Lots of selection, however service is non-existant. Several people working, very few customers, but…read morethey will practically trip over you and not even acknowledge you, let alone ask if you need any help. I'm not asking that you follow people around the store, but you should at least say hello when customers come into the store. At the very least, it can be a deterrent to shoplifters, at most it will make customers feel welcome. Do better.

So I love going to this Laura/Melanie Lyne because in addition to selling the current season's…read moreitems at regular price, they are also an outlet. They have items from previous seasons at lower prices and I've found some really good deals here. They also have a small selection of off-season items, so if you need a pair of shorts in the dead of winter or a coat in the middle of summer, you might find what you need here. They have a huge selection of regular sizes, petites and plus sizes. They have mostly business attire, but they also have casual wear and evening gowns. I love how I can actually buy evening gowns here off the rack and not need any alterations (albeit only from their petite line). So all you short and slim ladies (e.g. 0P and 2P) who have a hard time finding formal wear that doesn't require paying an arm and a leg for alterations, this is the place for you. Selection is not that great for these very small sizes, but I have purchased many gala dresses here (and a fraction of the regular price). This location also carries a good amount of Joseph Ribkoff, Frank Lyman and Katherine Barclay. Although they usually start at size 8. So great for normal sized people, but not for those wee like me :( I will be the first to admit that many items at Laura/Melanie Lyne are matronly and frumpy, but they also have some more fashionable pieces (although I guess "fashionable" is in the eye of the beholder). I go here often so I can swipe up those pieces at a good price. They have fitting rooms both at the front and at the back of the store. There are washrooms at the back (in with the fitting rooms). This Laura/Melanie Lyne is in a strip mall, so there is a lot of free parking.

... 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!!

This plaza is conveniently located on Fallowfield, just east of the 416 and just a bit past the…read moreCostco. There is a LOT of shopping now available in Barrhaven these days, even a Costco - which is better here as it has a gas station, which is always a good price (for example, yesterday's price was $133.2 per litre, a 10 cent savings over the stations near home). There is an LCBO, and a few restaurants, including a Barley Mow and a Firehouse Subs. There's also a Canadian Tire store. There was a Best Buy that I've been to before. It's a fair-sized mall which I will likely go to again.

I love Winners, but this location at Lansdowne Park is not my favourite. It's one of those "Urban…read moreConcept" stores that are smaller than regular Winners. Despite being in the poshy Glebe, this location doesn't have poshier stuff than other locations, lol. The Sparks/Queen location is also an "Urban Concept" store, but has some higher end pieces which sets it apart from other locations. This location does not have a kid's section, but other than that, it has everything else that larger regular Winners have, just selection is less. Don't get me wrong, I still like the store and I'm happy shopping at any Winners. I just like the larger stores with abundant free parking better, lol. Since this one is in The Glebe, it's street parking only (or you can pay for parking in the privately owned paid parking lots).

I had arrived early in the area to meet up with a friend late one Saturday morning. I was walking…read morearound The Glebe and saw this Winners. Naturally, being a Winners fan, I had to check it out. I find that the space isn't being used all that well. This store tries to give you a downtown feel, like you get when you are in London (Great Britain). Stores tend to be at least a couple of floors. This Winners is really all up on the second floor. The first floor basically has an escalator and the main doors. Although the top floor is huge, it felt crammed with merchandise. I was here to browse and didn't see anything that I truly wanted to buy. The washrooms are in the far right corner when you reach the top of the escalator and you turn to look at all the merchandise. The women's washroom was clean. This store is great if you happen to be in the area. I can see parking being an issue if you want to haul a sofa and don't know where to temporarily park your truck to load it. Other than that, if you live in the area, it's a good store to have in your neighbourhood. (275)

