[miketoronto]

In this day and age of Wal-Mart and Target, people forget there are some old style discount stores out there yet.

Today I happened to be shopping on Bloor Street in downtown Toronto, and we decided to pay a little visit to Honest Ed's to get some Christmas decorations for my friends tree.

Honest Ed's is a riot, just to read the signs and decorations all over the store. It has a personality Wal-Mart or Target wishes they could get.

Honest Ed's I think is important, because its an old time discount store that shows what we use to have before these big box discount places.

Honest Ed's I also have respect for, because each year, Honest Ed's gives out turkey's for free at Christmas time to anyone who lines up on a particular day at the store. Its a small thing but he gives back to the community.

Ontop of that Honest Ed made his fortune with this store, and invested back in our city, by saving a historic theatre and basically kick starting the theatre district in Toronto again. So in one way or another hes given back to the city with the money he has made at this store.

So lets go to see Honest Ed's. This is just a small look at the store. The store has many levels, and sections that you get lost in. But its fun. Many of the pics are signs in the stairwell.

Honest Ed's is celebrating its 58TH YEAR in Toronto this year. Lets wish them many more years of business.

Welcome to Honest Ed's at Bloor and Bathurst Streets in downtown Toronto.
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http://mywebpage.netscape.com/miketorontoscar/heds15.JPG

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Lets go inside.
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The skywalk connecting two parts of the building together.
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The Food Hall.
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[mackeast]

is it just me, or does everything on yonge street look like its out of a circus? ive never seen such flamboyant signage in any othe major city

[James Bond Agent 007]

Funny.

But if Ed became a big chain, everyone would accuse him of driving the locals out of business.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Holy crap, make my head stop spinning! :tup:

[flar]

The crazy lights on Honest Eds at night is one of my first memories of Toronto

[DrJoe]

better signage...

ed?
http://static.flickr.com/33/42118234_d707078a4b_o.jpg

or

sam?
http://static.flickr.com/99/285305309_94debc5b45_o.jpg


:hmmm:

[miketoronto]

Funny.

But if Ed became a big chain, everyone would accuse him of driving the locals out of business.

Nope I don't think that would happen. Instead Honest Ed's has caused more business to open. There is a little street next to Honest Ed's(Markham Street). And its a vibrant little street with one of the best architecture bookstores in Toronto, antique stores, bookstores, etc. And its called MIRVISH VILLAGE(after Ed Mirvish the owner of Honest Ed's). Infact the area around Honest Ed's is full of stores and is vibrant. Honest Ed's is part of the neighbourhood, not a killer.

And Honest Ed has rejected turning it into a chain. People have asked him to open branch stores, and he will not. He said when you turn something into a chain it loses its personality. So if you want to shop at Honest Ed's you will have to come downtown to Bloor Street to shop at it, because he will not turn it into a chain.

[James Bond Agent 007]

^
That's why I said "if."

[miketoronto]

Thanks for those two pics.

Honest Ed's and SAMS are Toronto fixtures. I try to buy any CD's or DVD's I buy from SAMS.

Toronto is a very lucky city. I have been to a number of large cities who have hardly any local famous stores in business and stores with personality.

Toronto should be very proud of places like Honest Ed's and SAMS, and support these places, because they are one of a kind and not easily replaced in this day and age.

Not to forget SAMS has one of the best music selections in North America and is a famous store for music buffs, because of its selection.

[ColDayMan]

I can't even come up with this material.

Christ.

[Buckeye Native 001]

I can't even come up with this material.

Christ.

What he said.

[Rusty van Reddick]

is it just me, or does everything on yonge street look like its out of a circus? ive never seen such flamboyant signage in any othe major city

Honest Ed's is at Bloor and Bathurst. Nowhere near Yonge.

[crisp444]

Haha it does like circus-y. Is this supposed to be better/nicer/more attractive than Walmart? The photos don't make that apparent...

