Conestoga Mall was right across the street from the hotel we were staying at, and it has a…read moreWinners, so we had to go, lol. We walked over, but of course there is lots of free parking. The mall itself is like any other medium to large mall in Canada with the usual chains. I did not see anything special about this mall. No unique stores or anything that really sets it apart from any other mall. The Winners was really picked over and was wasn't that great. The food court was just chains with no independently owned vendors. My husband and I walked around, but nothing caught our eyes, so we didn't buy anything. It's an ok place to poke around, but not a destination mall, at least not in my opinion.

This mall is probably the best you can get in Waterloo Region in terms of ambience and selection…read more Oh, and it even has an Apple store! Good transit connections as well from UW, Laurier, and well...most of the Waterloo core since the very frequent routes 7 and 200 both serve there. You can even do your grocery shopping inside as there's a Zehrs Market connected to the mall. The food court has the usual selections, though the addition of a Spring Rolls To Go and a Tandori makes it slightly more unique than others. Love the open concept of it by the way. The washrooms are very environmentally friendly as they encourage you to use the reusable towels they offer by the sinks. No need to use paper towels, no need to worry about bacteria from the dryers. I rarely rate malls a 5 as I believe malls are a hindrance to good urban development, but at least this mall incorporates environmental concepts to it.

They've got a tiny store in the basement of a building at King and Erb, but it's a gem for finding…read morecheap, but current second-hand clothes. For students who love thrift shopping, but find it hard to find something for them each time, this store should leave you satisfied every time. Their prices are really fair as well, usually ranging between $10-$20 for an item of clothing. As an example, I've see ASOS shorts go for $16 (which could be 2-3 times as much originally) and an Aritzia winter coat go for $150 (originally $300+). They often have brands you'll recognize like Zara, American Apparel, Aritzia, Urban Outfitters, etc. and they post their new arrivals on Instagram, but since they don't hold new arrivals those clothes can get snatched up within the day. They also sell accessories like sunglasses, atlas watches, scarves, and necklaces. The store itself is really nice and quaint. It's got an industrial style with brick walls and wooden furnishings. They also have a change room and one person working to help you out.

3.5. Quaint little consignment shop with selections for men and women. Prices are reasonable, and…read moresometimes you can get quite a steal. There's a lot of H&M and Forever 21 finds (it is a university town), but you'll also see nicer brands like BDG or Guess. I'm a little disappointed there's less vintage pieces that weren't large. However, they do a really good job of creating a cool mood through their displays and decor and indie music - even the plainest tank can catch your eye. Overall, a cute spot to stop by if you're in the area. Support sustainable local shops!

What used to be a Zellers is now a Walmart Supercentre, close to Uptown Waterloo and a short trip…read moreby bus or car to the University area. It is located in the plaza at Bridgeport and Weber, where the Sobeys is also located. This Walmart has a complete pharmacy, the staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, and always take time time to answer my questions. Every day low prices on items my family uses means I don't have to spend a lot of time looking anywhere else. There is also a grocery and produce department inside the store, and I have never been disappointed with quality of the product or the prices here. They do price match as well, if you bring the competitor's flyer. I wish we had a Walmart in town when I was going to University here in Waterloo (we had to take a long trip down to Fairview Park Mall back in the day... Now students and local residents alike can take advantage of a local Walmart!

I have tried calling the customer service at this location and have been hung up on, twice. I was…read moreon hold for 10 minutes the first time and close to 20 the second. I have missplaced my wallet, and just want to speak to someone instead of driving to all the places it could be. Possibly the worst customer experience I've ever had.

I usually love shopping at outlet malls. But St Jacobs Factory Outlet Mall is just so depressing…read more There were hardly any bargains. And the stores and the merchandise were both so outdated. Not worth coming here for a special shopping trip but if you are in the area and have nothing better to do and outside is freezing cold.. then maybe.

This outlet mall is across from my hotel. I checked it out to see what stores were there…read more My friend had recommended the Levi's store, which had decent deals on t-shirts. Other than that, I didn't find anything that I truly wanted to buy because nothing seemed to be great deals. I did hit the jackpot at the Olde Tyme Kettle Kitchen on the second floor. I have a weakness for candy and desserts. I got white chocolate popcorn, beer nuts (pumpkin and peanuts), and graham cracker pretzels coated with dark and white chocolate. All six bags were under $16. The store also sells Kawartha ice cream, salt water taffy, sponge toffee, fudge, chocolates, and more. I would come back to visit these two stores. There is plenty of parking. (177)

It's funny that a few years ago, after going for an interview at then RIM (now Blackberry), that I…read moreneeded a rest stop. I visited a Walmart and did some shopping before driving home. I figured out last weekend that this Walmart is connected to Fairview Park Mall. Hey, better late than not knowing at all! I spent a few hours at this mall. I ate at the Bourbon St. Grill. The food was yummy, although it was the first place where green beans had a mix of cabbage and a few carrot slivers. My best purchase was at Sephora. I bought two bottles of Formula X nail polish for $7 each. The regular price was $16 each. The mall has almost all the stores that Conestoga Mall does not have. There are some exceptions, of course, such as Green Earth and Bourbon St. Grill. I also bought a car sun visor from Showcase for $5. I was happy with my finds. I had a good shopping experience. The mall offers free wifi. It's clean. (184)

Meh, nothing special…read more Unless you're one of those people who want to see one of the last Wal-Marts in the old design, again nothing special. The food court has some nice unique restaurants, and the mall itself does have the region's only Hollister store. The bus terminal here is dangerous. I've seen many close calls with pedestrians being hit by either buses or cars. I wish they designed it better...it's particularly bad between 3 and 3:30pm weekdays when all the high school kids get off their buses.

