A combination of factors have caused a prominent downtown business to lighten its hours of operation.
"January and February is the time of year that everyone is following their resolutions to save money, to not eat desserts and rich foods," said Mary Ellen Pauli, owner of Christopher's Coffee House on Pine Street South.
For the time being, they will be closing at 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday, in a move that will temporarily put a stop to Friday night jazz and evening espresso. It will also see the elimination of nine part-time positions.
Bill 148, an update to Ontario's 'Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act', including a minimum wage increase, took effect on January 1. General minimum wage increased from $11.40 to $14.00 overnight, and student minimum wage (18 and under) increased from $10.70 to $13.15. Combined with a lack of community support, it is a rough start to business in 2018 for Christopher's.
"Obviously in January and February, when it's this dead, I cannot afford to pay those kind of wages."
Narrowly, she didn't close the doors for last January and February, but the business was boosted by a more lucrative November-December.
"I have to rely on doing well in November and December, in order to survive January and February, and we didn't. And it's even quieter this year."
Pauli retired from the position she held with the Ministry of Natural Resources for 38 years last September, which has granted her enough free time to take on another full time job.
"People say 'so I hear you're retired' and I go 'does this look retired?" she said with a laugh.
"I went from a helicopter pilot to a barista."
There are now just four full time employees at Christopher's, as part-timers are less cost effective at the moment.
"It's not just $14 an hour. You pay WSIB, etc, etc, and it comes closer to $17 for an employee, per hour, and if I don't have people coming in here, I just can't do it."
She said that if there is a positive to take by not staying open until 10 p.m., it's that there will be time to re-evaluate every aspect of the business, from the products carried, to the menu.
"This is a good time for us to take a look at our whole operation, and try and make it more viable, and that has to happen."
Increasing prices for goods and supplies are another major factor that isn't felt quite as hard by the big multinational chains.
"When you have a mom-and-pop business, there isn't some big truckload of milk coming in at pennies per litre. I pay what you pay for milk. My coffee is organic fair trade, its roasted in Northern Ontario fresh every week, from green beans. There's no one else in this city who can say that," said Pauli.
"But we're a coffee house, and I want to keep our standards high as well. We need to have a more supportive community in order to survive."
Open since 2011, this is the first time in its history that the hours of operation will be reduced. It wasn't an easy decision, but the business needs more than a lunchtime rush.
"We do have customers who come in at night. We have jazz night on Friday nights, which people love, and games night on Tuesday, but it's not enough."
Significant investments were made in the business in 2017 including a street side patio, as well as obtaining a liquor license for wine, beer, and Irish cream, in order to attract new customers. Pauli is determined to utilize those resources better this spring and summer, and said the evening hours will return at some point. The popular live jazz sets from Steve Kessler will be moved to Saturday afternoons from 1 to 3pm, which came from a customer suggestion.
Pauli said the reduction in hours isn't just about the minimum wage increase.
"Especially for us, it's more than that. That's something that happened that made it so much harder for us, but I don't begrudge anyone a good pay."
For many businesses, these first two months are often the slowest, but the drop in customers in recent months doesn't bode well for other downtown businesses either. The Timmins Chamber of Commerce will be conducting member research to determine how Bill 148 is affecting the business community at the end of the month.
Pauli has concerns that without an upward trend in the 'support local' movement, Timmins could eventually become void of locally owned small businesses altogether.
"It's very, very sad for me. I've worked very hard at this, trying to grow this business, and trying to make something special for the people of Timmins. We should have what they have down south. Why not? Why can't we? But people have to support it."
