Reviews of Malabar Limited (Costumes)

Olessia Kouzina

Store looks like a mishmash of everything, and can be overwhelming, but...you will likely find anything and everything you’re looking for eventually, staff is helpful. Huge selection of costume rentals, makeup and facepaint, last minute Halloween costumes, and a good ballet/dance section. Check with cashier to see if your studio gets a discount there.

Amanda Leigh

Found what I was looking for quickly and with qualified help.

Gina Bosse

Malabar has been around for years... and years... since I danced... which was a long long time ago. Now shopping for our daughter here for the last 6 + years. Russell and the Girls have always been so patient and helpful with all of our dance questions and measurements. Shopping for Tap, Ballet and Jazz shoes are always fun...:| Thank you again for all your help over the years!! :) Even under these stressful Covid protocols...always helpful.

Carol-Anne Lavergne (Caro)

The Halloween costume quality has greatly diminished. I used to go there cause they great quality choices but they're now selling cheap stuff for double the price of party city and other places. I used to always find something here, every year for the past 10 years I've trusted malabar, not for their prices but for the quality. Sadly this year I didn't buy anything there. I definitely recommend for costume rentals and such but not for buying one.

Maggie P.

I needed a costume for a Halloween party I will be attending on my trip to Florida to visit my niece. This place was so much fun. Not cheap stuff here like other places. They have a wide variety here and had some great laughs while perusing. I ended up finding a great costume with the help of an associate, and can't wait to show my niece. It's her first Halloween, so I can't wait. Thanks for all the help!

Stephen-Thomas Maciejowski

Helpful and easy to work with.

Chris Blanchette

BEST COSTUME STORE IN THE CITY

N K

Everything you need for dance

Al Barq

The selection was decent and well organized. The store part was a bit small and cramped but there was also a rental section. I would go to spirit Halloween or party city unless you're looking for a more elaborate "theatre" style costume. Might shop there again next year

Stephen Senkiw

A fun place for all your fun ideas.

Chris Rickett

Great selection.

Dushyanthan Manickam

I love this place,and what ever you want you have it there.

Andrew MacMillan

Very helpful and knowledgable staff.

John Harrington

Amazing collection of costumes. Great for a good party.

Jason Selkirk

Attentive and patient when we were in picking out costumes. Made the experience a lot more fun! Thanks!

Vladimir Pashkov

Great customer service. They had a ground hog sale and didn't have my wife's shoe size, but they ordered it for a sale price with later delivery.

Josh Allen

Prepackaged costumes that look cheap and mostly made of plastic. I am bothering giving a one star rating because it's so disappointing that the only downtown costume store in the city is this lame.

ThaDuDeMaN

Been getting cosplay supplies here and they are top quality and help me win

Kris Duhaime

This costume store has it all. A big store with a huge selection and friendly staff to help you find what you need. Mind you, it is a little expensive.

Ian Chu

Gd choice 4 current costumes. But the olden days where btr when u would walk up & dwn the aisles 2 try the different outfits on.

Stéphanie

Very helpful and courteous staff. I was able to try different makeup and staff explained pros and cons of each brand. Malabar is your local shop of choice for Halloween and costuming.

Janet Lavern

I buy lots of face painting supplies here. All of the stock they carry is high quality, I only wish they carried more variety then it would be 5 star

William Ball

Best costumes ever

C B Veillette

Have not found what I came in for, but great service.

Robert Turcotte

Very helpful staff who seem to love their job!

Ariel Hosanny

Helpful staff, nice selection.

Tania Gauder

Been buying my dance items here for decades! Good service, honest and they know their stuff. I drive out of my way to come here and it's worth it.

Omar Seraj Kazi

Costume heaven !

Barim G.

Pretty good place to shopping Holloween costume. Costume quality is little bit higher than other shops.

Frederico Garcia Fernandes

(Translated) 10 years ago I got in touch with this store and I was delighted with the diversity of costumes. (Original) Há 10 anos atrás tomei contato com esta loja e fiquei encantado com a diversidade de fantasias.

