The Real Tim Horton Never Got To See His Coffee And Donut Chain Flourish

Tim Hortons may be an iconic name up in Canada, but those of us south of the border may not realize the namesake of the chain was big long before he started slinging coffee. Founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, Tim Hortons has a stranglehold on the Canadian psyche that American behemoths like McDonald's and Starbucks could only dream of. While other brands may have a larger international footprint, Tim Hortons is the largest restaurant chain in Canada, with over 3,800 locations, and 80% of the nation's residents say that they visit the chain at least once a month, according to the brand's website. But the coffee and bakery shop actually got off to a rocky start, and its founder tragically died before it became the national symbol that it is now.

Before Tim Horton opened his first shop, he was a player in the National Hockey League. After a devastating injury threatened his early career, he landed on the Toronto Maple Leafs and was one of the key players who led that franchise to massive success. He won four Stanley Cup championships with the team, becoming a local hero and hockey legend. During that time he also helped found the chain that would bear his name. In 1963, Horton partnered with local restaurant owner Jim Charade to open several businesses, including a burger stand and donut shop. One year later, it was clear that the donut shop was thriving the most, and Charade capitalized on Horton's popularity by licensing his name for the new business.

At first, Horton's name was his only stake in the business. However, as the first Tim Hortons location struggled a bit, Horton himself bought some ownership in the company in 1965. Two years later, Charade left the business, and a local police officer who had been an early franchisee, Ron Joyce, bought into the company and became co-owner with Horton. The chain expanded from donuts into something resembling its modern form, selling more baked goods and a variety of Tim Hortons coffee drinks, growing more successful and expanding in the Toronto area.

But tragedy soon struck. As Horton's play declined, he started bouncing around the NHL, eventually landing with the Sabres of Buffalo, New York. In 1974, he was scheduled to play in Toronto following a game in Buffalo. After a meeting with Joyce over business concerns, he was traveling late at night between Buffalo and Toronto when he lost control of his car, flipping it. He died at the age of 44.

At the time of Horton's tragic death, the Tim Hortons chain had about 40 locations and was already quite successful. But in subsequent years, it blew up, and the brand now counts over 5,700 locations in over a dozen countries, making it one of the largest coffee chains in the world by revenue. He may not have lived to see what Tim Hortons fully became, but between his hockey heroics and dominant restaurant, Horton is a true Canadian legend.