I’m over with fellow Torontonian, artist, and gown designer, Resa McConaghy at her blog, Graffiti Lux and More. We collaborated and are reminiscing about an #historical and iconic landmark bargain basement colossal store in downtown Toronto, Honest Eds, and its rich history, sadly torn down in 2017.
Honest Eds
Only the floors are crooked!
I had moved to Toronto to attend College. I was a student, working my way through and living hand to mouth. Someone told me about this place where I could stretch my money.
In 2017, they tore it down. Please join me and my special guest, D.G. Kaye, a fellow blogger, writer and Torontonian, while we take a look at what was, and the creature it has become! First a bit of history.
D.G. Kaye – Honest Eds was an iconic landmark to the people of Toronto. It was one of our first bargain basement type structures that sold a lot of low-end stuff with everything from food to vacuums. It was pre, our Dollar Store days, even pre, Bi-way (what was known as a bargain franchise that came along after). Honest Eds was erected in 1948 and was torn down for yet, more condo buildings in 2017.
The store took up two blocks, facing one of our famous streets, Bloor St., as well as the side street, Markham St. where Mirvish bought up homes to expand the store. Originally, Honest Eds had the front door of the business on the Markham St. side because the taxes were cheaper than having the entrance on the front of Bloor St. Through the years of buying up surrounding properties, Ed Mirvish eventually extended Honest Eds two blocks long to the corner of Bathurst and Bloor streets, complete with a walkway, known as the Honest Ed Alley.
Resa – I adored walking down Honest Ed Alley, pictured above. I always found street art on my way there. Below, Honest Ed Alley today.
D.G Kaye – Besides the iconic structure, the people who shopped there, and its vast size that grew through the decades, Eds was also known for its great signage, just one of many, ““Welcome, don’t faint at our low prices, there’s no place to lie down”, full of cleverly written puns as advertising lure, and vast lighting that made one feel like they were entering a carnival – or Christmas.
Source: Honest Eds – Graffiti Lux Art & More
Resa – I’ll never forget the first time I saw Honest Eds. It was like a midway without rides. My heart pounded, as my eyes widened. Debby, do you remember the first time you saw Honest Eds? How did you react?
D.G. Kaye – Do I remember? In some of my books I write about my childhood, having to spend every weekend at my grandparents’ house. When I became observant by the age six, I remember passing that corner when my Jewish-Orthodox grandmother (we were not) would take me and my two younger brothers at the time, for a Saturday afternoon longgg walk from her house, just west of Spadina, near Casa Loma, where we’d walk to Bathurst St. and pass Honest Eds as we walked down to see my grandfather at the family business, further south from Bloor.
D.G. Kaye -My grandmother wouldn’t use anything electrical on the Sabbath, so it was a long walk, lol. But my eyes lit up at the glitz and the feeling of amusement park, many Saturdays, it was always a busy corner. I always wanted to go in, but no shopping or money used by her on Sabbath, lol. Only after I moved away from home at 18, did I venture into Ed’s bargain basement prices, a place of everything and anything. Those were golden days.
Above- the way it was just after closing. Below – The way it is now.
Resa – How did you react when you saw the new Honest Eds corner above?
D.G.Kaye – It’s sad to look there when you knew what was there for your whole life. A lot of what’s become of our city makes me sad. It doesn’t have the same anything anymore. Like many other things in life that seem to be fading from our city, it’s another end of an era, the golden days of past. So I’m happy to be reminiscing about it here today with you.
Resa – Likewise! You mentioned the funny signage on the building. It sure made me laugh. My fave was “Don’t just stand there buy something!”
D.G. Kaye – I loved their marketing. I didn’t think about the marketing aspect of it when I was younger. But looking back at those hand-made signs, I have to admit how clever the advertising was for back then using puns in their marketing. Very clever and entertaining.
Resa – Markham Street was like a throwback from hippy daze. It was lined with cool cafes, handicraft shops and of course, Mirvish Books, one of Canada’s oldest and most popular independent bookstores.
D.G. Kaye – Exactly. It’s those little nook and cranny places that we knew about and visited that were part of the interest that our city had with its diversity. Places where people could meet other people with similar interests. Now it’s condo mania and people attached to their cell phones. The social aspect has diminished in so many ways.
Sometimes it’s best not to look back just because of things like this, the big teardown of an era.
Resa – Gate 3 is Markham Street now. There is a house with art on it, but I couldn’t get in. Looks like there are still a few houses left, and looks like they are being torn down.
Resa – It was a crazy up and down labyrinth inside. I always got lost, and I always had fun. Debby, I feel sad. I have a sense of loss, and not just loss. I have a feeling of impending doom about the future. Am I over reacting? Do I make any sense?
D.G. Kaye – It was like a funhouse lol. I’m 100% with your feeling. It does feel sad because it was a symbol and part of the times, our times. We lived in such a great time, and the city was much different back then. I found the city much more interesting back then. I loved Bloor/Bathurst area through my twenties. They had great authentic international restaurants, especially, a few great Hungarian restaurants I frequented often. It feels like the little great hotspots we both knew in our heydays have been taken over by condo buildings everywhere and big businesses, with now traffic laden streets and crime. … Please continue reading at Resa’s beautiful blog.