David Skinner

Great service! I walked in and within a couple minutes someone was already helping me. They recommended a few items and actually knew what they were talking about. Everyone was super helpful and nice, even though the store was really busy. The only negative is that it was a bit expensive, but not extremely so.

Olmes Leon

If you need a costume, this is the place. Prices are high thought.

Evandro M. Lorenzoni

(Translated) The store has many costume options ... The price is average. There is a session to rent clothes as well. (Original) A loja possui muitas opções de fantasias... O preço esta na média. Há uma sessão para alugar roupas também.

Ju B

Staff are amazing!!!!! During the pandemic they have done the most to ensure i have what i need

A Goat

Pretty good selection for purchase and rental. Prices are ok. This is the kind of place you go for something nice rather than something inexpensive.

Jaiden Williams

Malabar is honestly my fave place to shop for my setting powder needs! They're the only place in the entire city I can get my Ben Nye Luxury powder without having to order online. The staff there are incredible helpful and super informative! I'll be back once the items I purchased finally run out.

Anna Monica

I loved this shop for Halloween!

Jai

Incredibly friendly staff! I look forward to visiting this store. Wide selection of stage make-up!

Sarah Thompson

Simply the best! The only place for all things costume related! A one stop shop for Halloween!

Fabiano Daher

My wife found Ben Nye makeup

Markie Bloxing

Horrible, staffs treated me like a trash can

Amanda Helmer

Great service, affordable prices

Michael Thomas

Steven there is a gem. So much attention to detail and demonstrates a wonderful passion for the job.

Nate Gram

Great place for costumes!

Michael Turner

Google sometimes lists this shop as a "Capezio" store. It is not. However. They carry capezio shoes and dance apparel. Plenty of options and sizes. Steven was very helpful. Great shop

Tyler Filion

Great place for costumes and to buy dance outfits and accessories.

Joanna Gutowska

First timer for ballet and the staff helped me out thoroughly to make sure I got what I needed. Also a great selection of costumes and makeup, gets a bit hectic around Halloween tho.

Dan Williams

Very friendly and knowledge staff. Even informed us if we could wait the items would be in an upcoming sale

Gidean Chan

The best costume and fx makeup shop in Toronto, Steve is a very patient and gentle guy who can provide you best knowledge in products and usages. Recommended

ludovic procope

Large choice of costume. The staff is very helpful. Don't hesitate to visit the upper hand costumes. It's great to rent for a particular event.

Kristin Delahunty

LOVE this place

Laura-Lee MacDonald

Rectifying what must have been a drunk review. Somehow a one star review from me about Malabar got posted? Clearly I was hacked, because Malabar is awesome. I recently had to buy body paint for my newest cosplay, and the staff helped me find a great colour match. I have never left Malabar disappointed. I'm not sure how that one star showed up, but it was likely aliens. Evil aliens, obviously.

Janac Meena

Every possible costume. Expensive

Chrissy Brouillette

Helped me throw together a last minute costume! Awesome service.

Robbie MacMillan

Malabar is THE best place to go for any of your costume needs. Whether it be Halloween, a themed party, theatrical performance, or you just have the urge to costume in style, you will find what you need here. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and always eager to help you find what you need. They will help you find the perfect costume no matter what your needs are.

Chuan Chee

They have a very extensive range of costumes and dance shoes, including children's sizes. They give 10% off for students of dance schools.

Kim Pearce

Twice the price of everywhere else and the manager was incredibly rude. We went in to ask to return unopened products and the owner became very defensive immediately. We were not being pushy at all but just simply were not aware of the return policy. The return policy seemed reasonable, however the confrontational attitude of the owner was really innapropriate. Let me be very clear that this is not a complaint about the return policy. It is completely about the owners attitude. If he wants to keep customers in the future I would suggest a polite "I'm sorry for the inconvenience but unfortunately we cannot accept that return based on our company policy". You don't need to insist that "IT SAYS SO RIGHT ON YOUR RECEIPT" when they are not challenging you. By the way, we wanted to return unopened products because we found the same thing down the road for literally half the price.

