Nice selection of thrift store clothing that is in good shape. I think they are selective about…read morewhat they accept. I find the quality and prices very good AND it's a registered charity; part of the Big Sisters/Brothers organization so proceeds are going to an excellent cause. They now have a small housewares section but don't have room for big items like furniture. I do make sure this place is on my list when I'm on the hunt for something. Ample free parking and close to other shopping on Merivale.

Thrive Select Thrift Store is a thrift store that sells clothing and accessories, and 100% of their…read moreprofits go to support Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Ottawa. I like that the impacts of donations and purchases stay local. And organizations that help kids always have my support. The clothing at Thrive appears to be geared towards youth and so skews on the younger side, in my opinion. The racks are filled with brands like Old Navy, Garage, and Ardene. Prices are cheaper than places like Value Village. They had some new items like Funko Pops and Squishmallows, while I was there, but I guess these depend on donations, perhaps these were from a business (?) They also had some used video games and controllers. They also have (new) Big Brothers and Big Sisters merchandise. Staff are friendly. I believe that many of them are volunteers. They are located in the Emerald Plaza. Lots of free parking in the plaza.

This Winners is in the Stafford Centre in Bells Corners (which is a plaza and not an enclosed…read moreshopping centre). Selection is similar to other Winners, but I tend to have more luck at this location than others. They seem to have lots of small sizes. Their jewelery counter is also good with lots of unique pieces. Since it's in the suburbs, it doesn't feel cramped like those "urban concept" stores (e.g. Queen/Sparks location and Lansdowne Park location). There's lots of free parking in the plaza. It's in the same plaza as a Shoppers Drug Mart, Metro, Mark's, The Butchery, and Kardish. If you're hungry there's also a Quiznos (one of the few left in the city), a Shawarma place, The Butchery/Vera's Burger Shack, and a Starbucks. Or if you're feeling for a sit down restaurant, there's Lapointes too.

This Winners is in a plaza with a cool mix of businesses. I came here after dinner on a Saturday…read morenight. I found a rainbow of Kipling bags. The most notable Kipling item was a fanny pack. I decided to get it, for it was a unicorn, and I see it being practical to wear around your waist or a sling bag. It's also different. I spent some time in the shoe section. I got a pair of Converse sneakers. The price was right and I do not have a pair of black ones. It was a pleasant surprise to find a good selection of calligraphy pens. I went with the old-school pen with interchangeable nibs that you need to dip into ink. I have the urge to get back into calligraphy. I now need to get some ink. The man at the checkout area was great. He scanned my TJX Style card, rang up my total, helped me get the transaction processed, and bagged my items. He was competent and polite. There was plenty of parking in front of the store at around 7 pm. I like the selection of items at this Winners. (217)

Joanne's is owned by the same people who own Marianne's in the same mall. Like Marianne's, they…read moresell a lot of Canadian designers and made in Canada pieces. Unlike Marianne's, they don't sell lingerie. Regular prices are not cheap (I'd say about $150+ for dresses, $50+ for tops, $75+ for pants/skirts). However, they often have 50%-80% off sales (and that's when you'll see me in the store, lol). Admittedly, many of their items are frumpy (at least in my opinion), but they have some cool pieces, you just have to look for them. Staff are friendly and nice and their change rooms are beautiful (looks a little like a boudoir). Joanne's is in the Westgate Shopping Centre. Lots of free parking.

Sunday July 5 2020; my daughter bought me a pair of Vans on-line for my birthday, unfortunate they…read morewere just a little small for me. Because of the pandemic, I thought I would have a very difficult time doing an exchange at the store. I was greeted by a very friendly staff upon entry and was so refreshing to deal with Neisha. Neisha was the most pleasant person and say easy going. In most cases, returning or exchange and any other store is not always dealt in a positive manner. Not the case at Journeys. I will be going back for my next purchase, they have a great selection of merchandise but mostly because of my experience. Neisha deserves a raise.

