I love the products here but I feel guilty every time I buy. The owner is so disrespectful to the staff that it’s unsettling overhearing how they speak their employees. Also as a customer I constantly feel uncomfortable in the store. The manager is always so rude. As much as I love the products here I am going to look for alternative businesses that make me feel more comfortable and welcome in their space.

I bought two dresses a week ago and did not try them on in store as I have pretty bad anxiety. When I realized they did not fit well, I went to return them today (Monday, May 16). They were closed even though they opened until 7pm due to bad weather and the worker wanting to catch up on stocking. That did not bother me as they were very accomodating in letting me in anyways to get the store credit (no refunds, only exchanges and credit). I apologized, explained why I did not try them on in store and I found them ill-fitting at home; the worker made a comment saying "You should always try them on before because I could have sold these last week as we only keep about 2 of each size." Keep in mind, I did not come back in the winter. It is still summer, dresses are still in season. I came back within the allowed 2 weeks. The comment was so unecessary and off-putting. I don't leave bad comments, I am very polite and apologetic. I made the trip during a rainstorm, kept the clothing articles dry and pristine. I did not even get money back as per their policy (which is totally fine with me), so I am still a paying customer. I wish I had better things to say as I used to be a frequent customer before the pandemic.

Believe the reviewers who say that the owner is extremely rude. The very fact that the shop has responded to the countless other reviews complaining about the behaviour by claiming that other customers haven't experienced this should tell you everything you need to know about how the owner treats others. In my experience, the owner is particularly nasty to younger customers. I assume because they think we are all planning to shoplift the cheap jewellery that can't be handled without fear of it breaking. Pathetic, honestly.

I used to be a frequent customer here but I was disappointed with the poor quality and the terrible customer service. The environment here is very unwelcoming and the owner is extremely rude as I’ve had multiple unpleasant experiences in the past. The necklace I bought from here tarnished in a week, the jewelry quality is comparable to shein and the prices are ridiculously high considering their quality. I would suggest for this store to at least try to be friendly/respectful to their customers instead of leaving incredibly immature responses to people’s honest reviews. Honestly makes the business look like a joke and quite shameful on your behalf. Maybe try making adjustments and learning from people’s experiences instead of mocking them and embarassing yourself further. If not, best of luck with your store in the future!

Would give 0 stars if I could. Only come here if you’d like to have low self esteem… I’ve come here time and time and my experience becomes worse and worse with every time. They don’t acknowledge you at all, they are so rude and disrespectful when my friend and I asked a simple question, (I believe it was the manager) the employee couldn’t even make eye contact and made snarky and uncomfortable comments. Walking into stores like this makes me rethink going to local boutiques. Absolutely awful, and it ruins my whole experience because of the awful customer service and i end up not wanting to buy what I wanted from there once I have had enough of their awful attitudes.

Boutique had some very cute merchandise, however I left empty handed because I was made to feel so incredibly uncomfortable by staff. Not a pleasant shopping experience. First, my cousin and I were in a spend-y happy mood and wanted to purchase some sunnies. After trying a few pairs on we were told that since they have to clean them after, could we please refrain from trying on any we didn’t want to buy. Afterwards we saw the prettiest anklets. I asked if I could try the size, as I have thicker ankles and they don’t always fit me and I was told no, because bracelets near feet are unhygienic. After feeling pretty uncomfortable we chose to leave. I know that retail isn’t easy. It’s disheartening to have people try things and not buy. Or accidentally break things. However cleaning up and remerchandising usually comes with the package of owning/working a boutique. As so many people choose to shop Online nowadays, the benefit of Brick and Mortar retail is the experience it leads to its clientele that other shopping methods cannot offer. After seeing many others have similar experiences, I hope this genuinely adorable boutique decides to re evaluate and put client’s experience first. Best of luck

