This is one of the nicest gift shops I have seen associated with a museum - wide variety which…read moreincluded books, clothing, ornaments, crafts etc. associated with either the museum itself or exhibits. I picked up a very nice book related to their current temporary exhibit as well as some mementos - everything was well displayed & not overly pricey as far as traditional gift shops go. Staff were knowledgeable about their products and very helpful. Great way to wrap up your visit to the museum!

I must have been in 100 gift shops over my 10 days in Ontario and Québec. Over that time, there…read morewasn't one with better quality items that the Canadian Museum of History (Musée Canadien de l'Histoire) gift shop/boutique. Let's start with the more standard stuff: High quality hoodies, sweaters, t-shirts, hats, mugs, bags, keychains, cards, and lanyards (to name a few) ... most bright red, emblazoned with maple leaves and other famous Canadian locales placed front-and-center. Then there's plenty in French and things that may specifically appeal to the French and French-Canadian. My personal fave is the whole section (with shirts, books, etc.) dedicated to the famed Astérix et Obélix cartoon -- a staple in French humor since the late 1950s. And, of course, the thing that sets this gift shop apart is all the books, bags, t-shirts, posters, jewelry, blankets, scarves, shawls, plush toys, keychains, magnets, boxes, ties, totes, carvings, ornaments, brooches, journals, etc., specifically related to the Museum's exhibits past and present. I can't stress it enough how exceptional a place this is if you want a book on all facets of Canadian history ... both publications by the Museum itself and those seminal works on Canadian history and life. As well, no store I've been to in Canada compares when it comes to carvings, totems, and other items related to the Inuit and First Nations. It's such a great store, I'll say make sure you don't forget to see the Museum itself!!!!

Very fun. In addition to great magazine selection, there's lots of fun (even quirky) gifts…read moreincluding writing related items, gag gifts and baby gifts. Enjoyable browsing through what's there. Need something for a Kris Kringle / Secret Santa exchange? This is your store. Good prices and many price ranges. Staff are great too! Would I recommend: Yes Would I return: Yes

This is by far the best selection of magazines in Ottawa that I have come across…read more It's been an institution in the city for what seems like forever but they're still around because if you're looking for something, no matter how obscure, they seem to have it. The magazines are arranged by category and they cover everything from the home to computing, finance, fashion, celebs and pets and seem to come from every part of the globe. They also have all the major newspapers including a cross section of not so top-of-mind Canadian cities like North Bay. I was there looking for a particular title and although they didn't have it in stock they were going to be ordering it and the salesperson told me the exact day in which I would be able to find it in store which was quite impressive. All that said, whether you're looking for something niche or mainstream Mag & Fags seems to have it all!

Bel Fiore is a delightful community flower & plant store. The owner takes time to prepare…read morebeautiful, unique garlands for casual and formal events. She also maintains a selection of plants and provides information and advice on how to maximize the plant's health. A delightful place to visit.

It doesn't take much to please your specific one. If you haven't any ideas, what about a nice…read morebouquet? Bel Fiore will definitely help you how to achieve this within your budget. Their service makes the difference between a regular store, but I will not mention any name here, and a real pro.

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

Yelping about Canada in a Basket for me is akin to a public service announcement for tourists. This…read moretiny store located in the Market Building of the Byward Market should be a definite stop for anyone looking to bring home Canadian goods, whether you are a foreigner or Canadian. Jammed into every shelf and corner and carousel display of this store are goodies native to Canada. You won't find cheap souvenir T shirts here but items like local honey from numerous provinces, Saskatchewan jams, bison pate, Ice wine flavored teas--a truly dazzling assortment of authentic Canadian goods, for every budget, and from the familiar to the different. If your loved ones have had enough of maple, impress them with Ice-wine syrup then. Unlike the Ottawa duty free shop, which only has the cheaper version, Canada in a Basket has the premium one also. It must be good since I bought it and sis hasn't shared any with me. If you have an OCD friend you need relief from for a few hours, bring them here and let your buddy pore through what seems like an endless array of items, food items, jewelry, clothing etc. While I I don't envy the proprietor at inventory time, I am grateful she took the time to amass such an array of uniquely wonderful items. Canada in a Basket will even customize a basket for you and ship it, hence the name. Seriously, there was so much here, I was actually getting dizzy just looking at a few shelves of jams, and I hadn't even ventured to the Byward Market bars prior. You don't need to agonize over the meager pickings at the airport duty free shop. Come to this fun place to shop for Canadian souvenirs.

I love this Indigo. It's relatively new, as is the entire plaza that it's in…read more They have lots of giftware and fun items in addition to books. They have good sales and staff are friendly. Orleans doesn't really have a big bookstore, so this Indigo is a good addition. Lots of free parking in the plaza parking lot.

Wow, I am not sure if I walked into a book store today, or an art gallery…read more I've driven buy this newly built Indigo over a dozen times, and I finally decided today was the day to check it out. One thing that I noticed when I entered the store is the smaller entrance way. It was a tad tight getting in with a stroller while people were trying to exit. Maybe there is another larger entrance that I did not notice? The store is super bright, and super clean, but kinda sterile. I usually visit Indigo to browse the latest home decor and sale items, so I was a bit thrown off that all their home decor and knick knacks are scattered across the store, but it was tastefully done and I get what they were doing there. For example: where the yoga books and fitness books were displayed, so were the yoga items and water bottles. Another example, the cookbooks were surrounded by kitchen tools and kitchen decor. It was nice to walk around this store and browse, but it was not bookstore vibes. I love grabbing books and browsing through them. I didn't find any chairs in sight besides going over to Starbucks, where I could get comfy and browse through some books. There is also an indigo kids, that looked bright, and fun, but I didn't venture too much into that department. This store is nice, but it's just OK in my books. I am a traditional kinda gal, and I really liked the old school "chapters" vibe of bookstores where they had tables and chairs all throughout the place, and it was more cozy. This is not the kinda of place to meet up with friends and work on projects at, unless you buy a coffee and do so at Starbucks.

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!

Flowers were delivered for my birthday in early December and were left outside at the door in -10…read moredegree weather. When we arrived home they were frozen and ruined. They could have been left with our neighbours as they were at home. I called the company and the gentlemen said he was extremely sorry and would call me back the next day to make things right. It is now 3 months later and I have not heard anything from them. I would never use this company again.

I live in Toronto and ordered a bouquet of tulips for my sister in Ottawa for her birthday. The…read moreflowers were gorgeous, very fresh, beautifully arranged and the people at Nectar were very attentive, and even switched the delivery date for me to be sure my sister would get them at time when she was home. I could not be more pleased with the flowers or service -- will definitely use them again!