A Toronto landmark has been sold to a builder in Vancouver.
Honest Ed’s discount store, at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst, will close down in two to three years.
Since 1948, the store has grown to take up almost a whole block. Over the years, the decorations all over the building have become more and more extravagant.
The public can see the store’s neon signs and colourful lights from two blocks away.
The founder of Honest Ed’s was Ed Mirvish. He was well-known for his great sense of humour.
Among the many signs all over the building are jokes like:
“Come in and get lost!”
“Here we are, you lucky people!”
“There’s no place like this place any place!”
Westbank Properties bought Honest Ed’s. They haven’t yet decided what the new property will be.
Whatever it is, David Mirvish (Ed’s son and business partner) believes it will respect his family’s past and their major contribution to Toronto.
In the 1960s, Ed and David Mirvish became involved in theatre and purchased the Royal Alexandra Theatre and the Princess of Wales Theatre, plus six restaurants in the theatre district of Toronto.
Ed Mirvish died in 2011, but Honest Ed’s was famous for joke signs on the store windows, daily specials–which people lined up for every morning–and holiday turkey give-aways.
Ed and his family were always great supporters of the City of Toronto.
Adam Vaughan, City Councillor for the area, says the new owners will have to consult with the community before anything is built.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Honest Ed’s is a well loved icon in Toronto. When people see it, they know they are in Toronto. In the city, town, or community you live, what are your favourite landmarks? Why do you like them and why are they important to you?
Reading Prompt: Making Inferences
When a store closes, something new often goes in its place. What do you think will go in place of Honest Ed’s? Why do you think so?
Primary
Make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence (OME, Reading: 1.5).
Junior
Use stated and implied ideas in texts to make inferences and construct meaning (OME, Reading: 1.5).
Intermediate
Develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts to support their interpretations (OME, Reading: 1.5).
Grammar Feature: Colon ( : )
A colon is a punctuation mark that can be used in numerous ways. One way it can be used is to tell readers that a quote of more than three lines follows. In the following example from today’s article, a colon is used in exactly this way,
Among the many signs all over the building are jokes like:
“Come in and get lost!”
“Here we are, you lucky people!”
“There’s no place like this place any place!”
But this is just one way to use a colon. Where else have you seen a colon used? How was it used?
