SHAVA bookstore still open

A charity bookstore dedicated to helping the city’s hospital is hurting.

Sales revenue at Sturgeon Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer Association (SHAVA) bookstore is down almost $8,000 from last year because visitor numbers and donations are falling short. Many residents don’t know the volunteer-run bookstore is still open, said Jackie White, the association’s president.

“Unfortunately a lot of people are under the impression that because an awful large part of Grandin mall was torn down that we are no longer in business,” she said.

The bookstore is located next to the Scotiabank in the former Grandin Park Plaza location, inside a small part of the mall that was not destroyed during the demolition.

The store collects donations and sells books to raise money for the Sturgeon Community Hospital. During its last fiscal year, from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, SHAVA was able to donate $145,000.

In previous years, these funds helped purchase everything from electric beds to wheelchairs, walkers and various pieces of medical equipment. The association also funded a mural painting, the adult day program and equipment for the emergency room.

“Every penny that we can raise goes back to our hospital,” said White.

White said the bookstore is trying to get the word out that they are still open.

They contacted organizations in the city and asked to include information on the store on their signs and bulletin boards. They also placed advertisements in the newspaper when Amacon first announced that they would redevelop the mall.

But they can’t afford to do that forever, said White.

“Although we have tried many ways to get the word out, there are still people that will call every day that the bookstore is open and ask where we are,” she said.

White added that the bookstore will remain in its location as long as Amacon is not developing that corner of the former mall’s property. Until then, the developer donated the space to the bookstore and it is using it for free.

“We will stay as long as that portion of the Scotiabank building is open,” she said. “We hope it’s good for a few years.”