Surprisingly enough, the Sunrise Shopping Centre is on the western edge of Kitchener (this is…read moresurprising, and I'm putting this here because when I mentioned this to someone else, they wondered why this was surprising - and I responded because of course the sun rises in the east, not the west, but I digress...). Every day I thank the good Lord that I am able to live so very close to such a wonderful place. With big-box format stores from Walmart (yes, folks, it is a Supercentre), Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Shoppers Drug Mart, Old Navy, Mark's, Laura, Hallmark, Petcetera, Bulk Barn, among many, many more, it is a truly convenient place to one-stop-shop-until-you-drop. This, coupled with lots of parking means that you can hop from shop to shop quickly and easily and you can even pop over the Starbucks for a quick coffee. Some I know I have complained about the parking lot, but you just have to realize that the intersections are not all four-way stops, and you have to give way to traffic from Ottawa Street. Keep this in mind and your driving experience will be smoother and much less stressful... If only everyone had such great shopping capabilities so close to home!

We live behind the Sunrise Centre and frequent the shops and stores on a regular basis. I have a…read morecomplaint and it is not about any of the stores or services. My complaint is concerning the constant 24 hr/7 day per week music blasting from the outside speakers. We had planned a quiet relaxing afternoon on our deck and have now given up and moved back inside. If this was a resident on our street playing music this loud we would be asking them to turn it down. So we are asking Sunrise management to do the same. After store hours please turn the music off. For those who will say why did you move there? We were here far before the Sunrise Centre. Please, all we are asking is that you conduct yourselves as good neighbors and turn it down. Wayne Wilkie

3.8 stars! Has some good places around but can get boring. My favourite spots in the plaza are…read moremarshalls, homesense, urban barn, meetpoint, coffee culture and their popeyes! It's nice to sit at the park in summer too where there's a slashpad and jungle gym. Just watch out for mosquitos!

1.5/5 ...really?…read more Gotta love how planners in this region put big box developments right next to a landfill site, eh? Yes, it smells here! I'm never a fan of big box sites, and this is no exception. The stores are simply not walkable to one another since the area is so big. Besides, does anyone even shop here? I've never seen the parking lot more than 20% full! What a waste of space. I do like the Empire Theatre though, but in terms of the design of this place...a huge step backwards in promoting environmental sustainability (and no, those sidewalk engravings don't do you any good).

Pretty dresses! Lovely tops! Beautiful jewellery! What's not to LOVE about Andie's?…read more When my sister invited me for a day of shopping in Kitchener, I wasn't expecting much. Coming from Toronto, I'm spoiled with a spectacular shopping scene and the whole idea of a small town with a few chain stores kept looping around in my head. But I love my sister, and I'm not one to turn down shopping, so I obliged. King Street actually has a few neat shops, but my favourite by far was Andie's. A small, independently owned boutique, Andie's is a haven of girly dresses. Some are slightly business, some more casual and some for fancy parties...all in all they have a great selection and carry a variety of brands. If I had to describe the overall style I would say it's classy, but definitely fun. Andie's also has shirts, pants, skirts, and jewellery (although the dresses are the main focus). Decor of the store is gorgeous! Beautiful accent wall at the back, with patterned wallpaper...I'm not sure what the print is called, but I want it for my house now. Change rooms also have that boutique feel, and make you feel like a socialite. Service here is fantastic too! The sales girls are friendly, but not pushy; they're helpful, but they give you space. They also know their stuff when it comes to fashion, and it genuinely seems that they love what they do. I mentioned to my sis that one of the girls seemed particularly helpful, and she whispered to me "oh, that's Andie." That's right, the owner of the store works out on the floor and sees that everything runs smoothly. And that just gives me the warm fuzzies. Prices are a little high, but in this case you're getting every penny's worth in quality and style. My overall rating? Andie's -- it's worth the drive to Kitchener.

Andie's is a totally unpretentious store, looking to make fun clothes accessible for 20-somethings…read moreacross the board. They're prices are mid-range, offering quality yoga jeans, dresses, tops and accessories. I'm definitely going to shop here for some of my spring wardrobe, they have jeans is every colour imaginable!

After visiting Kenzo Ramen for lunch, I noted this Asian supermarket next door. Since I love food…read moreand shopping, I stopped by to browse. It looks like you can order hot food here. I wasn't paying full attention, as I was stuffed from lunch! There is also a mini bakery section where you can get non-meat buns, such as coconut cream buns. They also have sticky coconut peanut balls. The selection is extensive. Prices are higher than what I am used to, which is expected since Markham has a large Asian population in comparison. As an example, a five-pack of ramen is just under $6. I can get the same thing at my local grocery store for half that price. I bought a can of coconut cream peanuts. I blame my manager for getting me hooked on them. Yummy! I also got a ton of cough drops. They are effective. I bought them just in case I need them. The woman at the checkout was friendly and engaging. You can use debit and cash. I am not sure about credit cards, but I suspect that you can. It's a decent store for all your Asian groceries. I'd be happy to shop there if I lived in Waterloo. (77)

Times have surely changed. I went to the University of Waterloo during the mid-90s and there wasn't…read morean Asian Grocery store anywhere near both Universities. Heck, I don't even remember having a Sushi place nearby. Flash forward to 2019, and there's an Asian Grocery store servicing Asian students in both Universities. There's not a lot of variety in terms of fresh fruits, vegetables and meats but man, do they have an extensive variety of Chinese, Korean and Japanese snacks and grocery. We found Korean snacks and flavours that even the North York Galleria don't carry in their stores. We were very impressed. However, as indicated in the other reviews, the price point is a bit higher than in Toronto. This is an ideal store for homesick students wanting a taste of home. #22 of 2019