Tim Hortons Franchisee Trades Doughnuts for Dumbells
DARTMOUTH — There are times when we are comfortable in life and we don’t foresee change on the horizon. But then, a sudden turn of events makes us rethink our whole lives. For Halifax’s Orangetheory franchisee Mark Dacey, that turn happened 10 years ago, when both of his parents began suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“I went back to Saskatchewan to visit them several times from 2013 to 2016. And each time I went back their health was much worse and it kind of scared me. I wondered, if they both have dementia, is that where my destiny lies too? Am I going to end up in a healthcare facility not knowing who I am or who anybody else is?”
Since 2005, Dacey had been a successful Tim Horton’s franchisee. But the situation with his parents caused him to think more about what type of career he wanted. More importantly, he pondered the legacy he wanted to leave behind.
He now had a desire to help others become fitter, happier, and stronger.
“I had a real paradigm switch around those years thinking ‘I don’t want to be pushing coffee and donuts through a drive thru window for the rest of my life,’” he recalled. “I think I want to focus on health and wellness and helping people live a longer, healthier, life; starting with myself.”
“I didn’t know what I was going to do next. But I did have a checklist of items and Orangetheory checked off way more boxes than anything else. And, because Orangetheory wasn’t in Halifax yet, it was a great opportunity for me to be the one who brought it to the region.”
He sold his Tim Horton’s and, In 2017, he bought the rights to open Orangetheory locations in the Halifax region. Dacey hoped to open all three of his locations in a five-year stretch. He was able to quickly establish fitness centres in Halifax and Bedford. But because of the pandemic and other delays, his newest location in the Mic Mac Mall just opened a month ago when he renovated the old NSLC site into the fitness centre.
That renovation also caused some headaches and delays when the work crew came upon a common construction problem in Halifax: bedrock. Dacey wanted to open in November or December (to take advantage of the new year’s resolution craze come January and February), but that bedrock, along with some global supply chain issues, pushed the opening to March.
“The [old NSLC] had a loading dock at the back that was about three to four feet high. And we needed a level space,” explained Dacey. “They were cutting it out with concrete saws. And that’s when they ran into the bedrock underneath. That was quite a disaster at the beginning. Between the concrete saws and the jackhammer, you couldn’t see from one end to the other. It was a giant dust storm.”
Getting in early
Despite missing the early winter rush for fitness centres, the new Mic Mac Mall location is off to a good start. Dacey says it already has 500 members after the first month.
Dacey chose Mic Mac Mall as his Dartmouth locale because it’s a place everyone knows. And, although it doesn’t have a dense population yet, that might change soon. The owners of the mall plan to build 2,000 residential units onto the property.
“We knew that there’s big plans. So, let’s get in there first and establish ourselves, and then reap the rewards of all the development that’s going to be coming,” said Dacey.
Not only has being involved with Orangetheory been positive business-wise for Dacey, it has helped him in every other aspect of his life, since he is practicing what he preaches.
“Mentally, emotionally, physically, I am much stronger. I feel better. I definitely feel fitter. I’m not going to be in our healthcare system anytime soon. I’ve got preventative maintenance happening every day, every week, for myself,” he says.
Dacey strongly believes in the importance of fitness in our society; he thinks governments should offer tax credits or other incentives to people who want to get in shape.
“I find it disappointing that our Nova Scotia government and our Canadian government doesn’t support the industry in terms of a fitness Tax Credit where people who are performing their own preventative maintenance should be incentivized and rewarded for avoiding the health care system.”
“But people who are fit don’t typically match the people who vote the most, and the people who vote the most are the ones who are looking more for more hospitals, more beds, more doctors.”
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].