I ventured over to Ottawa Trainyards to check it out. I didn't really need anything, but I did get…read moresome cool items. While waiting for the traffic lights to change, I liked seeing a store directory. I came here without any knowledge of the stores here. I liked coming here to figure it out. The Trainyards is like Heartland Town Centre in Mississauga. It is a bunch of stores that cover a lot of land. Think of it as a neighbourhood of stores. You have to strategically figure out where to park and walk to the stores that are around you. During my visit, I parked a grand total of three times. I stopped by Michaels and got some good items that were on sale. I was a happy shopper! I then parked in front of the Gap outlet. I also visited Old Navy and Sail that were on either side of the store. I then decided to drive and check out what other stores were there. I spotted Kettleman's Bagel Co. and parked to have lunch. The selection of stores is cool. If you are more of a mall shopper, this setup may not be for you. If you do like box stores, you'd like it here. My only problem I had was dealing with a woman in a minivan who was waiting for me to leave my spot to pull through. She actually honked at me. I didn't appreciate it and gave her a signal to say that I was staying. I was pulling up my GPS and I was under no obligation to move out of a parking spot to convenience an impatient idiot. (289)

Hey! This is a big mall! Way bigger and better than I remembered it. I guess it's been a while…read more.. and about time we came back! There's a Kettleman's Bagel shop here; wish we had one in Kanata / Stittsville! The mall was big enough to be inviting to return. We will definitely come back! And I will update this review when we do.

I have had a pair of Birkenstock sandals for the longest time. During my trip to Ottawa, I saw…read moretheir demise. The footbed looked like I was angry and broke off a chunk just for kicks. Getting another pair of Birkenstocks isn't that easy. It takes time to break them in because the footbed is solid. From experience, I know that getting into a new pair of Skechers doesn't take time. I was pleased to discover that the Ottawa Trainyards had a Skechers Factory Outlet. I dropped by to see if I could get a new pair of sandals that would work for me. This store is spacious and nicely organized. Right off the bat, I saw signs that said that if I buy a pair, I get a second pair for 50% off the regular price. Nice! I am a Skechers fan. I like that it offers women's size 11 footwear. It's also comfortable and stylish. I found a pair of sandals that had thin velcro straps. The thought of having velcro to get them on and off my feet quickly appealed to me. The last time I had velcro closures on footwear was back in grade 7. I had a pair of Puma sneakers and loved how easily I could get them on and off my feet. These sandals have a bit of an incline, which took me a bit to get used to. I'm so used to a flat sandal. I also messed up my feet wearing my broken-down Birkenstocks, so I had even more of a learning curve. These Skechers sandals felt light and comfortable. I walked around the store in them. I liked them a lot. There was a small mirror by my feet to check my sandals out and model them. i also saw a beige pair in my size in the same style. I took advantage of the sale going on by getting them, too. There is a clearance shoe section at the back of the store. I didn't see any shoes that I wanted, but there were a handful of size 11 sneakers, including Bobs. I had a competent man at the checkout. He made sure that all my sandals were size 11. He also made sure that my second pair was 50% off. I paid with a credit card. All went well. I didn't need a bag. I stacked the boxes and carried them to my car. I stored them in my trunk as I continued to shop in this area. When I got to the hotel's underground parking lot, I took the box containing my blue sandals up to my room. They became my sandals of choice for the rest of my vacation. I did a lot of walking. They were comfortable and durable. I am now used to the incline. I don't notice it that much when I'm wearing them. I do when I take them off and lose maybe an inch or so in height. They are also easy to maintain. I got one of the straps dirty. I did a mild soap-and-rinse routine to the strap, and it looked great. It air-dried quickly! I'm so glad that I popped into this store. I had a great experience replacing my old sandals with two pairs. I don't need to think about sandals for a while. Yay! (278)

Last weekend I took my Mom, in her 90s to buy new shoes at the Train Yards location. Anyone who…read morehas dealt with older folks know you have to have a lot of patience. Well, we were super fortunate, and the associated we dealt with, his name was JD, was great! He listened to Mom, he was extremely patient, brought her various options, and provided her with exactly what she wanted. How impressed with JD was I? Well, any time I need shoes, I know I am going to Sketchers at Train Yards, first and only place I plan to go to going forward. Edited; No idea why the system thinks I am from the USa, I reside in Ottawa.

