I needed dance shoes. I ended up finding her on the Internet. She was so helpful & had so much knowledge. I drove right over & bought two pairs of shoes in the end because she found me two great pairs & I couldn't just buy one pair! Once I was there with her & she measured my feet, I knew I was in really great hands. I highly recommend her services & Her prices were very fair. Now that I went to see her I feel way more confident in what I'm doing. What an absolute treasure she was for me. Even her directions to get to the shop was spot on. I'm very happy with my purchases. read more

Avalon Dance Shop - Dance shoes - Dance Wear Near Me - Delta, British Columbia

I would absolutely recommend Avalon Dance Shop without hesitation. I bought my first pair of dance shoes from Renate and haven't looked back in the years I've been dancing. Renate provides excellent service. She even took the time to help sew to reinforce button holes for me just before a competition! Renate is super knowledgeable, friendly, and very helpful. read more

Can't find a better pair of dancing shoes, couldn't do it without Renata's expert and friendly help. read more

Avalon Dance Shop - Love them ... see you on the dance floor!!! - Dance Wear Near Me - Delta, British Columbia

The owner was very knowledgeable and she took an hour just to help me out selecting the right dance shoe. I wish they haven't moved that far because I live in Vancouver but if I ever need another pair of dance shoe I would definitely co here. read more

We don't shop here regularly because it is a bit of a road trip for us to come here. Besides that, their price is not competitive at all. In fact, they are a lot more expensive than Forever Dancewear in North Vancouver which we go to all the time. Forever Dancewear has better pricing and the staff is always happy and always makes us feel very welcome. Forever Dancewear is also very clean and neat with a wide array of selections. I base this particular experience on yesterday's purchase. I asked my daughter to call ahead to make sure they are open and that they have what we need. Pro Flex size 6 4X. The owner/old lady confirms she has them. We purchased them and left. After we left, my daughter realized the owner/old lady sold her the wrong pair of ballet shoes. My daughter have no choice but to dance in them. She called Avalon after the class and left them a message about the shoes asking for a refund. Next day, my daughter called Avalon again and owner/old lady told her to come in and said the ballet shoes were in the wrong box and that she will exchange them for her. When we got there she refused to refund her because my daughter was being honest and told her she danced in them. She told my daughter it is entirely my daughter's fault that she wore them therefore she cannot exchange them. What really puzzles me is that she blamed my daughter entirely and took no responsibility at all for selling her the wrong pair of shoes to begin with. This is her bread and butter, she should know that they were "Pro" and not "Pro Flex". 1. She sold my daughter the wrong pair of shoes 2. She blamed it entirely on my daughter and took no responsibility for selling the wrong shoes to begin with 3. we had called ahead and she had told us she had the shoes 4. we had driven there twice from W. Van and then did not get we were promised. From my point of view Avalon has failed to honour their end of the bargain and WE will never shop there again and WE will never refer anybody to go shop there again. 1. Their prices are not competitive but more expensive than Forever Dancewear. 2. Bad service. 3. Misleading about what they have even if you call in advance. 4. Messy store. 5. Lousy selections. 6. Unpleasant owner/old lady. 7. Has very bad bedside manners. 8. Unprofessional. 9. Ask for something specific but sells you another thing. 10. Cannot be trusted. We have heard so many complaints from other patrons of Avalon but we always never let that stop us from going there. But now that she majorly dishonour herself by not honouring her words that to me is the ultimate business faux pas. If I could give her zero star I would. read more

I went to Avalon with my wife to find her a pair of dance shoes. The selection and prices were good. Staff was helpful and knowledge about dance shoes and fitting. No hard sell or upsell on the shoes which was nice. My wife ended up special ordering a shoe because she needed a slightly better fit, and Avalon made the order without extra fees. Arrived about a week later. All in all a good shopping experience. read more

