimmicks? Really? That's what you have to say about Timmies? Let's be fair, those who go to Timmies are not the type of people who will go to Niche or Greenavi. The coffee may not be for everyone, but it sure is nice to have an establishment that services the middle to low classes, without making them feel uncomfortable. It's enough that we're driving out these people from the core of the city to said VaughAn or elsewhere. So yes, the neighbourhood could do well with it (check Cabbagetown or the Annex).

Example: I know I can walk into Niche, get my Americano and sit on those Bertoia chairs, but my mom will prefer her double-double from Tim Hortons. Don't cross my mom.

Plus, it will be a dozen or so more service jobs for the lower income classes or even students and it's 24 hours.

PS. I lurvve Boston Creams and Honey Crullers. (Does lurve have an 'e' at the end?)

I bought a great thermos from mec.
keeps my coffee hot all day.
Can't imagine why anyone would prefer to pay even $1 for a paper cup.

No-one is making you buy donuts/coffee there. If you don't like it don't go in then. I have a funny feeling Timmies will do very well in that location.

What's ironic is that the people who have all the issues about Tim Hortons moving in tend to say they want entrepreneurs to prosper. Well, guess how Tim Horton's started out? Is that you all want them prosper up until a point, after which its no longer trendy to like them and they become "corporate sellouts"?

What happens if a store in the neighbourhood becomes really successful and goes nation-wide, and becomes a household name? Would you tag it with graffiti? Write poems condemning commerce?
As someone who lives in the area and shops at the smaller stores, I really don't see what the big problem is. Some of you sheltered and coddled people really need to get your priorities straight. Its amazing how a Tim Horton's opening up causes more furor and debate than city-wide violence, international issues, power hungry unions, etc.

I find it interesting that many people on this thread are entertaining the idea that this Tims location may fail, or the community may not support it. Get real! It's going to be a huge success, like the rest of their downtown locations. This is a company that does their research before opening franchises. They not only know how successful this location will be when it opens, but they have probably spent more time and money researching the future demographics of the Queen/Bathurst area than anyone else.

I predict lineups, and I wouldn't be surprised if many of the naysayers on this list find themselves in said lineups from time to time.

It is still Queen West if you are still dressed like a French spy and listen to Fiest. "The Red Sparow has fled the nest. The Red Sparow has fled the nest!"

How long will it take for one of the Natives across the street to take a dump in the doorway?

I should be so lucky. Living in the glass and steel ghetto centred on Spadina and Bremner, there is but one coffee shop to serve residents of more than a dozen towers. Rumour had it that Timmy's was scouting a location on the west side of Spadina, but apparently the powers that be thought it wasn't high-end enough. Who needs a cafe when you have three banks?

So it's not wanted on Queen West, it's not wanted in Cityplace. I mean wtf? Within 500 metres of Queen and Bathurst are two Starbucks and two Second Cups. The overeducated intelligentsia with Queen west so close to its heart has its fair share of choices available. I'd rather avoid a heavy serving of pretentiousness with my daily cup'a joe.

And Cityplace- contrary to what most non-residents might think, is a part of the city, a microcosm even. Yes there are some extraordinary wealthy people who live here, a lot disposable income, but a lot of the people I know are renters, and many people take the TTC. Especially given my current employment situation, Timmy's is exactly what I need right now. And I doubt I'm alone. Management are you listening?

"Queen West" is just like any other neighbourhood going through a gentrification process, like Parkdale is now. Soon Queen West will stretch all the way to the Queensway.

A friend of mine explained it to me once and it really opened my eyes. In a nutshell:

1) a poor area of the city is home to low-income families and mom-and-pop stores; the rental prices for both residential and commercial properties are bargain basement

2) the boho-class starts filtering in slowly, taking advantage of the low rents to open art studios, galleries, funky little joints that couldn't survive in a higher class 'hood

3) hipsters catch on, and start to act like it was their doing all along and infiltrate the area; rents go up

4) because the hipsters have money (even though they pretend not to, cause, you know, it's cool to be a poor emo hipster, woe is them), the retail industry takes notice and things like Starbucks, Tim's and the Gap start to appear to get as much of said money as they can, with no regard for how it will affect the neighbourhood; the rents start to go up even more as the area grows economically

5) everyday torontonians clue in and start moving to the new hot spot; rents go up again; eventually the poor people who reside in the neighboorhood can't afford to live there any more and get pushed even further afield

6) affordable commercial and housing units reach 100% capacity, but corporate greed is never sated so the monstrous condo buildings and big chains like FailMart and Home Despot start replacing huge swathes of older family-owned businesses and homes

7) the poor have been shoved into such a tiny pigeon hole that things start to boil over - crime goes up, neighbourhood pride hits rock bottom and foreclosures of homes and businesses start the process all over again; when was the last time you walked down Jameson? What do you think it will look like in 5 or 10 years?