We had some luck in this shoe store, without a lot of pressure. Service was good, and we found…read moreshoes that fit, at a good price. They have a good selection that offers a bit of variety. They also offer a rewards program that sends you emails only once a week, instead of the spam that comes every day. I don't know how long they've been here, but they weren't in Yelp before we visited, so my guess is it hasn't been here too long. We will keep an eye on the place, and check it out every now and again.

So Flock Boutique is this cute little shop in my 'hood that sells cool indie Canadian brands and…read morealso Canadian brands that have made it big(ger). They have clothes by Jennifer Glasgow and Miik. They have soaps and body care by Purple Urchin. They also have jewelery by local designers and weird knick knacks like hand puppets of Canadian prime ministers, lol. So funky and weird! This store is more neat, clean and upscale-ish, a la "Yorkville" (Toronto reference) and not like Adorit in the Byward Market (that also carries local and Canadian designs, and some of the same brands, like Miik) which is more, a la "Kensington Market" (sorry, another Toronto reference), but meaning more bohemian and smelling of patchouli. Prices are high, but your getting good quality and supporting the Canadian market.

I will definitely be going back to this trendy boutique soon. I have been looking for a wedding…read moredress (something trendy and artistic and untraditional!) and I found several options here. The great thing about Flock Boutique is that the clothes are made by Canadian designers, the majority of which are women! They try to bring in lots of fashions from Ottawa and Montreal also, to be local. The accessories here are amazing! They have lots of colourful pins and earrings and some great bags! I really had to control myself, or I would have had an empty wallet when I came out. I did see several dress options, but was tight on time, so I couldn't try anything on. One of the girls working in the store patiently showed me several dresses and answered all my questions about the designers and the store. The people who work here clearly know what they are talking about. It is also great that so many of the designs are by Canadian women! For someone who wants to dress artistically, this is the perfect spot to shop.

Went to Tanger Outlets Ottawa and honestly had a really good time…read more There's a ton of stores and I actually found stuff here I couldn't find online or at regular locations which surprised me. The deals were really good too Old Navy was solid as usual and even Lululemon had that 2 for $100 leggings thing. They have QR codes everywhere so you can just scan and join their rewards/app on the spot and get coupons while you shop which is kinda nice, didn't feel complicated. The vibe was cute too there's like a fire pit in the middle (even though it was sunny lol), music playing, and I swear I smelled mini donuts at one point with some bangers playing lol Also random tip but if you're signed up with Lindt you can get free chocolate bag for your birthday (and like up to 30 days after). Only thing is the food area is super small, like a couple spots, so don't expect a full food court. But honestly you won't really care because there's a lot to walk through. Would go back for sure.

Good selection of stores here. I am not a huge shopper unless I need something so I always go with…read morea purpose. The food court has 4 places to eat... nothing for me tho. Japanese, Subway, Greek... nah but the washrooms inside there are handy and clean. The stores I would normally go are Bath and Body Works for foaming soap and hand sanitizer.. love their candles too. Van Houte maybe for a rare treat. Tommy Hillfiger but nothing fits right as I have an athletic build so... I just look. I love Softmoc, I do have too many shoes and boots but that's allowed! My ultimate spot there is Chilly Chiles as I love hot food/sauces and the staff there are great. I love the kitchen store too but I have wayyyyy too much of that stuff as I love to cook and already have fancy glasses. Mid week is best to go for service and parking - weekends, I avoid.

Uniqlo has finally opened in Bayshore! Uniqlo is a Japanese casual wear retailer, known for its…read morehigh quality clothing. The majority of clothing sold at this store is pretty much just wardrobe essentials; plain longsleeve tees, active zip ups, plain shirts, jackets, etc. This store is focused on the concept of "timeless basics" rather than chasing the current fashion trends. For some reason, I always thought this store was a lot cheaper than other stores but it turns out that unfortunately no, it is not. I bought a zip up for $50 and a plain longsleeve tee for $25. Not that it's expensive, just not a store that I would label as "cheap," but more "affordable." I love that this store is wide and spacious, and it didn't feel crowded even though the store was pretty busy. The coolest thing about this store, though? They have self-checkouts instead of a cashier, and not the normal self-checkouts you're used to, either. It's the kind where you place all your items into this bin, and then everything's instantly & automatically scanned. Then you pay and it prints out your receipt. Mind you, there was around 5 of these self-checkouts so there wasn't a line you had to wait in to pay for your items. Something to note: Uniqlo also has a Uniqlo app, where you have access to app-exclusive discounts and special items that aren't available in-store. I'd recommend downloading this app prior coming to the store, because the reception was weak when I tried to download it on-the spot. All in all, a great new clothing store to check out!

