The store is an absolute delight! The staff are so friendly and helpful. They will personalize your…read morepurchase perfectly. So much attention to detail goes into both of the shops. This season, it's even more important to buy local. Give this place a look. It will immediately put you in the Christmas spirit and make 2020 a little more merry and bright.

This is my happy place hands-down. Run by the amazing, patient and kind Audy, I discovered…read moreTinseltown on an emergency off-season Christmas buying spree for a local film and have been back every single time I've been in Ottawa. Audy also curates a lovely everyday gift collection next door, all of which would look perfect in my house. Audy, please open a Los Angeles branch stat!!!

5 stars for the sign/font. Funny it's next to a "spa", JADE…read moreSPA. KIDDYTOWN is out of business.

The closed quarters are misleading. Yes, the space is small and yes, the size is emphasized by the…read moreseemingly massive amounts of stock. The area isn't really cluttered like it might seem at first glance, however. Items are organized by type and age range. Needful things for the littlest ones seem to take up the front of the store: Robeez, layette sets and age-appropriate toys. There are things for the bigger kids, too. I've found that all I need to do is ask and I can be shown exactly what I'm looking for. My most recent venture involved a raincoat. The sales associate who helped me was fantastic. She showed me the selection and even offered suggestions in a way that was helpful and without pressure, all while taking into consideration what my preschool age son might like. She even involved him in the process, much to his delight. The prices are reasonable, in some cases even a few dollars less than what you could expect to pay at a bigger store.

This was my first time shopping at Carters, so I did not really know what to expect. I had a gift…read moreexchange to do, so I browsed the store to see what they had. The store is pretty small, I ended up knocking into a lot of things with my stroller, and the hubby grew impatient with me because it was hard to maneuver around with the stroller (plus, he hates shopping for baby things). The vibe of the clothing is very "grandma bought me this" style, (no offence to grandma's or anyone who shops here, lol). I had a hard time finding something that I liked here for my little one, and probably would not have purchased anything here if it wasn't for an exchange that I had to do. If you are looking for minimalist, basic, neutral colors (think zara baby, h&m baby and baby gap), you probably wont find that vibe here. Most of the items have some sort of slogan or saying on it like "mom is the best," or some kind of cartoon, or cats...for some reason, all the clothes had cat cartoons in them, lol. They do have a great sale rack, where you can find items from $2.99+, which is an awesome deal..now, if only I liked the clothes. They do also carry little trinkets like finger puppets at the cash, porcelain piggy banks, as well as some skip hop branded items. That being said, the customer service was awesome, and we were greeted right away when we walked into the store. The exchange was super easy, and the cashier was friendly.

Great location in the South Keyes Centrum. Lots of supplies for pretty much any hobby or craft you…read moremight be in to. This location also has a big seasonal section with lots of house decorations. As with all Michael's locations, sales are frequent here and usually worth your time (buy one get one free, or 40% off type of deals). Don't forget your coupons as well!

Although it's liike pulling teeth to even try to convince me to head into Miichael's, I have to…read moreadmit that they have a tonne of stuff that, although you may not need, you'll always walk out with an arm-load... This particular location is always clean, and the staff are very helpful. There is a framing department near the back of the store, and even have a customer bathroom. Try to avoid weekends as they get pretty busy, but other than having to whine and stomp my feet to convince my significant other to finally leave the store, I've never really had a bad experience xD

Though I could never walk past them without being distracted by the sparkle, I had always avoided…read moreSwarovski Crystal stores in the past because of 1) the price, and 2) the pretentious staff. I was at the Rideau Centre looking for a wedding gift, and I decided to actually go into this store with the possibility of purchasing something. This is one of only two Swarovski Crystal retail stores in Ottawa, the other one located inside the Bayshore mall. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a smile, and told that if I needed any help or was looking for anything in particular, to just let her know. The other man in the store was cleaning up, as it was nearing closing time, but I never felt rushed for a second. I looked around for a few minutes before I asked for suggestions. They carry jewelery, watches and accessories, figurines, small home decor and accessories, and collector's items. The lady showed me a lot of different things and gave me a ton of ideas. I told her that I had just moved to Ottawa and wanted to get something special, but that I was a little short on funds. She was very understanding and didn't make me feel any less, took my budget into consideration, and showed me something that matched both my taste and my price range - beautiful little wedding bells! They were incredibly sparkly and reflected the light just right with the small mirror, which was only a couple of bucks more. She wrapped it perfectly, made sure no price tags were anywhere to be found, and handed it to me with a smile. Really great customer service at this location! If only others were the same way!

