Thoughts on the Honest Ed’s Sale and Mid-Century Architecture

Last week, it was announced that the Bloor and Bathurst eyesore, Honest Ed’s and its surrounding “Mirvish Village” are up for sale. I’ve had about a week to think about it, and have gone back and forth as to whether this is a good thing. And I’m still a bit undecided. But one thing that I do know – this city doesn’t care too much about mid-20th century buildings, especially ones that are not too “aesthetically pleasing.” That’s probably why the uproar isn’t as strong as, say, Maple Leaf Gardens, which is not only older, but more “pleasing” to the eye. I have to admit that they’ve done a reasonable job preserving the place – the façade is still there and part of the building is used for its original ice-related purpose.

Honest Ed’s at night

Honest Ed’s will likely suffer the same fate as the Sam the Record Man flagship on Yonge – a complete tear down and redevelopment. While they might consider preserving the sign, it’s not likely they’re going to do much else, unlike older buildings. Our society seems to love everything else mid-20th century (fashion, music, etc…), so why aren’t we interested in architecture? Is it because post-World War Two buildings tend to be on the ugly side (just walk through the St. George campus at the University of Toronto and you’d know what I mean)? Or is it because Honest Ed’s doesn’t have the middle class, Anglo heritage of, say, Maple Leaf Gardens? It was, after all, often the first stop for immigrants in the 1950s and 60s. Or is it just the downright tackiness of the sign, which is an eyesore and much flashier than the spinning records of Sam the Record Man?

So what would I like to see? Not condos, unless it’s very low rise (eight floors) and family-oriented (more than 1,500 square feet and three bedrooms) or townhomes. I’d also like to see cafés and restaurants as well as independent boutiques, perhaps something like the Distillery. I do not want to see big chains moving in. A City Target or Apple flagship are nice-to-haves, but definitely not for the area. The neighbourhood is pedestrian friendly and right across from the subway, making it very easy for people to visit.

What would YOU like to see happen to Honest Ed’s?

Photo credit: Stewart Russell (Flickr) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

About Cynthia Cheng Mintz

Cynthia Cheng Mintz is the founder and webitor-in-chief of this site and the petite-focused site, Shorty Stories. She has also written for other publications including the Toronto Star and has blogged for The Huffington Post. Her first novel, Aspirations, was published in 2007. Outside of writing, Cynthia researches and advises philanthropic ideas for family funds and foundations and also volunteers.