I have been buying my dance shoes from Avalon Dance shop for almost ten years. The owner has years of experience in fitting dance shoes and we very quickly found the size and brand that works best for my feet, and level of dance both for Latin and Standard. On occasion I have purchased shoes elsewhere while traveling and have never been entirely satisfied that the fit is right. It is completely unreasonable to expect that a shop would allow someone to return a used item for a full refund. Based on multiple visits to this store over the years it the current and past locations, I can state that the service and fittings that I have received has been excellent and extremely professional, the shop is well stocked and I have never failed to find what I needed. In fact I wrote an article about Avalon for my website - you can find it at http://www.reviewfromthehouse.com/dance-shoes-pleasure-and-pain read more

I've been a customer of Avalon Dance shop for 15 years. The owner is one of the hardest working person I've ever met. She is always so welcoming, even she is busy with another customers or climbing up and down the ladder to her attic warehouse :) The owner was also very knowledgeable with all her dance products. I have been a dancer for many years and I have always come to this shop to seek for info I needed. She will never hesitate to pass on her knowledge. That is the reason that I keep coming back as a loyal customer. Passing on to the next generation. My 11 years old son and his partner are also getting all their Ballroom shoes in Avalon. The owner was very carefully order the right shoes for these growing happy feet! Thanks Avalon! Happy dancing!! read more

Came to this place today, only to discover a rude older lady who apparently owns the place with absolutely no sense of customer service. My mother came looking for comfortable shoes she can wear for long hours. While having to remove my shoes just to look small shoe collection on the walls that were clearly overpriced. My mother was looking at the shoes and whilst looking the lay blatantly says the shoes are these prices and if you do not want to pay these prices I will stop helping you. If you decide while I'm measuring your feet that you do not want to purchase anything I will stop helping you. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Who says that to a customer!!! My mother being the kind woman she is disregarded what she said and didn't see it as being rude even though clearly it was then my mother tells the woman she knows her size already. (I should add both my sister and I worked in a SPECIALITY shoe store catering to people with feet problems in which we had to measure feet properly and know every knowledge of the different shoes and what will work for what person) The woman then refusing to believe my mother throws a meter stick on the floor and rudely tells her to step down on the stick then realizes oh ya she was right. After that fiasco I walked out of the store annoyed that a woman who proclaims speciality fitting is measuring feet with a meter stick and not even measuring using the proper device which measures WIDTH as well. When my mother left the store, without purchasing anything thank god. She told me the woman wasn't even listening to what colour she was looking for and kept bringing out the wrong shoes. Beware going to this store expect nothing but horrible customer service and expect not to get your fitting done correctly. Everything is outdated and overpriced good luck and I'd highly recommend checking out other places to shop because I clearly wasted a beautiful Saturday making my way out here. read more

Very bad service. DO NOT EVER EVER COME HERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE INSULTED WITHIN 10 SECONDS OF ENTERING THE STORE. I was looking for a pair of latin dance shoes for salsa and saw that their website has decent selections. I've been warned by friends that their customer service is very bad. Never had I imagine the kind of rudness and insults I was in store for!!! DO NOT BE MISLED BY THEIR NICE WEBSITE. I figure I can still go and just browse and check out the selections. Can't hurt right? If I don't ask to be serviced, then should have no problems right? WRONG. I was out of the store within one minute. Here's how to get a torrential downpour of insults if you ever wander in: First off, it took forever to find parking. Also, there was a sale the day I went but I didn't know about it before hand. The owner was very busy at the back of the room doing a fitting. 1) Stepped into the store There are a few customers fishing in the sales bins and all the shoes were of bad quality. (stitches and glue coming off) I wasn't there for the sales anyways. 2) Gently pick up a regular priced shoe lining the wall The owner yelled and pointed from the back of the room "Do not touch the shoes, yes, you, I'm talking to you!" There are no signs that saids no touching, and everyone at the sales bin was picking up and examining all the shoes. I was so shocked but before I could respond, she went on... "These are VERY EXPANSIVE SHOES and you shouldn't touch them unless you can AFFORD it. You can damage the shoe if you touch them. The sales bins are to your right if you're here for the sales. The ones on the walls are NOT FOR SALE. " All the while, gritting her teeth, with 7-8 customer in her tiny little store all looking shocked. then she dropped the bombshell, she said "I didn't know Asian people dance." I was gonna say sorry at first but now I was beyond angry. I was very neatly dressed, well groomed and wearing...ha!...a pair of $300 discreet designer flats. I definitely did not dress or look poor, look like a clueless tourist, or look like I wasn't a serious dancer/buyer. According to her standards, the pair of her dance shoes that I *gasp* TOUCHED was only $125. Very expansive shoes? Are you kidding me? She went on to explain the different prices on different racks. with the most expansive ones being $250? Even at Manolo Blahnik I try on and touch shoes freely. Unbelievable. Just assume that I came because of the sale. Such an arrogant and racist and rude person is not worthy of me wasting time writing such a long review but the truth has to come out. If an owner doesn't like people touching her stuff, it's fine, I understand. But to yell at your customer, insult them and assume they're bargain hunters and can't afford shoes that looked like they're made of cardboard is not acceptable. What's laughable is that the store itself is on Main street and in quite a ghetto area. I can understand if some regular bum walked in and started grabbing shoes with their dirty hands. But geez, I wouldn't have been in that area at all if it wasn't for her store. read more

