Packing up the Cold Stone-Tim Hortons combo on East Houston

A tipster passes along this photo from this afternoon on East Houston near Ludlow... where workers are cleaning out the the Cold Stone-Tim Hortons combo that recently closed.

Wonder how many businesses have come and gone these past 125 years next door to Katz's...

Tim Hortons has apparently closed for good on East Houston

Back on July 26 we noted that the Tim Hortons-Cold Stone Creamery combo on East Houston near Ludlow had temporarily closed ... signs pointed to "utility line maintenance," something that didn't seem to impact any of the other businesses along here...

A reader sends along word that they are done for good. The location is no longer listed on the Tim Hortons website. The phone just rings and rings. And the temporarily closed sign is gone.

The former NHL star, who spent some 20-plus years in the league, launched the business in Canada in 1964 ... he died in a car crash in 1974.

Previously on EV Grieve:
How do we feel about a Tim Hortons opening on East Houston?

Tim Hortons 'temporarily closed for utility line maintenance'

That Tim Hortons-Cold Stone Creamery combo opened late last year on East Houston near Ludlow... As the photo via @fnytv shows, they are temporarily closed... perhaps a victim of the never-ending Houston Street Corridor Reconstruction...

Tim Hortons will never win this neon-light battle on East Houston

That Tim Hortons-Cold Stone Creamery combo opened recently on East Houston near Ludlow... since then, the Hortoners added an admittedly pretty snazzy neon sign ...

But it's tough to compete in the neon-light category along here...

A Cold Stone Creamery, co-branded switcheroo shocker on East Houston

Back in August, the Tim Hortons banner went up at 203 E. Houston next to Katz's ... So we would get our first taste of Timbits around here...

But wait.

Now EVG reader Chris F., who sent us the above photo, got a look at the apparent new tenant taking over the space... A Cold Stone Creamery...

And the Cold Stone(d) website confirms the arrival... Let's welcome store No. 23064!

But wait again. OK, OK... word is this will be a Cold Stone-Tim Hortons combo... like the ones on West 42nd Street and West 72nd Street... The two companies started co-branding stores in the United States and Canada back in 2009.

How do we feel about a Tim Hortons opening on East Houston?

As you may have noticed in recent weeks... hanging in the vacant space next to Katz's on East Houston...

EVG reader Chris F. sent along the above photo. BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down both recently noted the arrival of Tim Hortons, launched by the former NHL star who spent some 20 years in the league.

Per the website:

The Tim Hortons chain was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario. The chain's focus on top quality, always fresh product, value, great service and community leadership has allowed it to grow into the largest quick service restaurant chain in Canada specializing in always fresh coffee, baked goods and homestyle lunches.

And...

Sadly, Tim did not live to witness the chain's great success. He was traveling back to Buffalo from a game at Maple Leaf Gardens when he was killed in an automobile accident on February 21, 1974. The Buffalo Sabres retired his Number 2 sweater as a tribute to his memory. At the time of Tim's death, there were 40 Tim Hortons restaurants.

There are now 3,000 locations in the United States and Canada ... including 11 in the city. (This will make No. 12.)

I'm not at-all familiar with the chain (except what I posted above) ... though I'm not sure I like the sound of "Timbits"...