Did you know that this store has a FINAL SALE policy on many items? Neither did I until I tried to…read morereturn something. I tried to return a swan that I had purchased my wife for Christmas. We generally buy something from Swarovski for Christmas, birthdays, etc. We were going to get something other than the swan after Christmas. Anyhow, the 2 girls that worked there told me that the swan was a FINAL SALE. I questioned her about this policy as I have never heard of this before.She told me that if the item is on a promotion, I cannot return it. I asked where it said that on the receipt (it obviously wasn't there). She told me that it isn't on the receipt. I asked why it wasn't mentioned a the time of sale. She told me that it isn't mentioned because items are rarely returned to Swarovski. I asked for the managers name, etc, and sent an email to their corporate office. They responded quickly and said that if I call the manager at the store that she would be able to help me. They policy on FINAL SALE still was not explained to me. The manager of this store, Miss Courtney Reid, explained that if the item is on promotion, it 'can' be exchanged only even though it is not on the receipt. She further explained that the 2 staff 'were' going to make an exception for me but I had left the store too early. What a crock!!! Before you buy something from there, please ask if it is a FINAL SALE. Don't get burned!

"Oh, this? Got it in Bali. The necklace? Ethiopia." ... is pretty much what I say after returning…read morefrom this place with its accessories, furniture, and kitchen wares. Who needs to travel when they've got it all right down in Manotick Station?! Kidding. But I do love the concept. Each fall, this family returns from their travels and lays their accumulated goods out in a big barn for us Ottawans -- for a very limited time. I've been coming for five or six years and, while the merch isn't always that different from year to year, I always find stuff to covet and take home. Particularly the beautiful dishes and sweet earrings. I get a big kick out of the international assortment of Christmas decor, too. Flying Santas? Santas with chicken feet? Yes please. This place gets jam-packed, so go early or suffer the crowds. Also, bring cash! There are stands set up outside where you can sit and eat Thai food or bring home cider, apples, and fresh pies (which I've totally passed off as my own in the past. Don't tell.)

This place is SO FUN. My mom and I have been going since I was a little kid. They have a lot of…read moreoption to paint and it's super fun to have something homemade. The people who work there are very helpful and they always help you if you want some advice or stencils. I created a GIANT soup mug and it has held up over the years. They also keep your stuff forever literally if you don't come pick it up. We forgot to pick our order up for about 4 months and it was still there. I would not suggest doing this but they didn't get rid of it thankfully. This is a great place to go on a weekend with kids or something! Super fun and a cool spot in Westboro!

My friend and I went here recently. We found the owner extremely helpful and friendly. She is…read morepersonable and has a great sense of humour. The place was full by 11 and we spent several hours there with no issue. She was patient, checked in frequently and gave us very useful tips. Not sure what happened with the other reviewer, but I was much impressed by this place in comparison to its competitor on Bank St. I do recommend doing some research beforehand so you have an idea of what you would like to do, but this studio has silk screens, stencils and other useful tools to get you creating!

I have to admit that I do love a bookstore - I could spend hours in one! Chapters has been very…read morecreative in their efforts to keep their name and books on everybody's minds: they have LOTS of deep dish sales - and not only books and magazines (loads of those!) but also gifts and usually they are connected with a coffee shop attached. There's something about a paperback that's so welcoming and relaxing!

Oh my gosh. Just came back from shopping there with my special needs son. Besides being huge, with…read morea great selection, an angel named Barb was there to help us. She patiently listened to our needs, walked with us to each area, and never talked down to my son. Well done Barb. Mary. Jan 25/23