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Ed Mirvish

Yehuda Edwin "Honest Ed" Mirvish, OC CBE OOnt (July 24, 1914 – July 11, 2007)[2] was an American-Canadian businessman, philanthropist and theatrical impresario who lived in Toronto, Ontario. He is known for his flagship business, Honest Ed's, a landmark discount store in downtown Toronto, and as a patron of the arts, instrumental in revitalizing the theatre scene in Toronto.

Ed Mirvish
OC CBE OOnt

Yehuda Edwin Mirvish

(1914-07-24)July 24, 1914

July 11, 2007(2007-07-11) (aged 92)

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Honest Ed

Founder, chair and CEO of Honest Ed's

Publicity stunts[edit]

Mirvish was renowned for his publicity stunts, doing everything from riding elephants, to hiring protesters to picket his own restaurant over its dress code. Every Christmas, Mirvish gave away ten thousand pounds of free turkeys in his store to shoppers who stood in line for hours. The giveaway continued each Christmas until 2015.[10] [11] A tradition since his 75th birthday has been the annual birthday bash outside the store, with free food, entertainment and children's rides. In 2003, Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman proclaimed Mirvish's birthday "Ed Mirvish Day".[12]


At one time, a sign in the store read: "When Ed dies, he would like a catered funeral with accordion players and a buffet table, with a replica of Honest Ed on it made of potato salad."[13]

1978, Made a Member of the

Order of Canada

1984, Awarded 's Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award

Retail Council of Canada

1984, Named a of the City of London in recognition of his contributions to British theatre (he subsequently drove a herd of sheep across London Bridge, a right of a Freeman of the city)

Freeman

1987, Promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada

1989, Appointed a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire

1999, Awarded

Retail Council of Canada's Lifetime Achievement Award

2008, One block of Duncan Street in Toronto, near the and the Princess of Wales Theatre in the Entertainment District, is renamed Ed Mirvish Way[18]

Royal Alexandra Theatre

2008, The parkette at , near Honest Ed's, is renamed Ed & Anne Mirvish Parkette[19]

Bathurst Subway Station

2011, The former Canon Theatre on in Toronto was renamed as the Ed Mirvish Theatre.

Yonge Street

How to Build an Empire on an Orange Crate, or 121 Lessons I Never Learned at School, the autobiography of Edwin Mirvish, published by Key Porter Books, Toronto, 1993

There's no business like show business : but I wouldn't ditch my day job by Ed Mirvish, published by Key Porter Books, Toronto, 1997.

Retail Council of Canada's Awards of Distinction

History of the Jews in Toronto

at IMDb

Ed Mirvish

The Amazing Mr. Mirvish

The Royal Alexandra: Honest Ed's Other Monument

Royal Alexandra Theatre

Princess of Wales Theatre

Batten, Jack (1972). Honest Ed's story: the crazy rags to riches story of Ed Mirvish. PaperJacks, Don Mills (Toronto).  0-7737-7031-3.

ISBN