Honest Ed's

Honest Ed's is a department store in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which was known by the idiosyncratic, striking design of its exterior and showrooms as well as individual promotional activities.

History

Honest Ed's was named after its founder, Ed Mirvish, the department store on the corner of Bloor Street and Bathhurst Street founded in 1948 and ran it for almost 60 years. Mirvish was born in Colonial Beach, Virginia, USA, and went as a child with his Jewish family to Toronto.

The two-storey building complex occupies an entire block and is covered on the street fronts with huge, decorated in red and yellow billboards, which are illuminated by 23,000 light bulbs. Inside the offered cheap products are mixed arranged so that you can find winter clothes in addition to vacuum cleaners or food besides toys. In between posters of old films or performances of the theater of the founder are shown. Other decorations are photos of actors and musicians that have occurred in Mirvishs theaters in Toronto or London. The price tags in the store are still painted by hand, as well as the statements on the outer sides such as: Come in and Get Lost!. Another motto is: Welcome, do not faint on low prices, there 's no place to lie down!

Honest Ed's was known for his lurid loss leaders. Another well-known advertising measure is the delivery of free, frozen turkeys before holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. From 1988 until his death taught Mirvish his birthday celebrations on the streets in front of his house purchase, with free cake, drinks, sausages and sweets were distributed. The celebrations are also held today pending and will be accompanied by music bands.

Effects in cultural life

Honest Ed's was frequently the scene of movies and TV shows, playing in Toronto, for example, in the film The Long Kiss Goodnight, which ran in Germany with the title The Long Kiss Goodnight. Likewise, you could purchase the house in the background of a scene in the film Scott Pilgrim see against the world.

In March 2009, originally from Germany an installation artist Iris Haussler showed the installation and action Honest threads in the department store. In a kind boutique clothing, visitors could leave together with a personal history. Other visitors were able to borrow the clothes for a few days and in this way can experience how it feels in " other people's clothes ."

Publications

• Honest Ed Mirvish: How to Build an Empire on at Orange Crate or 121 Lessons I never learned in school, 1996.