[Marcu]

Some day Wal-Mart will be just another old school discount store replaced by a bigger, more efficient, "evil" chain. (see history of woolworth, motgomery ward, pharmor, venture, kmart)

[k2wilde]

Thanks for the photos. I've never been inside Honest Ed's out of all the times I've been to Toronto.
One night driveing around I could't miss the place, and I knew I had to check it out. Beside's your photos here, I think the only other time I seen the inside was on a travel show.

Also, Thanks for DrJoe's shot of Sam...
After checking into my hotel when I visit TO, first thing I do is go to Sam Sam the Record Man. As was said -one of the best music selections in North America!
Before I got online, every year I'd drive the 10 hours just to get the music I could not get in the States. Other than Sam's and a place in Pittsburgh ( which after a 5 hour drive, I would put my order in of the available titles I needed and wait for weeks in the mail - ugh).

Anyhow, TO rocks, So does Sam's and the little 2nd hand record shops on Queen St. And of course, it seems like Honest Ed's rocks too.

Cheers,
Rob

[glowrock]

There is a small chain of very off-price general merchandise stores in New Englnand called "Building "XX X/X", where the X's are simply replaced by what seem to be random numbers... The signage is just as tacky as Honest Ed's, except the majority of these stores are in old historic warehouse buildings... Manchester, NH has one, I'm pretty sure Nashua and Concord have them as well, a few cities in the Boston area do also...

Aaron (Glowrock)

[sbarn]

Cool store... much better than Wal-Mart.

is it just me, or does everything on yonge street look like its out of a circus? ive never seen such flamboyant signage in any othe major city

In the U.S. Las Vegas (or any major city in Nevada) and NYC's Time Square come to mind. But yes, there is a certain circus quality to the exterior of this store.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Looks like the old Army & Navy stores across Canada too. Except the signage is way funnier. Entertaining stuff miketoronto.

[arbeiter]

This thread was already done like over a year ago, almost verbatim. Do you even remember the taste of your own effluvia, 'ronto?

[miketoronto]

arbeiter I never took pics of the inside before.

If it bugs you, you just don't have to look at the thread :)

Otherwise enjoy the tour.

[Tony]

As much as I adore having the store, I'm much less impressed with the selection of merchandise inside. Someone needs to update their merchandise. Having only a limited line of one brand-name BBQ sauce and then their two flavours of no-name brand is really quite pitiful.

Of course this isn't just the food section of the store, many of the other areas leave much to be desired.

[boden]

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday....like a hell on earth.
Good post Mike.

[miketoronto]

From The Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1165187408413&call_pageid=968350130169&col=969483202845

http://www.thestar.com/images/thestar/img/061204_turkey_mirvish_300.jpg
TONY BOCK/TORONTO STAR
“It’s just a tradition my father started years ago that I don’t want to give up,” says Ed Mirvish’s son David of the annual turkey giveaway at Honest Ed's store.

Shoppers gobble up turkeys
People lined up for hours yesterday for the 19th annual Honest Ed's turkey giveaway. For many, it's like a family reunion
Dec. 4, 2006. 06:39 AM
TRACEY TYLER


In the name of turkey, they came.

Past window displays of $19.99 cordless phones, $8.99 punchbowls and slippers for 99 cents, they lined up on sidewalks, many overnight, enduring sub-zero temperatures. All for the promise of having an even more solidly frozen Christmas turkey dropped into their plastic bags.

"It's like a family reunion," said Paul Ellis, 38, who huddled outside Honest Ed's early yesterday with three generations of relatives in anticipation of the store's 19th annual turkey giveaway.

The event is now a tradition for Ellis, who read about it seven years ago and has shown up ever since. His clan arrived at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

"We decided we'd come earlier and get ourselves a little cubby hole," Ellis said. Standing next to him, in an alcove at the entrance, was his aunt Marjorie Hinds, who came from Trenton.

Soon, they would climb three flights of stairs. There, next to $14.99 sandals, an autographed photo of comedian Jackie Mason and a sign that read "Ed's In a Fowl Mood," members of entrepreneur Ed Mirvish's family and staff, along with some local celebrities and politicians, handed out the birds.

