For over 75 years, the discount king of Toronto was “Honest” Ed Mirvish (1914 – 2007). Honest Ed’s, located at Bloor and Bathurst, sold all types of necessary household supplies for super cheap, making it a first stop for new Torontonians setting up homes.
Mirvish was a true community builder. In addition to his free turkey giveaways every holiday season, he established Toronto as a big-budget theatre city and revitalized the King West neighbourhood as a post-theatre hangout. He also rented out buildings along Markham Street – now Mirvish Village – as inexpensive artist’s studios and storefronts for small businesses.