©DGKaye2022
Original Source: https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/2022/09/21/honest-eds/comment-page-1/#comment-43359
DGKayewriter.com 
Thanks for sharing this, Debby, and for introducing me to Resa’s blog. Honest Ed’s sounds like a fun place, and I would have loved to have visited it. It had plenty of character, and I agree, there are not that many places like that left in big cities nowadays. They all feel the same. Sad, sad. Stay well.
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Glad you enjoyed Olga. It seems so many sad endings to great eras. ❤
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I was in Toronto in 2013 (we stayed at the Days Inn) and went downtown on the tram, but don’t remember seeing this place. We would have gone in for sure! x
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You would have loved it. It was at top of downtown, not right downtown, so you would have missed it. 🙂 xx
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Ah, I see. I remember a big bookstore and a kind of indoor shopping arcade. We visited the CN Tower and had dinner in the restaurant there. We also walked along the beach boardwalk to a cafe for lunch. My daughter-in-law has relatives living in Toronto, and we visited them too. We could walk to their house from the Days Inn along a long street with shops lining one side. x
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Most definitely you were right downtown in the thick of things. It’s a big city. 🙂 xx
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a fantastic post Debby and Resa ♥
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Thank you Sal. Glad you enjoyed. I know you were already at Resa’s blog when the post went live there. ❤ xx
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This is a beautiful interview, Debby. Even though I am unfamiliar with this location, I still found myself feeling saddened by its removal.
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HI Damyanti. Thanks so much for visiting. I know what you mean, seems everything a good part of our growing up history gets dismantled. And newer is not always better. ❤
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I enjoyed learning about Honest Ed’s, and I’m sorry the store has gone the way of so many other iconic places that impede condo progress. *thumbs down*
Honest Ed’s reminds me of a place I visited in the spring with one of my daughters—it’s a country store in Pennsylvania called Country Junction. https://www.countryjunction.com/
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Thanks for sharing that link Amy. That does look like a fun place too. I love those different and off the wall kind of places. ❤
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Debby!
The reblog looks fab! Your blog is so alive, colourful and fun!
We really did a great project. As you say, preserved for posterity. Not just the images of what was, but how we ignore much of our heritage for what masquerades as a better future.
OMG!!! I found a new painted alley about a mile from here. It was sunny, so I couldn’t take decent pics. First cloudy day, I’m headed back… even partly cloudy. I’m thrilled. The art is fantastic!
😘🥰❤️
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Thanks for the kudos Resa. But your idea was inspirational! And wow for you finding a new nook of goodies. I look forward to your posting your new finds! Weekend hugs. ❤ xoxo
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This was a most enjoyable post, Debby.
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Thank you Robbie. So glad you enjoyed ❤
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*gasp* <–historic preservationist
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❤
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That was a great post. I loved seeing you over at Resa’s and learning about Ed’s. Those old department stores are fading into history. ❤
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Thanks Diana. So glad you enjoyed. Truly a sad ending to a great era. ❤
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I’m sure Toronto looked very different a few decades ago. All the building frenzy now… I wonder where all these people come from that occupy the massive condo blocks – and what happened to the towns they resided in before. Nostalgic moments, Debby.
My favorite about Honest Ed’s, as a distant witness, are the quotes! Hilarious.
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Hi Liesbet. Yes, the quotes are iconic. As for all the people. Not even sure how many people. Don’t forget, big corps buying up properties here and in the US,for rentals. No doubts! 😦 ❤
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I can still hear their jingle in my head as they sang, “Honest Ed’s department store … 48th and Fraser.” (This would be in Vancouver.)
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Some things never leave. 🙂
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It was wonderful to hear about Honest Ed’s – what a shame to see it closed. Did it sell clothes? Toni x
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Hi Toni. Oh ya, it sold everything! 🙂 xx
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I’m not from Toronto, but I’ve heard about this place. It’s a shame, because places like this have way more character than the boring box stores that are sprouting up like mushrooms on a rotting log.
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Amen to all you said Mark. Thanks for reading and leaving your thoughts too 🙂
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How wonderful to have memories of such a wonderful store. It certainly looks to have had more life than what has replaced it. Those ads are so clever.
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You said it Norah, much more appealing than its replacement. ❤
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What a unique store, Debby. So nice to hear about your memories of it. It is sad to see the city you grew up in changing. I think the infiltration of condo developers is extreme. It may be slowing down now with the interest rate hikes and inflation. It is sad because the land had skyrocketed in value making a place like Honest Ed’s less likely to survive. Selling to developers was a good option for an owner like him (if that’s why it closed). It is a similar situation here in Vancouver. Luckily we still have some wonderful ethnic neighborhoods with small business, unique restaurants and old homes. I will pop over to read the rest of your interview 🙂
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Thanks Lis. Yup, it’s all about the money. Everywhere. 🙂 xx
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