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07-12-2007, 02:16 AM
Toronto Institution "Honest Ed" Mirvish Dies
Wednesday July 11, 2007
CityNews.ca Staff
The final curtain has come down on the life of legendary Toronto businessman and theatre impresario "Honest Ed" Mirvish.
Mirvish died early Wednesday at St. Michael's Hospital just shy of his 93rd birthday.
Best known for his discount store Honest Ed's, which opened in 1948 at the downtown corner of Bloor and Bathurst Sts., it was a long and extraordinary road to success for Mirvish, the son of Jewish immigrants.
Born in 1914 in Colonial Beach, Virginia, Mirvish moved to Toronto with his family in 1923. His father David bought a grocery store on Dundas St. and the family lived in a modest apartment above it. When David died, Ed, then 15, dropped out of school to manage the store and take care of his family.
The grocery store didn't fare well, so Mirvish reopened the shop as a dry cleaner. But it wasn't until he opened up the eponymous bargain shop that he tasted real success. The store, which carried all sorts of odds and sods picked up from bankruptcies and fire sales, brought in millions of dollars a year and drew crowds around the block - which the store with its massive sign with hundreds of flashing lightbulbs soon filled.
Mirvish married his wife radio singer Anne Macklin in 1941 and they had their only child, David, four years later.
Though he always considered himself a shopkeeper, Mirvish, likely inspired by Anne's love of the arts, branched out into the theatre business. In 1962 he saved the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King St. from demolition, and despite the fact that he admitted he knew nothing about the business he put $500,000 into the restoration of the 1907 building. The first show put on by the family was a touring production of Saturday Night Fever.
In an attempt to keep the theatre profitable Mirvish opened up the Old Ed's Warehouse restaurant nearby, offering one meal, roast beef with all the trimmings, in order to minimize costs. In subsequent years he opened other restaurants in the area including Ed's Seafood, Ed's Chinese, Ed's Italian Restaurant and Ed's Folly. All have since closed.
In 1993 Mirvish built the Princess of Wales Theatre, which was the largest new theatre in this country in 30 years. Among the shows Mirvish Productions has brought to the city over the years: Miss Saigon, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, and The Producers.
But the theatrics that happened on stage were nothing compared to what went on outside his store. Mirvish went to great lengths in pursuit of free publicity, including bringing in elephants, and hiring protesters to picket his own store. He also offered ridiculously good deals like five cents for Swiss watches to lure people inside.
Mirvish's charitable nature was never more prevalent than at Christmastime each year, when the entrepreneur would give away 10,000 lbs of free turkeys in his store to shoppers willing to wait in line for one. And since turning 75, Mirvish would also hold an annual party near the store with free food, entertainment and rides.
Mirvish took ill in 2003 with a severe case of pneumonia and retreated from public life, leaving the theatre business to his son David. In July, 2005, he invited the entire city to his 91st birthday.
For his charitable work and personal accomplishments Mirvish has received more than 250 awards. He was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Funeral arrangements haven't yet been announced.
Wednesday July 11, 2007
CityNews.ca Staff
The final curtain has come down on the life of legendary Toronto businessman and theatre impresario "Honest Ed" Mirvish.
Mirvish died early Wednesday at St. Michael's Hospital just shy of his 93rd birthday.
Best known for his discount store Honest Ed's, which opened in 1948 at the downtown corner of Bloor and Bathurst Sts., it was a long and extraordinary road to success for Mirvish, the son of Jewish immigrants.
Born in 1914 in Colonial Beach, Virginia, Mirvish moved to Toronto with his family in 1923. His father David bought a grocery store on Dundas St. and the family lived in a modest apartment above it. When David died, Ed, then 15, dropped out of school to manage the store and take care of his family.
The grocery store didn't fare well, so Mirvish reopened the shop as a dry cleaner. But it wasn't until he opened up the eponymous bargain shop that he tasted real success. The store, which carried all sorts of odds and sods picked up from bankruptcies and fire sales, brought in millions of dollars a year and drew crowds around the block - which the store with its massive sign with hundreds of flashing lightbulbs soon filled.
Mirvish married his wife radio singer Anne Macklin in 1941 and they had their only child, David, four years later.
Though he always considered himself a shopkeeper, Mirvish, likely inspired by Anne's love of the arts, branched out into the theatre business. In 1962 he saved the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King St. from demolition, and despite the fact that he admitted he knew nothing about the business he put $500,000 into the restoration of the 1907 building. The first show put on by the family was a touring production of Saturday Night Fever.
In an attempt to keep the theatre profitable Mirvish opened up the Old Ed's Warehouse restaurant nearby, offering one meal, roast beef with all the trimmings, in order to minimize costs. In subsequent years he opened other restaurants in the area including Ed's Seafood, Ed's Chinese, Ed's Italian Restaurant and Ed's Folly. All have since closed.
In 1993 Mirvish built the Princess of Wales Theatre, which was the largest new theatre in this country in 30 years. Among the shows Mirvish Productions has brought to the city over the years: Miss Saigon, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, and The Producers.
But the theatrics that happened on stage were nothing compared to what went on outside his store. Mirvish went to great lengths in pursuit of free publicity, including bringing in elephants, and hiring protesters to picket his own store. He also offered ridiculously good deals like five cents for Swiss watches to lure people inside.
Mirvish's charitable nature was never more prevalent than at Christmastime each year, when the entrepreneur would give away 10,000 lbs of free turkeys in his store to shoppers willing to wait in line for one. And since turning 75, Mirvish would also hold an annual party near the store with free food, entertainment and rides.
Mirvish took ill in 2003 with a severe case of pneumonia and retreated from public life, leaving the theatre business to his son David. In July, 2005, he invited the entire city to his 91st birthday.
For his charitable work and personal accomplishments Mirvish has received more than 250 awards. He was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Funeral arrangements haven't yet been announced.