I come in a few times a year, whenever I’m in the market. I love the selection of items, clothes to jewelry to Knick knacks. I always buy new pins when I get the chance because they have a great selection and I believe they buy straight from the artists who make them. I also love the store itself, it’s so unique and stylish, I love all the plants. The only negative thing I have to say is how the owner can make you feel a little awkward, I’ve never had any issue with other staff members. The owner can have a manner of talking to you where you sort of feel like you’ve done something wrong or that you are taking up too much of their time. Though they can be as such, they also put in the work - like I said I like to buy pins from here and the owner is normally the one who helps me and takes the time to go through their immense inventory to find the ones I want to buy. Milk is still a great place to shop and very cute. Just don’t take it personally if the owner is short, they are running a business in what’s becoming a not good area of Ottawa. I look forward to my next pin haul from this store next time I’m in the area! :)

Who seems to be the owner, short dark haired girl is straight up disrespectful and rude. Every time I go in, I’m followed like a thief. I completely agree with the other reviews about this place the items are cute but not worth it, with over unwelcoming feeling.

I went to the store today and I couldn’t agree more with the bad customer service. The items are overpriced. I bought stickers and found cheaper online, through the creator of those stickers on Etsy…

Wanted to buy my niece something hip and trendy for back to school. Mais helped and my niece loved her gifts! Would this boutique for unique items!

Did try to buy gift card didnt work but still got charged and the person serving me said ill call around 20 companies and let them know you are a scammer! The were rude and smarter than anybody!! Used to be a regular customer but that ended today. And look at the way they respond to there reviews they never take responsibility for nothing happening at there store 0% of proactivity

I want to echo what the others have said. The staff in this store are incredibly rude. In fact, I was taken aback by how rude they were. They make you feel like you shouldn’t be in there let alone bothering them to let you buy something. I had already picked out a tote that I liked otherwise I would have left. The dark short haired woman is the rudest of them all.

This has been my favorite store in Ottawa for a few years now. The selection of products is like nowhere else in Ottawa, they're a business you can feel good about supporting, and you know the owner puts so much hard work into making this a great place to shop. I absolutely recommend visiting if you are nearby or shopping online for the holiday season. I do want to mention ...after my last visit, I came to these reviews to see if anyone had a similar experience in terms of customer service, and there does seem to be a lot being said. I don't by any means think the owner intended to be rude but I definitely didn't feel that welcome and left feeling uncomfortable like I had bothered her while trying to make conversation. I wonder if it would be worth it to hire a sales person/customer service representative who can focus on running the front of house and answering social media comments/posts/reviews while the owner is able to focus her time more on running the business, buying product, etc. I really don't want to see this store leave Ottawa so that's why I have still given 5 stars. But I definitely think another set of hands might be needed to help it run smoothly. All the best!

I’ve been visiting this shop for nearly ten years and it always has something to take home! Whether it’s a cute scarf; a seasonal item on sale; a trendy accessory like sunglasses or earrings; a funny card for a special occasion; or, a new shirt for return to office—Milk has you covered! Love shopping local and this is one of my favourite spots to visit. Thanks for being awesome!

Happened to be in the market to visit another store when my daughter saw a Harry styles tote in the window so we decided to drop in. What a fun store! Picked up two totes, a great Taylor Swift birthday card (the fun ones you typically have to buy on Etsy) and some clever pen/pencils. Had a great time chatting about concerts, broadway shows and other live performances with the owner and an employee. Will definitely be back!

Very friendly people, always there to help me complete a gift or an outfit as sometimes I don't have the eye for it. Some employees do speak French too ! It's a small shop that I love to go when I'm in Ottawa.

A must stop every time I come to Ottawa. There is always some sort of unique piece I find here that I wouldn’t find anywhere. And the space is SO CUTE!

This is one of my favourites in Ottawa! They have so many cute styles and are always on point for the season. They have an exceptional variety of accessories that it's hard to leave with just one thing. I recently purchased a dress for a commercial I was shooting and it wore beautiful on camera. Thank you!!!

