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BUSINESS IS PEOPLE - HONEST ED'S BY: ROBERT F. MIRVISCH
BUSINESS IS PEOPLE - HONEST ED'S BY: ROBERT F. MIRVISCH
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BY: ROBERT F. MIRVISCH
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This article is about the Mirvish Village and the Annex neighbourhood in west Toronto (home to CCLCS) but the old-time star is Honest Ed’s, the bargain centre that was demolished for development but remains the “anchor tenant” of this article. It was kind of like the glue which represented an eclectic funky Bloor St. West, the one that predated current gentrification.
Markham Street is both the home to CCLCS and the wonderful lane of art shops, pubs and eclectic businesses known as Mirvish Village. It’s still called Mirvish Village though only some of the original houses turned shops remain at the south end of the street.
Let’s trip down that memory lane. First off, I did get lost a few times in Honest Ed’s giant discount department store (there was a sign that implored one to “Come in and get lost”). They sold everything. I bought sundries and groceries there. I even bought a classic Polaroid camera there one time, the one that spat out the square format cards that revealed the image after a minute or two.
Honest Ed’s stood for six decades and Ed Mirvish, the business man who founded the iconic store, became well known and loved by newcomers and residents alike. Stories abound of people relating how their first purchases of household items or winter jackets came from Honest Ed’s. Famously, every year Ed gave away turkeys at Christmas time. People lined up around the block.

