I can't believe that I am the first one to review Aerie. I have no shame in admitting that I think…read moreit is awesome. Do not disregard this review just because it is written by someone who is not a woman. I first discovered Aerie with my lovely wife at the Eaton Centre in Toronto. We were just browsing and Aerie looked interesting. Lingerie shopping hadn't been one of my wife's favourite pastimes, but the display caught our attention. We were genuinely welcomed by the first young lady we saw, unlike the typical ungenuine greeting from most other retails. We were referred to the bra "expert", who gave a briefing on everything under the sun regarding brassieres - something that made my wife very happy. They had a bra fitting tray, that allowed my wife to try on all different styles as some fit really well, some were not suited to her shape and others just felt awkward. My wife got measured and was like a kid in a candy store. My wife used to hate shopping for bras. Not anymore, thanks to Aerie. I am a sucker for badonkadonk, so I had a great time picking out panties, without feeling like a dirty old man. When it came time to check out & pay, Aerie paid attention to the little details. Wrapping and boxing everything up, and letting my wife pick what a pretty ribbons to put on her bag went a long way. My wife was disappointed to discover that Aerie had not made it's presence yet in Ottawa. This was July 2009. Roughly two years later, Aerie arrived in Ottawa. We have had the same kind of experience here in the Nation's Capital. Aerie's atmosphere is part of the appeal: easy going & laid back. The focus seems to be pretty, instead of sexy. My wife has been more than happy with the quality of the bras, always being able to find something that fits her off the rack. Aerie isn't just bras & undies though. My wife has picked up lots of their other accessories and apparel. We liked Aerie so much, we signed up for their loyalty program - something we typically NEVER do. It's turned out quite well - with their AE loyalty card, it's buy 4 bras, get the 5th free. 2/30 - Yelp Ottawa's 30 Day Challenge!

Poorly trained staff, terrible customer service. My…read moredaughter, who has a chronic disease and is on a disability income, mustered up her energy to make a trip to this store with a $25 gift certificate someone had given her. An hour on the bus to get there for someone with low energy, and an hour to get home. When she got to the cash, the blond cashier tried a few times to swipe the card, pronounced it invalid and told my daughter she'd have to sort it out herself, and how would she be paying today? My daughter was embarrassed, a line up behind her and didn't want to admit that she couldn't afford the $30 in front of everyone. She paid money she could not afford. I went back a few weeks later. Found out from American Eagle, the parent store, that the gift certificate was fine. Just needed to be keyed in manually as it was a grocery store purchased card. Went back to aerie and my daughter picked out $30 worth of goods. Same cashier. Same deal. Swiped it uselessly, and when I told her "you need to key it in manually, it's a grocery store card" she snapped back "I know that!" In a superior way to let me know there was nothing I could possibly have to tell her about her job. Card worked when manually keyed in. I called the head office to complain. Big whoop. Zero satisfaction. How about you send my daughter a $30 gift card, since your poorly trained and useless cashier pressured her into spending money she didn't have. I will never spend a penny in this store, they suck big time.

Miniso has finally arrived in Ottawa! This one in Bayshore is the first. I was told they will also…read moreopen one in the Rideau Centre and Billings Bridge Shopping Centre. Miniso is like an Asian dollar store (although prices are more than a dollar). They sell mostly products that are designed in Japan but made in China. They sell a variety of items like housewares, cosmetics, cell phone accessories, toys, and even some food. The aesthetics is part functional, part kawaii. They have water bottles with cartoon bears printed on them, cute cell phone ring stands, and cables in pastel colours. Prices are higher than dollar stores but still very affordable. I think most items are less than $10. It's a fun store to poke around in, and their inventory changes regularly.