Tim Hortons
363 Broadway, 415-5645

Tim Hortons--it's a name synonymous with Canada. It's about frozen winter mornings, steaming cups of coffee and sticky donuts. And right in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, young entrepreneur Stacey Mikolajek is keeping that image alive on Broadway.

Stacey is following a family legacy with her new franchise. Her parents already owned a Tim Hortons in the city when the opportunity came up to acquire the downtown location. At first Stacey was reluctant, never having managed a store before, but she took on the challenge and has thoroughly enjoyed it since. "The most satisfying part is interacting with my staff and getting to know the customers," she says.

With the occasional help from her parents, she's learning her way around the business. "They're always there to help," she says. "But I'm enjoying a real pride of ownership with this."

She says that biggest lesson she's had to learn so far is how to be flexible and respond to issues as they arise. "You're dealing a lot of different people and it's important to be accommodating and understanding."

Stacey says her peak hours are the morning and lunch rush thanks to a loyal office crowd. In fact, she relates the story of one gentleman who works in the building that comes to the store several times a day. "One of our staff found out it was his birthday recently and when he came down, we had a gift card and a little cake with a candle for him," says Stacey. "He had tears in his eyes he was so touched. It was a very special moment."

At the moment, Tim Hortons' famous Roll up the Rim to Win promotion is happening, where customers are eligible for a host of amazing prizes including cars, TVs, bikes and more. Look out for Camp Day coming up on June 3 when proceeds from every coffee sold are donated to Tim Hortons Children's Foundation which sends underprivileged kids on a camping trip of a lifetime.