BARRY’S BAY – Jason and Olena Armstrong are the new owners of the Barry’s Bay Tim Hortons.
The couple has arranged a five-year operating agreement with former owners Glenn and Nancy Keating, who brought the franchise to the community.
The Armstrongs are originally from the Hamilton/St. Catherine’s area. Since Jason’s grandparents are from the Bancroft area, and the couple loved the area so much, they decided to move to Bancroft 11 years ago.
“We wanted to raise kids up here,” Jason said. “That was the big drive.”
Jason owned his own business at the time, where he worked from home designing machines. This made it easier to make the move. After they arrived, the couple had two sons, who are now seven and nine years old. Olena has 20 years of experience working with Tim Hortons, having started with the company in Vineland, Ontario, when she was only 12 years old.
She worked her way up the ranks and eventually became a manager when working in St. Catherine’s, Ontario. While working in St. Catherine’s, she was part of a team that opened three new locations.
After having children, Olena decided to take up one shift a week at the Bancroft Tim Hortons, owned and operated by Glenn Keating.
“I was with him for seven years,” she said.
Get your February 15, 2017 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full article.