KJ McKnight

Limited hours especially on the weekend and I've recently haf the experience of no one answering the phone or returning my voicemail regarding a specific item. I have not had a successful trip this year but it's been reliable in the past. Covid times i guess

Mikayla Caron

They've got pointe shoes, canvas shoes (and leather), lyrical shoes, tap shoes and jazz shoes! This is your place if you need dance footwear :D

Serge S

there is no much dancing items you can buy.

Colin Climie

Helpful people will, if it is not too busy, assist in the assembly of your costume.

Wanda S

The staff and owner seemed rude, condescending and were not helpful when I was trying to learn about shoe options. After asking a couple of questions that were answered rudely we were abandoned by the staff and owner. They stood st the counter ignoring me and my young daughter while we looked for sizes. Not nice. The world of dance is new to us and when we were in the store exploring the different shoes we would need for an upcoming class the answers were curt and unhelpful. We left the shop with a very negative impression. Won’t be back again. We called Brio from the parking lot and they were the opposite- friendly, helpful and we ended up going over there and making a purchase. Do you need to be a professional dancer only to get kind service st Malabar? Poor show guys

Rob Sterling

Great sales and very knowledgeable staff.

Gil Segev

Been shopping here for about two years, and I'm always happy with my experience. The rentals section is impressive and surprisingly affordable, the makeup selection is small but high quality (primarily Ben Nye), and their wigs are always a good quality yet affordable. I like that the online store has a pickup option for COVID-era shopping.

Martin M

Great service staff was friendly in store and helpful with my purchase.Will shop here again thank.

k

Bought tap shoes here. The employees are very helpful, nice, and knowledgeable. Left with great fitting shoes. They really have everything dance related here.

HumanTarget211

I placed an order online exactly 10 days ago, paid for shipping and everything, and as I'm writing this, I still have not received squat. No order, no refund. I sent 2 emails, called twice, left a message, and no response. They have good products, but they are also crooks. Do not order ANYTHING from them online.

Carman Christopher

Great service and great knowledgeable staff... Far better than the Toronto venue. Will definitely be doing my business in Ottawa going forward! Thanks everyone in Ottawa!!

Glen Power

Great service and they actually had the costume I needed.

Nina Camilleri

Helpful and knowledgable staff. Took the time to do a shoe fitting and costume sizing for my daughter.

Melissa G

Terrible Experience, I bought a pair of dance shoes from Malabar that fell apart within a month of purchase. The manager was rude and refused any exchange, store credit or return. I WILL NEVER SHOP AT MALABAR AGAIN and I would advise you to take all of your business elsewhere.

Alistair Terry

Best costume, dance, props and more store in the city. They also do costume rentals!

Steve Stinson

Best place to get Halloween costumes period.

Kurtis Bakke

10/10 ???? does costume supplies very well if you like medieval, opera costumes, 1920 swing. I suggest the rentals.

Mike McDonnell

Lots of fun and a great and very helpful staff.

Jillian Charlie

I LOVE this store! A great place to buy pro makeup and anything you need for dance/theatre/costumes! If they don’t have something, they’ll try to order it in for you, or suggest where to get it. Staff is very knowledgeable. They offer a pro discount for professionals. The customer service is just amazing! Highly recommend!

Cary Laudadio

Lots of selection and very helpful staff

Bryn Nihill

These guys are the best in town when it comes to costumes! Make your own- the best! Rent a costume- the best! I went in the day after Halloween and although they must have been exhausted, you would never know it. They were so friendly and excited to help me with my costume, they found everything I needed in store and spent 20 minutes helping me to find other supplies on-line and in the city. WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND.

Sean Cusson

Perfect place for high quality costumes and accessories.

Maxine McCurdy

Super helpful with my completed makeup questions.

Edward Fine

Malabar costumes have been at that location for a very long time and they have excellent products excellent services and when you go in there if there's something they don't know they will tell you I don't know and they will get someone who does know so they will help you with just about anything you need I found the quality of service the knowledge and the variety of products to be excellent so if you're looking for costume whether it's for a theatrical performance or for Halloween I highly recommend Malabar.

Jason Charron

Wife got a great deal on a hip hop dance outfit for our daughter.