This establishment has always played apart of my life here as a Ottawan, and I am a colossal…read moredevotee to the fairview malls. Since the closure of the nearby Rideau street McDonalds, there has been fewer suspicious activity around, which is a shame as I enjoyed the entertainment. Whats a nice day at the mall without someone pulling a racoon out of their coat? Regardless, they have a New York Fries, which automatically gives it much more value. Always nicely decorated as well. Beware of the first floor as some report getting asked odd questions by even odder individuals.

Oh gosh this mall was exhausting ! The amount of people I felt like I was in a movie. Non stop…read moreyelling and running around was wild. They did have a lot of stores but it was way to much we left. The outlets was wayyyyyy better

So this Saks OFF 5TH just opened 2 weeks ago. It is in the basement of The Bay at the Rideau…read moreCentre. I love shopping, I love options and I love bargains, so I welcome it. However, I'm not as stoked about it because most merchandise at Saks OFF 5TH are specifically for Saks OFF 5TH and were never in Saks Fifth Avenue (like how the stuff at the Banana Republic Factory Store was never actually in the Banana Republic retail store). That being said, Saks OFF 5TH does occasionally have some pieces that were in Saks Fifth Avenue for a fraction of the price. However, at the end of the day, 70% off a $2000 dress is still $600, which is still too rich for my blood, lol (this is a real example, although from the Kanata Saks OFF 5TH - it was a beautiful Roland Mouret dress that I still dream about. Luckily it was 4 sizes too big for me, so I didn't have to do any soul searching, haha). Ok, let's talk about this specific location downtown. It's brand spanking new and they are still not completely finished renovating at the time of the writing of this review. Everything is really neatly organized. I was there a little bit before lunch time on a weekday and staff outnumbered customers. Maybe people just don't know about it yet. The change rooms are big and clean. They don't have doors but curtains. However, the curtains have little metal hooks on them and there are little metal rings on the wall, so you can "lock" your curtain. I thought that that was kind of cool. There is a large women's clothes section, a smaller men's clothes section and a smaller still children's clothes section. The women's shoe section is large, and the handbags section is decent. I think there's a men's shoe section as well, but I'm not entirely sure, as I did not check it out. It's a fun place to poke around. I'm glad that Ottawa is getting some new stores.

It's a huge mall with lots of stores, something for everyone. The prices and deals were good …read more There are cafes / hot and cold drinks /smoothies/pastries. There are banks in the mall too. Also the mega bus has a drop off and pick up from here which is good Fr passengers . Sport chek is the best way out fr passengers taking the mega bus .

This is not a bad mall (I give it a 3.5)…read more What I like: The huge Toys R Us on site. They have activities set up for the kids on the weekend which is a bonus. The food court is not bad either. They have quiet a few different options like Burrito Gringo, Taco bell/KFC, Tim Hortons, ect. They also have some food options on the first floor like Kernels, Cinnabon and Purdy's where you can get scoops of ice cream. The light rail also connects to this mall which is nice. What I find this mall lacks: Clothing stores like H&M, and Zara, and a Sephora would be nice. I find they have an outdated selection of stores and I would love to see new ones pop up. Parking is parking, its never fun during busy holiday times, and it can get a bit messy here (nothing compares to parking at Bayshore though, lol). I don't come here to drop a pretty penny, more so just to walk around and hit up some of the food options and Toys R Us when I am trying to kill some time.

I am a GAP shopper. I stick with my size and know that my clothes will fit…read more I tend to visit factory stores rather than shopping at GAP stores at the mall. I like deals and this store had decent sales happening. You can save up to 60%. This store is at the Trainyards, next to its sister company, Old Navy. I had done some damage at the GAP at Tanger Outlets, so I had already had my shopping fix. I was here to browse. Did you want a California-inspired t-shirt or pineapple shorts? This store is for you. I like the designs. They are fun and quirky, at times. This store was clean. All items were displayed nicely. I had no problem finding a parking spot. Just take your patience with you, as some customers tend to have issue with theirs. (223)

This is such a cool store right from the entrance that's filled with manga (in English and French),…read morefigures of all sizes, and even has two floors. You could spend so much time wandering and taking it all in.

Imaginaire opened on October 21, 2023. It's a chain from Quebec and this location is the first one…read moreoutside of Quebec. It is located in the Rideau Centre and spans 2 floors. It's huge. It has board games, comics, collectible cards, Funko Pop, LARP gear, dice and so much more. Prices are a bit on the high side, and I didn't see any sales while I was there, but their inventory is huge and it's fun to poke around. (66)

This place has the most stylish second hand clothing shop in town. I can always find a cute dress…read morefor 10$ and I found all my honeymoon outfits here. The shoes selection is clean and they have a massive amount of gymshark and lululemon for athletic clothing lovers. You even have the option to trade in your gently used brand name clothing. I love the fact that this place brings to life clothes that are basically still perfect! It's a great way to save money and be eco-friendly at the same time. I highly recommend this shop to anyone who loves fashion and bargains. Plus they often have SALES. Go go go!

