Food CoverStory
Get comfortable with recycling your plastics.
Robin’s Donuts A Thunder Bay Original by Kathryn Lyzun In 1975, Harvey Cardwell and George Spicer, two Tim Hortons employees, came up with a plan to open their own coffee and donut shop in Thunder Bay. Legend has it they planned to name the establishment Superior Donuts, but changed their minds after being inspired by a robin, that ubiquitous early bird, chirping around the yard. The connection between the cheery bird and the morning ritual that many of us need in order to get anywhere near cheery was perfect: Robin’s Donuts and its friendly, feathered mascot, “Robby,” were to become local icons. The business partners decided Thunder Bay was an ideal place to test their product and launch their business west. At the time, Tim Hortons was already well-established, with stores popping up all over Eastern Canada. As far as the coffee shop industry was concerned, however, the West was yet to be won. The original plan was to open four or five stores in Northern Ontario, but over the next several years the Robin’s brand exploded to over 240 stores across Canada—the majority from Thunder Bay to Vancouver. In 1987, Robin’s was the topgrossing doughnut chain in Western Canada.
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The Walleye
Even as more and more coffee shops came onto the scene, Robin’s Donuts held its own. The company adapted to social and gastronomic trends, moving from coffee, donuts and cigarette smoke to deli sandwiches, specialty drinks and low-fat oatmeal bars (which, by the way, are made in-store and are awesome. Equally awesome are their freshly baked chocolate chip muffins). What makes this local success story even better is that Robin’s maintains strong ties to its home city. Many of the people who built the brand continue to live here, build local businesses, and invest in the community. And for years Robin’s Donuts has been a huge supporter of local minor hockey. This year was the 36th annual Robin’s Minor Hockey Classic, a major event that brings together young hockey teams from across Northern Ontario. Three decades later the coffee market is far more crowded, but Robin’s still holds its own with about 130 stores across Canada—17 in Thunder Bay alone. There’s still something about the local coffee and donut shop that endures, especially in Northern Ontario. And really, what’s better than coffee, baked goods, and conversation on a cold winter day?
And what happens next will amaze you. They’ll come back as useful items, like Muskoka chairs. Recycle every #1 and #2 plastic bottle with a neck or screw top. To learn more, visit the City of Thunder Bay website at www.thunderbay.ca One can make a difference!