Post by Michele on Aug 3, 2009 21:01:58 GMT -5
Posted By CATHY DOBSON
Posted 2 days ago
Ellen McCully says the story behind her new business is both heart wrenching and heartwarming.
She and her late husband, Gus Tsotos, operated the Country Style Donuts store on Confederation Street since 1984, putting in long hours, building a loyal clientèle and raising their two children.
Gus died suddenly in March, leaving his wife unsure of what she would do with the family business.
"I came home from the hospital and we drove directly to the store. People were here wanting to know how he was," she said. "I gave them the news and then I knew what to do.
"I just turned the lights off and locked up."
The first several weeks after her husband's death were very difficult for her. "I had no focus. I couldn't be in the store. It was too hurtful," she said. "For a while I actually thought I would sell."
Country Style Donuts, which had been open 24/7 for 25 years, be shut down. Longtime customers who had regularly met there for a coffee and a chat with friends, missed it.
As the months passed, McCully says she started to feel a bit better.
"I'd be out someplace and I'd get asked when I was going to reopen." Finally, she went into the store to check the condition of some of the machines and start cleaning up.
"That was the day people, my customers, my family, started knocking on the windows. They asked me what was going on and came in to help clean up.
"Then they offered to help fix things up. One customer stripped and waxed all the floors. One very special helper told me that no matter what I needed to get done, he'd help."
The counter was rebuilt, new signs were framed, fresh paint was applied.
"Our customers came in and did whatever needed to be done. I paid for almost all the supplies but all the labour was free.
"One day I came back from getting more paint and I couldn't find a parking space, the lot was full of people helping me," said McCully. "It was overwhelming. I'd go home at night and cry. The things that they did were phenomenal."
It was almost because of popular demand rather than a personal decision, that she started to plan a reopening.
But this time, McCully wanted to do it as an independent, not a franchise.
"For years, I thought about what an independent store could do and I saw this as my opportunity," she said.
She wanted to expand the menu, buy local produce, support local suppliers and offer daily specials, none of which was possible if a franchise was involved.
Two weeks ago, McCully and her two adult children opened "a Cup a Coffee" in their building at the corner of Confederation and Lansdowne.
Virtually all the staff from the Country Style days returned, including Ken Bullen who has been making donuts for 44 years.
Along with the staff, most of McCully and Tsotos's former customers have returned as well.
"There are families that have come for more than 15 years and groups of friends who meet here almost every day," she said. "In some ways, a donut shop has the same dynamic as a family. I call this a social gathering, a pub without the beer."
The new store is also bringing in new customers. "I'm doing very well," said McCully. "Our first customers arrive around 4 a. m. and by 6 a. m. we're busy.
"In the morning, Gus and I always had a lineup right out the door and I've almost built that back up. Sometimes, I look up and it's like I'm saying to him, look at what's happening here."
theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1682795
Posted 2 days ago
Ellen McCully says the story behind her new business is both heart wrenching and heartwarming.
She and her late husband, Gus Tsotos, operated the Country Style Donuts store on Confederation Street since 1984, putting in long hours, building a loyal clientèle and raising their two children.
Gus died suddenly in March, leaving his wife unsure of what she would do with the family business.
"I came home from the hospital and we drove directly to the store. People were here wanting to know how he was," she said. "I gave them the news and then I knew what to do.
"I just turned the lights off and locked up."
The first several weeks after her husband's death were very difficult for her. "I had no focus. I couldn't be in the store. It was too hurtful," she said. "For a while I actually thought I would sell."
Country Style Donuts, which had been open 24/7 for 25 years, be shut down. Longtime customers who had regularly met there for a coffee and a chat with friends, missed it.
As the months passed, McCully says she started to feel a bit better.
"I'd be out someplace and I'd get asked when I was going to reopen." Finally, she went into the store to check the condition of some of the machines and start cleaning up.
"That was the day people, my customers, my family, started knocking on the windows. They asked me what was going on and came in to help clean up.
"Then they offered to help fix things up. One customer stripped and waxed all the floors. One very special helper told me that no matter what I needed to get done, he'd help."
The counter was rebuilt, new signs were framed, fresh paint was applied.
"Our customers came in and did whatever needed to be done. I paid for almost all the supplies but all the labour was free.
"One day I came back from getting more paint and I couldn't find a parking space, the lot was full of people helping me," said McCully. "It was overwhelming. I'd go home at night and cry. The things that they did were phenomenal."
It was almost because of popular demand rather than a personal decision, that she started to plan a reopening.
But this time, McCully wanted to do it as an independent, not a franchise.
"For years, I thought about what an independent store could do and I saw this as my opportunity," she said.
She wanted to expand the menu, buy local produce, support local suppliers and offer daily specials, none of which was possible if a franchise was involved.
Two weeks ago, McCully and her two adult children opened "a Cup a Coffee" in their building at the corner of Confederation and Lansdowne.
Virtually all the staff from the Country Style days returned, including Ken Bullen who has been making donuts for 44 years.
Along with the staff, most of McCully and Tsotos's former customers have returned as well.
"There are families that have come for more than 15 years and groups of friends who meet here almost every day," she said. "In some ways, a donut shop has the same dynamic as a family. I call this a social gathering, a pub without the beer."
The new store is also bringing in new customers. "I'm doing very well," said McCully. "Our first customers arrive around 4 a. m. and by 6 a. m. we're busy.
"In the morning, Gus and I always had a lineup right out the door and I've almost built that back up. Sometimes, I look up and it's like I'm saying to him, look at what's happening here."
theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1682795