But with 1,200 frozen turkeys comes the need for protective work gloves and the potential for little-known danger.

Honest Ed's prides itself on being a slightly eccentric bargain emporium, but it's also home to a rare podiatric turkey injury.

"One of the unfunniest things was when a turkey fell and broke an employee's toe," said store manager Russell Lazar.

Ever since, staff involved in the giveaway have worn steel-toed boots.

As he reflected on nearly 20 years of turkey, Lazar stood in Mirvish's eclectic office, which teemed with people, except Mirvish himself.

It's the first time the 93-year-old hasn't taken part, said his son, David, who donned a red Santa hat and took over his father's duties as chief greeter.

His mother, Anne, and daughter, Rachel, were also on hand.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'It's an opportunity for us to give something to the community'

David Mirvish

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"It's just a tradition my father started years ago that I don't want to give up," he said. "It's nice to have traditions to hold fast to."

David Mirvish said it began as a variation of some of his father's earlier gimmicks, such as selling bags of sugar for 25 cents. At first, he sold the turkeys for a quarter, then decided not to charge.

"It's an opportunity for us to give something to the community."

Those who come fall into three categories, Lazar said.

"Those who want to be part of an event, those who love a bargain and those who say they would not (otherwise) have a turkey."

Extended families weren't unusual yesterday. Shuffling along the sidewalk were John Hernandez and nieces Rebecca, 13, and Raquel, 10. They got up at 4 a.m.

Rebecca wore paper turkey tails at both ears. "It's fun for me," she said.

Hernandez lives in North York, but grew up in the Bloor and Bathurst Sts. neighbourhood and has been coming for turkey for the past eight years.

He plans to cook it Salvadoran-style for Christmas Eve dinner, with spiced sauce and stuffed tamales.

Upstairs in the store, Argie Aldover and Evelia Cabradilla are the fruitcake ladies, in matching blue smocks. They slide a fruitcake — dark, no icing — into each bag, alongside the turkey.

One man asks for two. "Ah, c'mon," he insists. "Be a sport."

Another man wants a bigger bird. One woman asks for a different turkey than the one Mirvish has selected.

After about an hour, only a few birds remain. The line surges forward. People elbow and jostle each other, as well as the turkey tables. One table comes perilously close to crashing into a display of $9.99 cardigans.

Nearby, Robert Penny clutches his bag. He got one of the last turkeys, but it's not likely to see the inside of his oven.

Penny says he's gainfully employed as a shipper and plans to give it away to a family who needs it more than he does.

[keninhalifax]

Here's to Mr. Mirvish -- Bloor West would not be the same without him!

Thanks for the photos, Mike!

[myord]

That's the Honest Ed's. I enjoy going there- there is no store like it. Thanks.

[Exodus]

That is so freaking cool:tup: Taylor, Michigan which is a nearby burb of Detroit has The Gibralter Trading Place. It's Americas largest indoor "flea market". The only difference between Gibralter and a traditional flea market is the fact that the merchandise at Gibralter is new and name brand. It's like a mall with a low overhead setting, in return that allows you to get shit you would normaly find at a mall or Wal Marts for a lot less money. We need more places like Honest Eds and Gibralter:tup:

[softee]

Honest Ed's is awesome, but they really need to get proper air conditioning in there. I was in there on a hot summer day, and while some parts of the store were almost comfortable, all you have to do is walk 20 metres to another department and the air suddenly becomes downright oppressive with a bunch of fans sitting all over the place blowing the hot air around! haha

[salvius]

Well, I hate the inside to this place. It's like a time warp to the 1950s, and not in a good way. It looks like nothing has changed since it opened, including the merchandise. It's my own personal idea of what hell would look like. I have not been inside for years now, thankfully.

On the other hand, the exterior is fun, even if it is incredibly garish. I couldn't imagine that corner without it.

[MolsonExport]

It is the centre of the cheese. Fun and tawdry at the same time.