KINGSVILLE — Kingsville residents will have no trouble finding a coffee shop to get their daily fix of caffeine.

Town council has given site plan approvals allowing two new coffee shops — a Starbucks at 303 Main St. E. and a second Tim Hortons location on Division Street North near Road 2.

The site of the proposed Starbucks is owned by the owner of the plaza to the east and will have no direct access to Main Street — Kingsville’s main east-west thoroughfare.Planning director Robert Brown said a drive-thru lane will be constructed through the parking lot at the north end of the plaza so customers can access the coffee shop at the Jasperson Drive-Main Street intersection.

“All traffic will enter and exit to the control intersection at Jasperson and Main,” Brown said in a report to council.

The Starbucks will have a patio and a sidewalk connecting the coffee shop to the town-owned sidewalk to encourage foot traffic.

Brown said the parking lot at the north end of the plaza — the site of the drive-thru lane — is underutilized and will also provide parking for the store.

Starbucks has nine outlets in the Windsor area and one in Leamington. It will be the second speciality coffee shop to recently open in Kingsville. Red Lantern has been selling coffee downtown since early 2019.

The planning director said the second Tim Hortons — located north of the Chartwell long-term care residence — should help divert traffic from Main Street East where there is another Tim Hortons restaurant.

There will be access to the new Tim Hortons from Road 2 and Division Street North.

“The development of this property as a whole helps in moving toward the decentralization of commercial use which has partially led to some of the traffic volume issues along Main St. E.,” Brown said.

Locally owned coffee shop boasts loyal clientele

KINGSVILLE — Craig Marentette, co-owner of the Red Lantern coffee shop in downtown Kingsville, feels he can compete against the biggest speciality coffee chain in the world.

Kingsville council approved Monday site plans for two new coffee shops — a Starbucks and a second Tim Hortons.

“I’m not happy about it,” Marentette said. “But if you can’t cut it, you don’t deserve to be around.”

Marentette said he and partner Aaron Hillier may have to “up our game” in the face of the new competition, but believed there was enough difference between Starbucks and Red Lantern that he and Hillier will succeed and thrive.

Marentette sells specialty coffees, but also roasts and sells coffee beans on the premises. Hillier, a Red Seal chef, bakes fresh scones and pastries.

The coffee shop, located in the middle of Kingsville’s thriving downtown has a loyal clientele, Marentette said.

“I know these people,” said Jack Kungel, a regular customer. “This is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.”

According to FinancesOnline, Starbucks had more than 32,660 stores worldwide in 2020.