As of March 21, 2025, MGH’s main entrance on Coxwell Avenue is closed as the next phase of our redevelopment project begins. Patients and visitors can use the new temporary main entrance on Sammon Avenue between Coxwell Avenue and Knight Street. View our campus map.
The General Store, Michael Garron Hospital’s (MGH) gift shop, is now open in a new location, marking an exciting new chapter for the longstanding business.
The shop is now located on G1 near the Moez & Marissa Kassam Food Court. It is operated by a team of almost 50 volunteers from MGH’s Adult and Student Volunteer Programs, who are instrumental to the store’s day-to-day operations. Proceeds from the shop support the hospital.
On March 18, a special ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate The General Store’s grand opening in its new space.
“The volunteers have gone above and beyond to make this opening a reality,” says Lavinne Cruz, Coordinator of Volunteer Services and Retail at MGH. “It’s been amazing to see the whole team come together.”
The shop moved from the Coxwell Lobby, where it operated for more than 40 years. The Coxwell Lobby closed on March 21 as part of the next steps in hospital’s campus transformation.
The General Store’s new, more spacious footprint offers a welcoming environment for customers, as well as the opportunity to better cater to MGH’s diverse community. The shop continues to carry products such as flowers, toys, balloons, books, snacks, home items and greeting cards.
Many of the items stocked on shelves are directly influenced by customer feedback, with requests for earphones, personal care items, charging cables and other products from patients, staff and volunteers.
“Here, we can be more creative with redesigning merchandise displays and introducing new items based on customer feedback,” Lavinne says.
The new space also gives the Volunteer Services Team a chance to honour the hospital’s past.
This includes introducing a section of The General Store called Merle’s Candy Corner, which displays an assortment of sweet treats for sale. The section is named in memory of Merle Wright, a community member who volunteered her time at MGH for 56 years and was known for her seasonal candy bag arrangements. Staff and physicians at MGH often visited The General Store to specifically request “Merle’s candy bags”.
“It’s a special tribute to Merle and helps us to honour her for the exceptional volunteer service she provided,” says Denny Petkovski, Chief of Facility Operations and Volunteer Services at MGH.
The General Store is now also located closer to MGH’s other food and retail services, making it easier for patients, families, visitors and MGH team members to find what they need in one place.
"The proximity to the food court is very convenient and allows our customers to visit us while they are picking up a meal or stopping by the pharmacy next door, for example,” says Angela Albi, Supervisor of Volunteer Services and Special Projects at MGH.
In addition to Volunteer Services, many other teams at MGH helped ensure the success of The General Store’s move to its new space. These teams include Redevelopment, Facility Services, Engineering Services and Protection Services.
