Q 1:  With only 2 days to go before Christmas, can you make any suggestions for people who have not gone shopping yet?

Shopping for the holidays becomes a win win situation if you plan to shop in a hospital gift shop. It might seem quite crazy to some of you to even consider such an odd suggestion, but if you think that, then you haven’t been inside one lately.

Q 2: We think of these hospital shops as places to buy things for the patients, how have they changed?

No longer do these shops cater to the bedridden. Over the years, they have evolved to service the needs of the people who work in and visit the hospital. They have also become destinations to visit when you are taking a patient for a little walk about.

The doctors, nurses and support staff constantly came into these shops looking for birthday gifts, something to bring for a dinner invitation, bridal shower gifts, or a little something for a child. Eventually, the volunteers informed the buyers, and the stock shifted significantly. The buyers now attend the gift shows and pick all sorts of cool items to sell.

Q 3: Why should we go out of our way to shop at these stores?

The winning situation is this: The overhead of running these shops is low, because they are staffed by cheery unpaid helpers and there is no rent to pay. Also, there is usually no tax either, as they are non-profit (tax is charged in the Montreal General), so your cost is reduced significantly. Some of these shops even offers free gift wrapping or gift bags.

But the best part of it all is that the profits go right back into the hospital. You can feel quite virtuous by spending money for your holiday gifts in these shops, knowing that not only will you be making someone happy with your gift, but you are actually making a donation to a great cause – our hospitals.

Q 4:  So what can we expect to find there?

Montreal General Hospital Hospitality Corner, 1650 Cedar Ave at Pine, Phone: 514-934-1934 x 43026. Hours:   Mon-Fri: 10-4:30 Sat & Sun 1:30-4:30. This busy shop evolved from a typical patient-oriented one with cards, candies, robes and slippers to include capes, hand-smocked little girls’ dresses,  toys, angels, headwraps, pashminas (great pricing), books, frames, costume and sterling jewelry, Pimpernel placemats and more. Just think of all your cash going to this great cause.
Holiday hours: up to Dec 23rd.

Gift Shop of the St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary, 3830 Lacombe Ave. at Cote des Neiges Rd. Phone: (514) 345-3511, ext. 3972. Hours: Mon-Fri  9-7:30, Sat & Sun 11:30- 5. With 70 cheerful volunteers rotating, shopping here is a pleasant experience. The knitted baby sets, booties, blankets and dolls are done by yet another group of volunteers. There’s candy and magazines for the staff and clothing for the patients (purses, robes, slippers, toiletries and undies), but please look around to find the puppets, silk flower arrangements (more volunteers), reading glasses, teddy bears, glass knickknacks, jewelry,  stuffed animals and picture frames.

Don’t forget to peek around the corner at the second-hand book shop, with prices starting at $.25, and with many books at three for $1 or $2.
Shopping Holiday Hours closed Dec 24th: at 4pm, closed Dec 25th

also at Nursing Homes:
Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop, 5690 Cavendish Blvd at Heywood St. Phone: (514) 369-2222 ext.1220. Hours: Mon- Thurs 10-4, Fri 11-3 and by appointment. Don’t let the small space deceive you into thinking there’s not much here. Every corner is filled with just the right gift  for kids (bibs, growth charts), for women (travel jewelry cases, pashminas, lots of jewelry) and for for your home (Arte Vargas blown glass, banks, mugs, Pimpernel placemats, recycled glass and Port Marion serving pieces.

Service is their business, so they will take orders over the phone, organize gifts for wedding parties, bar mitzvahs or corporate. There is no tax, free gift wrap and delivery too. For parking, go into the lot and get your ticket stamped at the shop.    wwww.sinaimontreal.ca
Holiday Hours:  closed Dec 25th

There are more items like these at the Maimonides Hospital Gift Shop and the Jewish Eldercare Center.

Women used to line up for blocks and hours for the La Senza (laSenza Girl, La Senza Spirit) Warehouse sale. Nowadays, they have made our lives easier by holding it for more days so there are no long line-ups and this sale has a shopping center parking lot. La Senza sells sexy underwear, loungewear, baby dolls, teddies, robes, and black erotic fun stuff. This time they have over 2 million items that are $5 or less.

Location: Mega Centre Cote Vertu, Ville St-Laurent
corner: Begin
Tel: 514-685-0007
Dates and Times: ends June 14
Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat & Sun 10-5
www.lasenza.com

With the new Daylight Savings Time on my mind, I started to think about stores that are connected to a particular time of the week and time on the clock. There are certain businesses that open to the public for as little as half a day a week. You have to be a really organized shopper to keep track of the right days and the right time to arrive at these places, but usually the price is worth the effort.

I have written before about certain companies that open their warehouse for a big sale at the end of their seasons in order to clear their merchandise out. Today’s businesses, however, do this every single week. You just have to know.

It is amazing how, even given these huge time constraints on a very busy public, and without advertising, customers still manage to find out about these places and get there on the right day at the right time.

These businesses have been open for years, and the variety as well as the nice prices will please many readers. So the treats for today are quite the grab bag – for good men’s shoes, once loved treasures, ladies’ nightgowns and organic veggies.

Nunn Bush Liquidation, 8205 Montreal-Toronto Blvd., Room 100 at St. Jacques St. Phone: 514-364-5444. Hours: Friday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., call first. At this head office location, and only on Fridays, someone is there to let you into the special room which has the deals on these famous name men’s shoes. The shoes and boots have either been returned from stores, are ends-of-lines or are being liquidated. Prices are super, about $25 – $60, for this well made men’s brand.

The Little Shop, 1002 Ogilvy Avenue at l’Acadie Blvd. Phone: 514-279-6722. Hours: Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. You must be skinny to shop in this little house of treasure rooms. Aptly named, it offers second-hand items to films, television shows and to you, too. Expect to find the rooms filled to the rafters with nostalgia for you or your home. Leave plenty of time and patience to sift through the mounds of clothing collectibles, lace tablecloths and doilies, hats and hat boxes, throw pillows, quilts, robes, blouses and more than you can imagine.

Sleepwear Warehouse, 165 St. Viateur Ave. at Casgrain Ave. Hours: Thursday and Friday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is one I have had to keep close to my chest for a few years, but I can now mention it. If you can make it here during the few hours it is open, you will be delighted with women’s pajamas and nightgowns which are sold for amazing low prices (in the $5-$20 range). Most ladies’ sizes from Small to 3X can be found on the racks here. If you ever need nightwear for bed-ridden acquaintances, you can buy them here too.

Pro Organics, 9252 Pie IX Blvd. at des Grandes Prairies Blvd. Phone: 514-725-5117. Hours: Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is a bit of a scavenger hunt to find this warehouse entrance. It is at the far right end of the huge lot. Now remember you can only go in on Saturdays, but when you do you will be rewarded with good prices on organic fruits, vegetables and cheese. One can buy it by the case or not.