The owner was incredibly rude and pressured purchase, used emotional blackmail and passive aggressive manipulation to close sales from beginning to end, we were serious to make a purchase but seeing how we were treated we will make a point to tell all our dance friends never to visit this store again. No one deserves to be treated so terribly. I expected better. read more

I found the owner of the store difficult, borderline rude, in my previous visits to this store, but my latest experience topped it all. I came into the store looking for a pair of tango shoes. After the owner double checked my foot size, she brought out 4 pairs from the back of the room for me to try. I tried 2 pairs, one of which did not fit well and the other one was not quite what I was looking for. I told the owner that I would need a day to think about the pair. At that point the owner became furious and told me that there is no free service at her store and that she has to protect her business from people like me, who come to try her shoes and then go online. She charged me $25 dollars for what she called "a customer fitting" pointing at the signs that I did not notice when I came it. The bottom line is, be prepared to pay a 25-dollar fee for trying shoes at this store, if you don't find what you like! read more

I've been to Avalon Dance Shop twice before, and after my last experience, I'm not sure if I'll go back again. Why the 2 stars? Avalon specializes in ballroom dance items (I don't dance ballroom), and they seem to have a lot of costumes/shoes available, more than the Dance Shop (a huge mix) or Limbers in Surrey (mostly ballet). The first time, I bought a pair of tights. There is no refund policy, no exchange or anything, so you need to be sure that the item that you want is the right one. In terms of price, I think that it's around the same price as Dance Shop and equivalent stores, but other stores may be cheaper. Because of their policy, you may want to shop around first. The second time, I called in regarding a Motionwear undergarment, in the nude colour, in a size Medium. The lady over the phone said that she had it, and mentioned something about having "Over-Unders" as well (those are undergarments by Capezio.) This seemed great to me, because the Dance shop didn't have any and I wasn't willing to go out to Surrey. After having lunch, I went into the store and the lady gave me the item. I asked to try it on, and she showed me to the changerooms at the back. They're just a room with curtains, like Limbers. I found it a bit dark in that area though, because they also had costumes/clothes in that area. My friend, who came along, was looking around. We're pretty much the same size, and she needed one as well. After trying it on, I didn't know if the cutting would be okay. I was looking specifically for the brand Motionwear, and she had given me this one. I asked my friend to take a look at it, and she had said it wouldn't work, so while I was changing, she went back out to ask if they had the Motionwear brand. The lady said "No." At this point, my friend got a little aggravated because over the phone, the lady had said that they did. The lady started to try and sell this undergarment, saying that "oh, it probably would work" and things like that. She ended up calling the Dance Shop, where we had been earlier, and asked about the Motionwear thing. She asked if it was a brand, and similar questions. I was still changing, so I didn't know exactly what was happening. She passed the phone to my friend, who politely explained the situation over the phone, and the lady at the Dance shop seemed nice over the line (I couldn't hear). At this point, the lady at the store then told me to bring in the leotard to try it on. They didn't have a similar model at the store. Apparently, she didn't carry Motionwear. We left, after explaining that because of the return policy, we couldn't buy it, because what if it didn't work? We wouldn't get our money back. The lady at the counter seemed pretty aggravated and frustrated. So were we! Once we got to the car, we called another dance shop, this time making sure to explain it well. The lady from Beatle Dance Shop asked if we had the style number, because there are many different styles. She also told us to bring our own leotard, because it may stretch. Well. That was a waste of a trip. I think that Avalon is generally a good store if you know what you want to get, and if it's an in and out purchase and you are not planning to return. They do not stock Bloch pointe shoes, which are the type that I use, (mostly Capezio and Grishko) and they don't have the brand of leotard I wear (Motionwear). They seem to have a plethora of ballroom things, though. I asked a friend about this store who does ballroom, and she said that she didn't shop there because of the service. So Avalon Dance Shop, if you want my business, please work on your customer service and offering more items in a different brand. read more