Nice selection of clothes and they are up-to-date with trends. Fun time shopping here.read more

... memories …read more... When I lived and worked throughout Canada's Atlantic Provinces, Ottawa was almost like a second home to me during the 70's and 80's. I travelled / stayed there often, via business, and even more so for pleasure stays. I chose to stay at hotels offering rooms with kitchenettes. Which allowed me the option to shop during walks and stays, and dine back at my hotel. The Byward Market area was one of my favourite spots to walkabout, browse, and shop. And especially so during the summer and fall months, when it was so alive with street venders, and others featuring locally-grown fresh fruits and veggies. It was a good while ago, but a standout for me during these stays was a fish/seafood shop. I used to purchase squid there. Then on the way back to the hotel, catch a bottle of white wine, and some butter. Cooking the squid back at the hotel was fun, and made for several very fragrant, tasty, and much-enjoyed meals. Street vendor selections of farm-fresh offerings of fruits and veggies, were a delight to see during summer and early-fall stays. Their products not only contributed to meals, were often purchased and enjoyed 'in hand' and enjoyed during walkabouts. And before I forget, so were the several tasty 'beavertails' enjoyed, at any time of year, from a bakery there. (previously reviewed) My visits to the Byward Market, and area, were via day time browsing and shopping walkabouts. They were fun, interesting, and much-enjoyed.

This area of the city is a popular destination that you must see for sight seeing in Ottawa…read more There's a lot to see and do down here, and more Restaurants than you can possibly eat at in a month of Sundays! They also host special events down here. Certain streets are pedestrian only, where you will find crafters and fruit/vegetable vendors, people who sell honey and maple syrup, Beavertails, and seasonal items all sold at booths on the streets. This visit, I found a rare treasure: a bracelet with my name on it!! The Byward Market is coming up to a remarkable anniversary: in 2026, it will be 200 years old!! Found this snippet on the internet: "The ByWard Market is where Ottawa was born. Established by Lt-Col. John By in 1826, the ByWard Market is one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. The legendary builder of the Rideau Canal; Lt-Col. By himself laid out the street plan of the Market, designating George and York Streets to be extra wide to accommodate the horse-drawn carriages that brought foodstuffs to the market every day." We seem to gravitate there at least once a year in the warmer months. It's also a terrific area for people watching!!

I went in looking for a desktop and was told someone would be right with me. I waited 10 minutes…read moreand despite there only being 3 customers in the whole store, I was never contacted for help. I saw a desktop computer for $2,600 that I was very interested in, but had to walk out.

I'm going to give a ton of love to this Best Buy. I don't get the low ratings…read more I stayed at the Courtyard Ottawa East during my entire visit. My view consisted of seeing the Starbucks cafe that I visited every day. I could also see this Best Buy across from the cafe. After picking up a grande chocolate cream cold brew as my birthday perk, I parked in the Best Buy lot and consumed it immediately. It was so good. I then got out of the car and headed inside this store. When you look at this store's exterior, it has that typical pointy blue box look. This store has probably been around for at least ten years. However, when you walk into this store, it's stunningly beautiful. I loved looking at the Marshall speakers and headsets. The display was appealing and you could press buttons to check out the sound coming out of these devices. I saw weird items, such as self-cleaning water bottles that were on sale. There were two models and the cheaper one was going for $89 after a $10 price reduction. Yikes! I hope that they self-clean well for that price. I found a Casemate chain phone wristlet. It looked cool classing up your phone. I kind of like the extra security of having the chain around your wrist. Although my phone case does have a PopSocket, I have dropped my phone a bunch of times because I can be a klutz. This wristlet was my present to me. I browsed some more. I like that associates here don't approach you to ask if you need any help. Leave me be to explore. If I have questions, I will hunt you down. My usual routine is to check out the Google Pixel section. I am happy with my 6a phone, but like looking at the newer 7a and 7 Pro models. The Google Pixel Watch is also nice to look at. I went to pay for my item. I had a nice man helping me with my transaction. I learned that my wristlet was on sale and that $14 was knocked off the regular price. Yay! I paid with a credit card. The transaction was successful. I thanked the man, grabbed my item, and headed to my car. It was straightforward adding this accessory to my phone case. It's stylish and functional. It's awesome! I enjoyed shopping here. I'd return when I'm in the area again. (276)