I found another reason to boycott Hortons

Made-in-Hamilton chain could be inclusive, but chose to be unfriendly instead

Heading up to visit friends in Meaford recently, Renée made her usual travel request, this time just outside the community of Flesherton, population 700, in the Municipality of Grey Highlands.

“Could we please stop for a coffee so I can use the washroom?”

We had just passed the Tim Hortons in Dundalk, on purpose. Like many people, even lifelong Hamiltonians, we stopped shopping there as much as possible when minimum wage increased last January and a number of TH franchisees doth protested too much, cutting workers’ breaks and so on.

So we started peering about for possibilities at the crossroads and our eyes came upon the words “Fair Trade Coffee” on a chalkboard sign at the southeast corner of Highway 10 and Grey Road 4. We made a quick right and nabbed a parking spot out front. We were heading into the cleverly named, “Highland Grounds,” with its hopeful tag line, “Because life can be fair.”

As we stepped into the old Duncan Hardware Store, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The first thing we saw was a huge rainbow flag hanging over the countertop, emblazoned with the word, “Peace.” Now, I lived in Grey County from 1986 to 1993, just down the road in Hanover. Back then, rainbows only appeared in the sky, anyone in a same-sex relationship was definitely living with a “roommate,” and local petitions were regularly promoted to protest anything “gay.” How could they be so flamboyant with that flag?

On the bulletin board above the cream and sugar which Renée was using to fix up our excellent coffees, hung notices about a local LGBT2SQ+ youth group meeting and an upcoming Pride event. I went to the washroom and sat down, noticing yet another sign, this time without rainbows but hard to miss on bright orange paper conveniently placed at eye level.

“Welcome to Flesherton and to our business. While we recognize that sometimes travellers require washroom facilities, and we don’t want to be one of those businesses that say our washrooms are for ‘customer use only’, we would respectfully remind you that we are not a public washroom, we are a family-owned and operated business.

“When our washroom facilities are used there is a cost for water, soap, and paper supplies. Accordingly, we would request that when you are running out the door, you take time to familiarize yourself with our Fair Trade Organic retail product, our fine coffee and our fresh small batch baking and make a purchase to help us continue to be a presence in our community.”

I couldn’t help but think of that hospitable and informative sign when I heard and subsequently saw this week the well-known, made-inHamilton coffee franchise at the corner of Main and Wellington had reopened after renovations, having removed all customer seating and washrooms. There’s a place to lean if you must tarry awhile, but that’s it. Need to get rid of the coffee you already drank? Go home or find another restaurant more welcoming. Good luck. And if you are without a home? No luck.

I found the number for Highland Grounds and called the owner, Shawn Ankenmann, to get his reaction. He, too, has a partner named Renée, so I liked him right away. Then I found out he went to Mac for Religious Studies and he is the United Church Minister in Flesherton and Eugenia. Surprise, yet no surprise.

Shawn sees their coffee shop as an extension of his ministry. When he opened up, there wasn’t another coffee shop around for 30 minutes and there were no public washrooms in the hustling, bustling downtown that is Flesherton. He and Renée agree inclusion and hospitality is key to their business, “so it is a balance. We welcome folks that need the washroom, but when three vanloads of tourists heading to Tobermory or Sauble pull up and pile out with no intention of buying anything, our welcome becomes strained.”

Of course it does when you are a small, rural, family-owned business. Corporate coffee shops have resources galore to ensure washrooms stay clean. In response to some bad publicity last spring, the head of Starbucks announced a plan to open its washrooms to the public, even noncustomers, “100 per cent of the time.”

Tim Hortons could have done the same. What a shame this legacy of inhospitality and exclusion was born here.