I was just thrilled with this independent dance wear shop and even more thrilled with the service! I went in to buy some basics for my niece and came out with just what I was looking for. I believe I was being served by the owner who was just lovely. I highly recommend you go in for a browse if you need some dance wear, which is really great for any work out! Prices were fair and the selection was excellent, a solid choice of basics and some fun pieces thrown in! I'll be back for myself! read more

Great service. Well, I guess that depends on the mood of the lady owner. She was very helpful today and having struck up a conversation with her, she is just a sweet old lady trying to stay afloat in this very competitive market. With the escalating rent and gentrification of the area over the years, she has worked hard to stay in business and I encourage all of you to support small local businesses in the area. I understand some of the reviewers have had some negative things to say about the shop, but having taken the time to speak with her on a personal level, I understand how a 70 plus year old woman can be a bit grumpy on certain days. Please give her a chance. She has quite the story behind her struggles and I am glad I made the effort in finding out a bit more about her. Good people. read more

Avalon is an owner-operated shop. When you visit the store you get personalized one on one service. Sometimes the owner is tired over overwhelmed, but she is committed to her customers. It is understandable that returns are not allowed on used items - the owner cannot resell them so it would be a net loss for her. As for selection - suppliers put a limit on how many retailers can carry their products in a specific area. If someone else sells Motionwear, for example, within a certain km radius, then Avalon cannot carry it. People need to remember that they need the local retailers, but so many shop online or in the states, that these retailers are having a tough time surviving, so they may have to charge a bit more. Overall, the owner is pleasant and dedicated to dance in the city... make your own decision, but not cool to refer to someone as "the old lady," you will be old one day too! read more

The lady was really nice and helpful! Got freeform shoes that fits perfectly and she takes the time to let you try on a few sizes before you make your decision. Will be back! read more

I went there to buy pointe shoes for ballet, and their pointe shoes were soooo pleasant and I can't believe that there are Grishkos! When I was trying on, the person was very nice and she was patient even though I tried on so many pointe shoes. read more

Went in to get shoes. Wanted to compare different brands. The saleslady/owner only offered one brand to try. She then insisted I had to purchase the shoes, or pay $25 for "just trying them on". So, my choices were: 1) purchase shoes I wasn't completely sure about or, 2) pay $$ for nothing! Ended up buying, but will never return again. Definitely not a customer-priority attitude. Worst experience ever with a dance supply store. read more

If you want to buy quality shoes from someone who knows what they are talking about go to Avalon Dance Shop. If you want to invest the time and money into your dancing, you need the right tools.. great dance shoes. The shoes and brands carried by the Avalon Dance Shop, I believe are as good as it gets. Why would you not want to invest in good foot ware when we rely on our feet to move us gracefully around the floor. We should appreciate the passion these ladies have about dance and providing beautiful shoes and accessories. Appreciate these small businesses please while we still have them. read more

My name is Andy Wong and I was the owner and professional dance instructor of The Grand Ballroom dance studio in Richmond for 20 years. I have known Renata, the owner of Avalon Dance Shop for close to 30 years. As a retailer of ballroom dance shoes and supplies, I consider her the most experienced and knowledgeable in Vancouver. My students and I have purchased dance shoes and relied on her expertise for decades. Renata has always provided excellent service to the thousands of Grand Ballroom students that I recommended to The Avalon Dance Shop. I would definitely recommend her services and products for all new dance students. read more

