BEREA, Ohio – The 2022 announcement of a Tim Hortons restaurant coming to Berea generated excitement throughout the community, but nothing appears to be happening on the site where a vacant former Burger King building still sits at 799 Front Street.
Berea Director of Economic Development Matt Madzy provided an update to Mayor Cyril Kleem and City Council during the Oct. 7 Administrative and Council Committee meeting.
Madzy explained that after the Burger King closed in May 2021, Rensko Holdings LLC showed interest in the property later that year. Berea Planning Commission then approved plans in 2022 for a 1,600-square-foot Tim Hortons with a double drive-thru.
A request to extend the timeline for commission-approved variances for the Hortons project was granted in 2023.
“In May 2024, we received word from the agent representing Rensko Holdings that they are putting the project on indefinite hold,” Madzy said during the Oct. 7 committee meeting.
“Since that time, I have been working with corporate real estate for Restaurant Brands International (RBI), which is the parent company of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes. They are evaluating the site for a potential corporate Tim Hortons restaurant there.”
He added that he told RBI if a Tim Hortons restaurant does not fit into their plans, demolition of the vacant building and a subsequent rebuild for a Popeyes or Burger King could work as well.
“I would say it’s a work in progress at this point,” Madzy said. “But to me, a Tim Hortons would be a good fit there as they would get the traffic going north.”
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