You would be hard pressed to find an area more uniquely Toronto than Mirvish Village.
Sleek contemporary public art beautifully share the sidewalk with turn of the century lamp posts. Brightly painted converted Victorian homes house fantastic restaurants, galleries and favourite local watering holes. Visitors can buy a vintage wedding dress and then walk across the street to celebrate with a vegan cupcake!
Isn't that amazing?
You can’t talk about Mirvish Village without mentioning the sprinkle coated icing on the Markham Street cake: Honest Ed’s. It’s nearly impossible to imagine the intersection of Bloor and Bathurst without the bright lights of this long time purveyor of everyday items. Sadly its days are numbered, when earlier this year it was announced that the store will close in December 2016.
Sniff!
Since its opening day in 1948, Honest Ed’s has employed in-house sign painters to create hundreds of unique signs every week to advertise their incredible deals. The current team – Wayne Reuben and Douglas Kerr – hand paint 70-80 signs per day! The iconic “Slash” font was designed to be both dynamic and also efficient as it requires less time to create than a block style print. The writing is enhanced by the liberal use of exclamation marks, quotations (often unnecessary but welcome) and clusters of stars.
The Honest Ed’s signature style extends beyond the signage. The store is also famous for its flashy window presentations displaying the wide range of products sold inside.
We’re not the only ones who have a soft spot for Honest Ed’s glittering façade and its iconic signage. Earlier this year hundreds of eager fans lined up for hours for the opportunity to own their very own piece of Toronto history. More than 2,000 of the signature show cards went up for sale to support Toronto charity Victim Services.
Pop over to Mirvish Village to explore this fantastic pocket of Toronto and take a moment to appreciate the wonder that is Honest Ed’s before it closes!
There is truly nothing like it in the world!
You can live in the heart of fantastic Mirvish Village! Check out our Elegant Executive Rental available immediately for $3250/mo plus utilities.
~ Kellye MacMillan, Realtor & Guest Writer
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