My girl and I had some free time during the day yesterday and headed downtown for a Sunday stroll. 

We decided to drop by Honest Ed’s just because the both of us havent been there since we were little kids. The last time I was there I was probably 3 years old. I remember my mom taking me shopping there and it was so big I would always get lost. I remember the loads of signs, how ram packed it always was, the tons of goodies that I would always want, the multiple floors and all the flashing lights that were on the exterior signs. I have a big love for all theatre type marquees. 

In no way is Honest Eds the most luxurious department store you’ll ever go in, in fact its quite the contrary. If you’re a real Torontonian, you’ve been to Honest Ed’s. Especially if you were an immigrant. Think about a Walmart in the 1950′s. Its a giant bargain store with everything that you could need.

Whats insane is that every sale sign inside the store is hand painted…and there must be well over 5,000 signs. The decor inside is very modest, but its filled with old theatre posters and photographs of celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Mr T and the Queen Mother, with all of them signed to Ed and his wife Anne. The pictures are scattered everywhere throughout the store. 

While some people may just look at these photos and say ‘cool’ or something equivalent, I think of something else. Those photographs are history. They document the glory days and a moment in time when everything was different, in this case, grander. Its a reminder of what used to be and a memory of a smile. I mean, I wasnt even alive when all the pictures were taken but I smiled while looking at every single one of them. Its like a photography exhibit/ museum in there. 

We’re all going to grow old one day and forget our all the things that once made us happy and trust me, if theres anything thats guaranteed to make you smile, its definitely a photograph.

If you know nothing about Honest Ed’s because you’re too young, Id say go visit. Ed Mirvish was a very important man and played a very important role in the development of our city, especially for the immigrants who struggled in a new land looking for a new future.