Ah, Sparks Street Mall! I was doing all things touristy on Canada Day around Parliament Hill. I…read moredecided to walk down a block and check out this street that I hadn't set foot on for at least a decade. Sparks Street Mall is essentially a pedestrian strip mall with a bunch of shops, eateries, and more. It's nice, especially with various performances scattered along the street to celebrate the country's national day. I dig that you don't have to deal with traffic along this street, especially on Canada Day. It was nice casually roaming around, seeing how everyone was into wearing red and white, and taking paper Canada flags from folks to wave around. I have a few memories visiting this stretch over the years. There was a time where I was so busy with work that being on vacation made me realize that I should get a haircut. I started getting haircuts on vacation. My first one was at a salon on Sparks Street. I don't recall the name of it. I'm pretty sure that it is long gone. It was owned by a husband and wife team. They were hands-on running the business, and did all the hair cutting and styling. I recently had lunch at Bier Markt. I realized that it had taken over the old Zellers store, along with Winners at the corner. The eatery was buzzing. It looks a bit weird seeing a huge patio in front of a store that I loved. I bought a Jann Arden CD and a portable CD player at this Zellers. It brought back some cool memories. I also remember some sort of public service announcement (PSA) on television of a woman rattling off, "56 Sparks Street. Ottawa," as a young kid. I was perhaps four years old at the time, already exhibiting a thing for numbers. I didn't know what she was talking about, though. Well, I did visit 56 Sparks Street on my most recent trip. There was a sign on the building. She actually said, "This is Lotta Hitschmanova of the Unitarian Service. 56 Sparks Street. Ottawa," in this PSA. I'm pretty sure that I couldn't spell this woman's name as a four-year-old kid. I still can't as an adult. She was attempting to get Canadians to help others in need in far away places. Lotta held a PhD in philosophy and died in 1990. The Unitarian Service of Canada still exists, but under SeedChange. It is still at 56 Sparks Street. Ottawa. I managed to take in an outdoor musical performance in front of the CBC-Radio Canada building. I nearly bought bubble tea at a small ramen place before the thunderstorms and rain caused everyone to seek shelter. Great memories getting caught in a downpour without an umbrella are now with me. Luckily, I had a Canada cap on and managed to walk to my car parked at the National Arts Centre. This stretch is cool, with a lot of history and self-discovery. I always learn so much when I'm walking along streets as a tourist and spot buildings of interest. It forces me to do some research if an informational sign isn't there for me to read. The Post Office building at 59 Sparks Street is a good example, with a running Canada Post across from it. I feel that this street is more for tourists like me. If you're into shopping, box stores elsewhere would be better. If you're staying downtown, it's cool coming here to check it out. I love the history. I also love the charm of souvenir shops and eateries with live music outdoors on dry days that makes this street cool. (256)

I love Sparks Street Mall!! It's a pedestrian strip full of restaurants such as the famous Riviera,…read moreas well as The 3 Brewers, The Rabbit Hole, and Nates Deli. There is not a lot of shopping, but there is a Winners, and who doesn't love Winners? Sparks Street also holds events on the strip like the Ribfest, poutine fest as well as pop up night markets. The strip is decked out during the holidays with tons of beautiful lights. Access to the LRT and a quick walk to the Parliament.

The Glebe, and the area south along Bank Street, is a real trendy, upscale neighbourhood. The…read morehouses are expensive (a few million dollar homes, believe it or not!), the residents well educated and well-heeled. Plus, there are Carleton U students living there too, giving the area that urban chic, bohemian feel. So, it makes total sense that a shop like the White Box would flourish here. White Box markets itself as a not-your-ordinary shopping experience. They sell home decor items (furniture, drapes, lamps, wall-hangings, knick-knacks), bath and body toiletries, fancy baby and pet stuff, cards, gift baskets, etc. And all of it is high-end. No Walmart cast-offs here. It really is the kind of place you would shop for that person who has it all - but, only if you are made of cash. Parking is strictly street, but you can just ask your chauffeur to circle the block!

Ok, The Wholesale Outlet is a strange little place. It's in what looks like a converted barn (!)…read moreThe parking lot (which it shares with The Apple Saddlery) is unpaved and full of potholes. When you go inside, everything is really messy and it looks like a warehouse. The back of the store is really poorly lit. So you would expect really low prices and great deals, right? Well, every clothing item hovers around the $100 mark. Now they do specialize in clothing from Canadian and European designers, and many of their items are made in Canada or in a European country, so yes, the quality is higher. However, with a name like "The Wholesale Outlet" I really was expecting lower prices. In my opinion, the majority of their items are rather dowdy, unless you are in your 8th decade of life, in which case, you would be considered a fashion plate if you wore these items. HOWEVER, if you have the time and patience to sort through their stuff, you will find some lovely gems. I have only ever purchased skirts here, and only in the clearance section at the back of the store, where everything is 50% off (but poorly lit and items are tightly packed together - my arms often hurt after pulling all the items apart to look at them on the racks). Now to give you an idea of my style, I love asymmetric hem lines, over-sized buttons, and superfluous zippers, so I'm a huge fan of the skirt styles from French, German and Scandinavian designers. The sizing of items here is a little strange. Yes, some are European sizes, but even that I found not to be consistent. I'm pretty much a North American size 2 (sometimes 0), so typically a European 36 or 38 and a UK/Australian 6 or 8. However, here I've tried on a "European 40" and a "Canadian 6" and couldn't zip up either item :P So the take home message is, if you like something, disregard the sizing, just eyeball it and if it looks like it might fit, try it on. If you are under 50 years old, you will likely be the youngest person in the store. The staff here are very nice and friendly. I don't come here often, but I will pop in once in a while to check things out.

This store is so unbelievable! Great service & amazing…read moreFrench dressing jeans. Awesome tops, jackets, shoes & beautiful sweaters! My new favorite store! Check it out, you won't be disappointed!

Often when we go to Ontario, we always stop at, at least, once at Tootsies. This was our first time…read moreat that store as we usually go to Cornwall. This one is located in a mall. The good: There is a lot of choices of shoes. Prices are usually good. Some clerks are very friendly and gives a good service. The bad: Some clerks are also cold and does not give a warm service. It is mostly self-service. Store can be crowded with shoe boxes and narrow hallways. In the end, this Tootsies has better choices than others, but it is still not my favourite store.