Aurora Simmons

Very helpful staff and a good selection.

Sarah L

Alot of costumes, props, make up just in time for Halloween!

Dirty Rod

I went to a fancy dress party dressed as a chicken. Met a girl dressed as an egg. A question as old as time was answered. The chicken.

Sebastián Oreamuno

Malabar had a variety of wigs and accessories for different Halloween costumes. The staff were very friendly and available for help.

Andrew Harvey

Nice selection of costumes

Joanne L

I bought split sole shoes here and the girl in the shop was super helpful and knowledgeable.

Michelina DiPasquale

Fun

Sharon Austin

Very friendly + helpful staff! Entry to parking lot is easy to miss though, so keep an eye out lol.

Adam Philippe

The huge mess would be easier to deal with if the staff pretended they gave a damn.

Jody Heffernan

Unfortunately, I feel compelled to report on my first negative experience with Malabar. I've been a loyal customer for years and have given them a lot of business with the local fan group of 200 members I manage. Typically, we buy from Malabar because the service and selection arw usually better than other places in Ottawa. I purchased a costume yesterday. Took every piece out of the bag in front of one of the lovely ladies at the counter and I inspected them before purchasing. It was a pricey costume at approximately $150. When I got home, I put the costume on and the pants basically crumbled in my hands. The waistband ripped right off the pants! The quality was remarkably poor. The pieces all *looked* fine in store, but as I was told when refused a refund today, I needed to have tried it on in store. This information was not relayed to me the day of purchase. The costume (Angelica from Pirates of the Caribbean) is now unwearable. Unbelievably terrible costume for the price point! I wouldn't be so upset if I was out $40 or even $50. But $150...? I'm upset. I was happy to accept a store credit instead of a refund but no help was provided. I am surprised to have been offered no assistance. The manager didn't even ask to see the complaint I was referring to. This experience has caused me to bring my business elsewhere from now on.

Dwight Freed

Costumes, costumes and more costumes, friendly helpful staff make it a fun place to explore.

Dan St-Amour

Amazing costumes and masks. Got a lot of compliments for my Halloween mask

Jasmine G.

I emailed about renting a costume and was told they have my size. When I went in, they didn't have anything and I had to scramble to make a costume a week before a huge party. The Toronto location is much better. Prices on accessories were very high.

Yaya Torres

Awfull costumer service. The girl at the counter couldn't care any less about helping.

Ali Marafi

There is two type one for rent weekly and one for buying. At buying store most things you would find there are ballerina Clothes.

Justin True Though

The staff is very knowledgeable and polite. Mary is lovely!

Eleanor MacVeigh

Use it for costume rentals, by far the best place in the city with the largest and most varied selection of themes, styles, and periods.

Daniel Laprise

Lots of stuff for dancers and Halloween at the time i went. They didn't have what I was looking for but the alternative worked out. Went on a "deals day" so had some extra perks in my bag.

Shayne Dixie

Very good. Cheaper than my daughter's dance studio. Nice staff.

Nicole N

Great spot to explore for anyone really - they offer dancer/performer clothing as well as costumes for all occasions. Staff are very friendly and prices are very reasonable.

sun charles

expensive，staff very nice.

Joe Prestera

Saved the day for a school project with paint supplies at a great price!

Christian Valenzuela

A fine place.

Shannon HM

The best place in the city for high quality theatrical make up, dance ware, point shoes, costume pieces and more in their retail store. They also have a rental department, which is always a delight. They have an amazing selection of costumes you can rent for any occassion, personal or professional (Halloween, costume parties, weddings, shows, photoshoots, you name it!). Worth a visit as it has been around for ages and is just so much fun to wander through, you never know what little gem you'll find. Also the staff are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.

Amelia Facchin

Solid selection of costumes, dance wear, and theatrical makeup. Prices can be steep, but that is expected downtown. Staff are generally very knowledgeable, but not always very welcoming, with the exception of the staff at the makeup counter, who are always upbeat and pleasant.

Calvin Cox

Always helpful and informative staff. I stop by here often in October to pickup makeup supplies for the haunted attraction I own. They are well worth the visit any day!

