cityscape A Look Inside Honest Ed’s Months Before Closure

Sixty-eight years since its opening—and now near closing—the iconic Toronto shop still has dedicated customers.

Ed Mirvish was surely honest with his thrifty prices at his iconic bargain centre. But after 68 years of living at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst, Honest Ed’s will be closing down for good by the end of the year.

Since its opening in 1948, Honest Ed’s has been a staple for Torontonians in the Annex neighbourhood. It spans a block with an east-side and a west-side store connecting together to create one gigantic bargain bin store. And when the night falls, the saloon-type marquee illuminates the intersection for everyone to remember its name.

This photo essay depicts the atmosphere left behind from the store’s most thriving days. Today, Honest Ed’s boasts a melancholic interior. Illustrating the flaws and damages of the building’s structure, these photos demonstrate that the store of yesterday has not kept up with the present times. Yet, customers are still appreciative of the place when they come out to support the annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway or rush to purchase iconic hand-painted signs as collectables.

Honest Ed’s will officially close its doors on December 31, 2016. Then, another chapter of this corner in the Annex will begin, starting with rental housing plans and public markets.