We as a people have a duty to take better care of this city, especially the well off. Those that say "well, it doesn't affect me - why should I worry" need to wake up and realize that the time of looking out just for yourself is over and no one is safe anymore. We need to start doing a lot more to help each other out, instead of helping ourselves to the biggest piece of pie.

Well said Funkobot. That's basicly it.. in 7 easy to understand paragraphs.

People should care about our city more. But money and greed rules. That's human nature unfortunately.

I live in the area (King/Niagara) and I enjoy the odd Tim's donut/muffin/snack but don't like the coffee so probably won't go there very often, except to feed those midnight cravings for a Boston Creme.

I do try to frequent the indie places when I can (I'm not a big coffee purchaser in general, find it a waste) but it doesn't really bother me that Tim's is moving in. The area may have a lot of hipsters shops and residents, but that's not all it is...there are families that have lived on Adelaide and Richmond for several years, young families living in condos, people who pass by Tim's on their way to work or while waiting for the streetcar every day...basically all ages, colours and classes live there and walk by, from what I've seen.

I wish more people would frequent the indie places too but I realize that only a place like Tim's or Starbucks can keep up with the demands during rush hour. And it also gives people a choice...$1 for a crappy cup of Tim's or spend a little more if you want to. If it's not supported by the community, then it will fail, end of story. I do agree though that it's likely to become a hangout for the local homeless...don't know if I want to see what it looks like at 3am, and I kinda fear for any young female employees there by themselves. We'll see what happens.

And I don't think the Queens Head chose to move out, I believe they were evicted.

apetimberlake wrote: "How long will it take for one of the Natives across the street to take a dump in the doorway?"

I would bawl you out for such a nasty comment, but having formerly lived (9 years!) within a turd's toss of that corner, and having had my stoop pooped on by the colourful people who hang out there, I'll let it go.

Ever seen the arsenal of baseball bats stashed behind the counter at Super Queen? I wonder if Tim's will do the same.

Won't this all be old news tomorrow when we move on to bitch and complain about something else, like how awful it is to walk in the snow...boo hoo...Torontonians have so much suffering and pain in this world

To Human Fly: I'm not upset that poor folks will hang out there, it's just an unfortunate location for any venue where many can congregate. If that store was plunked down three blocks in either direction, it wouldn't be a problem because there would be a mix of poor and otherwise. But putting a Tim's in that exact spot, in such close proximity to several shelters and halfway houses (like in the case of Spadina/College), it's an open invitation for them to tablecamp all day. Eventually that'll lead to trouble, and then every conceivable kind of hell for that franchise owner and the corner in general.

To Zed: Sure, all this will be 'old news' tomorrow, but you miss the whole point of what's happening here. Torontoians at one time could rightfully be accused of having their heads in the asses, complaining for complaint's sake (kinda like what you're doing now). But now I think they carp because they care. That people give a shit enough to spark vigorous debate is precisely why your comment is clutter on the page.

The word hipster has been thrown around more here than practically any other, including the to-be-expected clarion calls of xenophobia and bigotry. Unlike what NOW magazine has to say, "Hipsters" are neither a blame all nor a cure all in railroading any kind of change or gentrification that you are threatened by; and your own use of the word only shows how incredibly old and separated some of you are from active 'culture' on Queen or elsewhere. The word is being thrown around basically as a symbol, and only verifies your own cluelessness to the actual cultural makeup of the neighborhood you're all sounding off about. That alone makes me wonder why you people are even complaining in here, unless it's just complaining for complaining's sake.

Hipsters are not to blame for Tim Horton's, Starbucks, Home Depot, or 1.7 million dollar lofts. The cultural shift on Queen St. has been driving steadily west for at least a good 10 - 15 years now, well before any resurgence of the attitude or use of the word and/or shutter shades. The fact that you people are jumping all over that stupid word shows how clueless you are to the street's actual cultural change.

It's neither good nor bad. It just is. When something doesn't evolve it faces extinction, and all of the artists and merchants in that area worth a damn have already done so, so pick up and chase them elsewhere.

Bring on the Tim's! Next, let's bulldoze the Bop and install a Costco! Remember, the "hipsters" don't actually live here, they just show up every Fri/Sat night. I like the idea of running as far away from poverty as possible -- remember the Galaxy Donuts? How depressing could you get!

