Sam Colao walks into the Tim Horton’s café and bake shop at
Main and Scott streets right beside the First Niagara Center to grab a cup of
coffee and a bite to eat before he heads to a Buffalo Sabres home game.
Colao, 19, who hails from Grand Island, has a special
appreciation for the brand new Tim Horton’s that has opened in the new Harbor
Center right across from the stadium.
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| Patrons of the local Tim Hortons at the HarborCenter downtown look at the exhibit of the ex-sabres player Tim Horton. |
“I have been coming to Sabres games since I was a little kid,
so I have seen this area look pretty rough,” said Colao, “I can honestly say
the area around the stadium has improved so much, this Tim Horton’s looks
great.”
Unlike the dozens of Tim Horton’s around the Buffalo area,
this one is constructed like no other. The layout features a store-sized
timeline of the city of Buffalo as well as a display of ex-Sabres, including
the inspiration behind the name of Buffalos favorite coffee shop, Tim Horton.
With a new state architectural building design the new Tim
Horton’s is not only catches your eye but it keeps your attention. A timeline
of the city of Buffalo starting in the 1800s circles the walls, only to end
with an almost holographic looking feature of the professional Hockey player
that inspired a city.
“The new Tim Horton’s location is great for the locals of
the city of Buffalo,” said store manager Patrick O’Connor. “The last week has
been busy for us; the amount of support we have been getting is great to see.”
Opening only a short week ago, this Tim Horton’s has seen
hundreds of guests, some of the guests being famous names around the city of
Buffalo. One such name was the wife of the new owner of the Bills and current
owner of the Sabres Terry Pegula, Kim Pegula. She took to the sales floor and
served customers during the grand opening of the store.
“We have had a multiple people of notoriety come around the
store,” said O’Connor. “When the Pegula’s came, it was packed in here the
public loved it.”
The opening of this Tim Horton’s is just the first step in
the opening of the new HarborCenter. This 172 million project has been underway
for about a year and a half, with more construction on the way.
The HarborCenter upon completion will be home to not only
Tim Horton’s, but will be home to various ice rinks that service players all
around the city of Buffalo, for all ages, from Pee-Wee league to college hockey.
The center also currently includes an indoor parking ramp, training center and
a food and sports restaurant called “716.”
The HarborCenter has also opened its doors to college hockey
teams Canisus and Erie Community College, as well as the Buffalo Junior Sabres.
Over 20 amateur and youth hockey teams all new to the region will call the rink
their home as well.
“I think watching this all happen is so good for the city of
Buffalo,” Colao said. “This complex is so good for our city and it makes me
proud to say that I am from Buffalo, that’s for sure.”
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