Did Honest Ed actually have a potato effigy of himself at his funeral?

When Ed Mirvish died last year, many obituarists noted that Toronto’s royal retailer had made a peculiar (and perishable) last wish. Tucked at the north end of his eponymous store is a sign that still reads: “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.” Alas, the final request was not to be. “His wishes were not obeyed,” laughs 50_year employee Russell Lazar, the store’s long-time manager. In reality, Mirvish’s funeral was a stately affair, attended by local dignitaries like Dalton McGuinty and Bob Rae (and a police horse named after Honest Ed to mark the icon’s 90th birthday in 2005). There are no plans to change any of the unusual signage at Ed’s emporium in light of his passing, but the possibilities are tempting. As one Internet wag suggested, “Honest Ed’s a corpse, but his prices will never stiff you.”