Fall 2020 - 52

WEATHERING THE STORM
Hospital gift shops show determination through the pandemic
BY DEBBIE EISELE
Managing Editor
E
very gift store has faced challenges during the
pandemic, but retail locations operating within
a hospital system have definitely experienced
operational issues many other independent store owners
have not. Hospitals around the country limited visitor
access to hospitals due to the virus and in some cases, no
visitors were, and still are not, allowed. This situation
resulted in a significant decrease in the number of shoppers
buying merchandise from hospital gift shops.
We wanted to learn how some hospital systems
handled the situation and were fortunate to interview
Hospital Sisters Health System's St. Vincent's Gift Shop
in Wisconsin and Ascension's St. Vincent's Hospital
Gift Shop in Alabama.
HSHS ST. VINCENT GIFT SHOP
Through the forced closure, staff was not idle
Mary Ann Brunett, manager, volunteer services, HSHS
St. Vincent Gift Shop, discussed how the pandemic has
affected its retail business and how it has handled operating
in such challenging times.
Brunett shared that as of the writing of this article, the
store has been closed to shoppers since March 15 due to
the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the virus and
closures, the gift store has been unable to operate. " We are
waiting for approval to open, even if on a limited basis to
colleagues only, " Brunett said.
According to Brunett, communication with shoppers via
social media, emails, or other forms of marketing has been
nonexistent since the closure of the retail environment.
Although the store had been closed to visitors, the staff
was not idle. " We have done inventory, purged expired
items and cleaned, " shared Brunett. Throughout this
time, she also shared that the store is considering options
to present to hospital administrators on special services
to offer now and moving forward in the long-term. She
also shared that all buying activity occurred in January
52 FALL 2020
HSHS St. Vincent's Hospital Gift Shop offers a variety of
items, from food and beverages, to apparel and accessories.
Photo courtesy of HSHS St. Vincent's Hospital Gift Shop.
and as of the publishing of this article, the store had not
yet restocked.
Brunett noted some of the other HSHS hospital gift shops
opened for business in late August for takeout services for
colleagues and volunteers only. Retail locations allow
staff and volunteers to order with a payroll deduction or
credit card, via phone or email, then purchases can be
picked up.
" We are giving them 35% off until Sep. 30, 2020 at
all three shops, " she said. " We also created a catalog of
clothing and purses. We got the idea from the Purchasing
Power Plus group newsletter - they featured a hospital
in Pennsylvania. "
" We gave all our candy bars, soda and chips to the
colleagues as a thank you and with an announcement of
the takeout concept, " Brunett elaborated.
When asked what the biggest challenge the store faced
in the current retail climate, Brunett said: " We have not
gotten permission to open due to the risk of spreading
the virus. "
Fall 2020

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