Actually, it's too bad we couldn't have gotten something just slightly "alternative", like a Baker's Dozen Donuts; ever gone in one and insisted that there's actually 13 in a baker's dozen and they still owe you one more, to the confusion of the immigrant counter person? Absolutely hilarious...

How about next time you write an article like this, you maybe interview some people? Bet it wouldn't be hard to find out who the franchisee is and they might be willing...

The media is too centralised. We need more blogto and similar and we need them doing journalism.

I think people would complain less - if it were slightly less ugly, I do believe this is by far the ugliest timmies I've seen. Honestly - couldn't they at least buy enough stucco to cover all of the brick?

Otherwise - what's with all this pent-up aggression against 'hipsters'. There seems to be broad generalizations of these people, which I think is ridiculous. It's like calling all teenagers troublemakers - it doesn't make sense, and really doesn't make for a compelling argument for or against a timmies.

I think the real issue here is more to do with what other local businesses this will push out - there are actually quite a few coffee shops along queen which aren't used by 'hipsters' , which are cheap, and locally run. I can think of quite a few near queen and ossington, and I'm sure there's quite a few near queen and bathurst as well. In a few years - there will be more timmies and less selection. I really don't think it's a matter of snobbery, people who are against timmies moving in, are against reducing the diversity of our lives. Very few people can compete with the prices and marketing of a corporation like timmies.

There are actually places that value diversity - and don't accept giant corporations moving in - and there prices are still cheap, and the food is usually far above the sub-standard shit they serve at tim hortons. Anyone who's visited Italy will know the quality of the cafes there are amazing - they are all independently owned - and you can actually have a relationship with the person behind the counter. I work at young and bloor right now - and the problem with the area is there is very little diversity left, most has been eaten up by chains like timmies. It's actually really difficult to get a decent lunch with decent ingredients - without paying a fortune for it. It doesn't need to be this way - if we left protections for the little guys - we might actually have places to get homemade meals, for a reasonable price, and be able to know the guy behind the counter actually cares about your food.

This is Canada. Tim Hortons is one example of a home grown success, let them in, let it be.

What's everyone complaining about?

There's already a Starbucks, Pizza Pizza, Beer Store and a Shoppers Drug Mart all the Block of Queen and Bathurst. And you think Tim Hortons is out of Place?

from wikipedia...

In the late 1990s, the term became a blanket description for middle class young people associated with alternative culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock, independent film and a lifestyle revolving around thrift store shopping, eating organic, locally grown, vegetarian, and/or vegan food, drinking local beer (or even brewing their own), listening to public radio, riding fixed-gear bicycles, and reading magazines like Vice and Clash and websites like Pitchfork. Robert Lanham's satirical The Hipster Handbook described hipsters as young people with "... mop-top haircuts, swinging retro pocketbooks, talking on cell phones, smoking European cigarettes,... strutting in platform shoes with a biography of Che Guevara sticking out of their bags." Hipsters are considered apathetic, pretentious, and self-entitled by other, often marginalized sectors of society they live amongst, including previous generations of bohemian and/or "counter-culture" artists and thinkers as well as poor neighborhoods of color.

whats 'vitriolic'

any's i totally got to get to the cleaners to pick up my skinny jeans before 'shake a tail feather' tonight. toodles.

omg. you're soooo whateve's

HAHAH, yesss! Would you rather the hipsters were ravers?

lol at this "hipster" business.

do people who rent in the rat infested queen west apartments consider themselves hipsters? or are the hipsters the crack addicts in those alleys, or the hip mental patients who hang out at the salvation army. or are they the resident homeless who drop deuces on the store front entrance ways, i'm not sure. maybe it's the drunken natives who hang around the "art fence" by the "meeting place". is it the old hunched over chinese bottle collectors? is it the German Sheppards or the skids they are chained to?

i really can't decide. i think i will ponder that over a double double and a tim bit.

God Christ--it's a donut store. Like what, you liked it better when it was a dreary, dark bar that stank of wet plaster and piss? well I guess you didn't like it enough, it closed from lack of business.

And by what standards is this an "art/design" community? Graffiti? Stupid haircuts, and kids from the burbs who pretend to be homeless so they can feel "ethnic and real"? This community is a dump, the politicians have long long ago abandoned it to the street kids and drug dealers,a nd the only artistic statement made regularly is the above mentioned shitting in the doorways.

I'll be in line opening day for a Boston Cream and a large regular

In the above comments, it appears to me that those who are against the Tim's have worse spelling than those who aren't. Since I'm a good speller, this suggests to me that I should be in favour of the store. :-)

dmelamed, i enjoy this.