Visited this sweet shop for the first time today and was thrilled to see the owner behind the cash. I’ve followed Milk on Instagram for some time now and knew I’d enjoy the spirit of this shop based on their lighthearted feed. I was not disappointed. The owner and one staff person I interacted with were friendly and helpful. The shop was beautifully curated, displays were easy to shop and the space in general was cozy without feeling crowded. Loved the whole vibe. 😊

I've always had a lovely experience here..... don't really know what all the hubbub is about. Any time I am between appointments downtown or changing buses it's the perfect opportunity to pop into MILK!

Everything I’ve picked up from this shop has always been cute and of decent quality. I would love to see more than one plus size clothing option from this shop. Fat folks love cute clothes too!

Pretty, clean, and very aesthetic shop! They had modern and trending many things from clothing to cards. Nice place to visit and possibly get some goodies from!

A really cute, colour-coordinated store with a ton of nifty clothing, jewellery and home wares to buy. It is also a pretty well priced store, considering it is a small, local business in the city. Perfect for gift shopping. It also has two floors, so make sure to check out the upper one.

Such an adorable shop with affordable and varied products. Very trendy and staff is so nice!!! Love love love

Full of awesome, one of a kind things. Amazing owners, super friendly. One of my favourite shops!

Great store! They have a hilarious card selection and fantastic fashion picks! The staff member there was kind and helpful asking if there was anything else I had in mind.

Cute little shop with an assortment of cute little things!

Every accessory I've bought from here has ended up breaking shortly after, despite being careful with them. For example, I just opened my claw clip and the wires completely snapped off. Disappointing.

Cute clothes, great quality, surprisingly low prices. Service was excellent. My new favorite store!

Actually such a cute store with really reasonably priced earrings and cards. I love that it's locally owned and the staff are always willing to help if you're friendly and ask. Definitely gonna come back to buy some cute shirts and sweats.

One of my favourite stores in Ottawa ♥️

This is one of the best places in the ByWard Market to get fun treats and fashion for yourself, and awesome gifts for your loves! The owners are great, prices are great, location is awesome, and the products they carry are always A+. Check them out right meow!

This is probably my favourite store in Ottawa. The owner is so particular about what goes into her store and it shows in the best way. For any out of town travellers this is a must visit when walking around in the market. Every piece of clothing i've bought here has kept its quality for 100+ washes, many of the pieces are timeless and worth every dollar.

Great place to buy unique and trendy gifts for friends. They have a great selection of cards, jewellery, home accessories and clothing. The owner is kind and honest. Definitely one of the best shops I came across in Byward market. The prices are reasonable and there is a great selection of items for any budget.

I’ve been coming to Milk Shop for years and even after moving out of Ottawa I make an effort to return whenever I can. I’m SUPER shocked at some of the lower reviews posted about the staff being rude. The owner in particular has always been kind and gracious to me and certainly appreciates retuning business. Seems happy to chat and even once included a tiny gift for my mother when she came into the shop on her birthday! I find the clothes decently priced, it’s not fast fashion prices like H&M or Zara but certainly cheaper than somewhere like Aritzia. I agree that the quality of the jewelry is on the lower side and I wouldn’t go there for any staple jewelry pieces, however they have some quirky and unique pieces that are sometimes worth grabbing. As someone who used to work retail in Byward Market, as a customer be understanding that the area is super high traffic and crowded in the summer, especially weekends. I completely understand why they implement rules about trying on sunglasses and jewelry and seem to be on high alert for theft. As a small business they seem to really want to avoid any damage, and as customers I feel like that’s understandable. These guys are a staple in the market and I will be a returning customer for years to come!

The LEAST hostile place I've ever shopped. Great selection, terrific owners, calming atmosphere. MILK Shop is supportive of our queers and allows them to have a safe haven to visit and shop at. Thank you for bringing magic to my wardrobe. I am also famously known now for my hair clip collection and I have you to thank for that. Always looking forward to seeing what's new in store!!

I stumbled across this lovely little store and picked up a few things. The atmosphere was very nice and the staff were also quite friendly.

MY FAVOURITE LOCAL SHOP ! the owners are so lovely and kind. I have been a customer for years now and I have never had a poor experience. Worth checking out, there is something for everyone !