The Alternative to Wal-Mart. Come with Miketoronto to Honest Ed's.

[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.






Lets go inside.








The skywalk connecting two parts of the building together.










The Food Hall.

[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!

[flar]

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

[DrJoe]

better signage...

ed?


or

sam?

[miketoronto]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

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]

Originally Posted by ColDayMan

I can't even come up with this material.

Christ.

What he said.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by 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

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.

Originally Posted by 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

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.