While I do not typically write reviews, my experience at Avalon was so negative that I feel it should be shared. After driving from a distance to visit the store a couple weeks ago, I arrived to find that it was closed for inventory with no indication on their website of its closure. When I returned a couple weeks later, my time in the store lasted no longer than 2 minutes. After gently telling the owner that I had come to the store before to find it closed during the listed hours of operation, she stated without any apology that I should have called beforehand. After asking what I was looking for, she stated in a dramatic way that the lowest price of shoes was $125 as if expecting to deter me. She then proceeded to inform me of a $25 charge for not making a purchase, as she has done too many shoe fittings for "dishonest" people in the past who have bought shoes elsewhere. I was startled and though fully intending to buy shoes, was uncomfortable with committing my money to her without any knowledge of the suitability of her merchandise. I said that I did know enough about the particular kind of shoe I was looking for to commit to a charge like that, she stated that the education she was going to have to provide was the exact reason for the charge. I immediately left the store. I went to Avalon as a serious buyer, hoping to get some help in finding the right shoes for a new style of dance I have started. But I was treated with hostility and suspicion about my intentions. While I fully intended to make a purchase, and while I understand the frustration at spending the time and effort to fit people for shoes that they do not buy, I object to my money being held hostage. Demanding that customers make a purchase under threat of a service charge is coercive and unreasonable when they have yet to even know what is being sold. I additionally did not appreciate the assumption that pricing was an issue or her suggestion that I should call a store during their listed hours of operation to confirm that it is open for business prior to arriving. I have been a competitive dancer my whole life and have bought countless dance shoes. Never have I been expected the pay for the opportunity to try shoes on before making a purchase and never have I been treated with such discourteousness in any retail establishment before. I am disappointed that I was not able to come home with the new shoes I was hoping for and it was disheartening to see someone treat newcomers to a particular style of dance with such disregard. Because of this experience, I do not recommend Avalon. read more

The owner of the shop was very helpful and accommodating. I took two of my students with me to try on dance shoes, and my students left saying how kind she was. I will certainly be a return customer! I'm more than happy to support a local, independent store with a kind owner. read more

I have been dealing with Renata, owner of Avalon, for over 10 years throughout my adventures into ballet, tap and now ballroom. Renata gives excellent advice and invaluable tips about dance. I have learned a lot. Very accommodating good quality selection. Highly recommend. read more

I've been taking ballroom lessons for a while and I finally decided that I needed to invest in some ballroom shoes. The sales clerk at Avalon was really knowledeable and very helpful. I tell you, it makes a HUGE difference when you have the right shoes on your feet! I'm sure I'll be back again! read more

zero stars. The lady who owns the shop is a rude and obnoxious old woman who acts like she is doing you a favour just by talking to you. It is difficult enough to find a good pair of dance shoes, and sad that one of the few dance shoe shops in the city makes it even more difficult and unpleasant. read more

I have been shopping for dance shoes and costumes at Avalon for many years and have always found what I need, helped by the owner, a most accomodating and knowledgable woman who takes infinite pains to find 'just the right thing'. Doris read more

I would honestly give this place way more than 5 stars if I could. I've gone to this store on several different occasions, mainly to buy (Grishko) pointe shoes, and each time have been treated with nothing but absolute kindness. Now, this is the only store I go to in Vancouver for pointe shoes- I can't possibly run out of good things to say about the owner! She's this sweet, friendly, lovely lady and has quite some interesting things to say if you take the time to chat with her! The very first time I went in to buy pointe shoes, I came out with a pair she gave me for free!! It was "old stock," that was, by chance, in my tiny size, but even so I'm still incredibly grateful for that. Most recently, yesterday I stopped by to get another pair, and she offered to sell it to me for half price. Seriously, looking at the other reviews here on Yelp, I don't understand how anyone could give Avalon Dance Shop any negative reviews- I can't think of one thing bad about it. I guess some people are just shameless.. Like what the owner said, "what goes around comes around"; if you treat others with kindness, you will be treated back with it in return. I've been to dance stores all over in Vancouver and both sides of the USA and have to say that I've never seen such sincere concern and care as I have here. Please, do yourself a favour and come give this store a try at least once, you won't regret it! read more