Tyler Pearce

Manager is very rude. It's understandable certain items can not be returned, however you shouldn't treat customers, especially when they have spent a large amount of money in your store, with such an attitude. You respond stating that you were "polite", if that's honestly what you consider polite, you need to reconsider your approach to customer service.

Guilherme Martins

Great selection of costumes and rental.

Matthew Lenner

A great place to get costumes for not only Halloween, but all throughout the year. Rented a cape and crown for my 40th birthday, was cheap and easy to do, and the costume was of high quality.

Barry Elson

Go to location for our granddaughters dance shoes, together with Spirals, in Barrie. When we can't find what we need locally, a trip to Ottawa usually solves the problem.

David Benes

Always knowledgeable and friendly staff available to help select quality products. I always feel I got good value. Malabar is our first choice for dancewear, theatrical makeup and costumes.

Michael Morin

I like this shop because I can usually find what I'm looking for, along with expert advice to go with it. I really enjoy that they'll even provide alternative solutions to costume situations if they don't have exactly what you're looking for. That a business has been around so long (I got my first pair of tap shoes there in 1973 when they were located downtown). They're also supported by an extensive online store if they don't have it in stock here in Ottawa. They also have some very cool rental costumes.

Alberto Rodriguez

You definitely will end up buying something.

Mohammed Alsharif

This is a costumes place for adults, unfortunately I couldn't find anything for my kids on Halloween. Their prices are average and the quality seems good, but I haven't actually bought anything yet.

jaja

Huge selection and great service! If you need dance gear, it's here.

Oluwatomisin Iwajomo

Great customer service and accommodating staff. I was able to make an urgent purchase even though it was right at closing and the ladies helped me for a further 10 to 15 minutes with my purchase

Caitlin Mack

Nice staff, efficient service

vincentwbriggs

Extremely poor stock on Mehron products. The store only orders once a year despite running out of stock long beforehand. Store does not respond to costumers requesting orders of Mehron stock. Missed out on many sale opportunities. Staff is nice though, however am very disappointed, haven been a loyal costumer for years. I recommend ordering online rather than being confronted with insufficient inventory in store.

James Liu

A bit old but good for adults selections

Shaun Scholtz

Amazing place. Will visit for sure next year.

Adam Manley Densmore

We were trying to find an outfit for our 3 year old and nobody came to help us. And of course employees were chatting amongst themselves.

Maegan Thomas

Staff is so helpful!

Amanda Bodzasi

Not much there.

Nicole Reid

Great staff.. $$ but good for some comparison shopping

Stephanie Lachman

Has everything my kids need for dance

Yaya Torres

Awfull costumer service. The girl at the counter couldn't care any less about helping.

Mua Rayne

Wasn’t open during the hours it had open. Very expensive.

Ethan Evangelista

Amazing customer service

Victoria Kucher

The products are over priced, especially in the dance section. This place carries items that you won't be able to find anywhere else. It is a Toronto icon in the performing arts.genre.

Ken Mellon

Always very helpful, great place to go if you have daughters in dance class.

Jorge Carrasco

If you know what you're looking for then great but for the uninitiated it's a lot to take in. Staff was nice... Would go back

Dylan D

Balet shoes, costumes, hats, props etc. For all ages

Red Velvet1920

The service was great although I couldn't find anything I was looking for

Susan Scott

Awesome

Orhan Sümen

Decent selection of high quality costumes, friendly stuff.

David Greenfield

Staff were very helpful. Lots to choose from

Romil Gaurav

Very friendly owners. Prices are also cheaper than online.

Gustavo Baron

Very helpful people

Troy Larabie

The staff were kind super friendly to deal with. They have great costumes for Specific time period wardrobe needs. Although I do think they lack in the props Department and there's literally no parking anywhere close by.

Singh Fam

Great costume ideas affordable

sepehr jamali

Lots of different costumes to make up a personalized costume for yourself. It's not cheap though even rental fees are not cheap but worth to try them out

Hailey Clark

have absolutely everything a makeup artist could want or need for sfx

Richard Ingham

They were very quick to provide me with makeup and spirit gum

ELENA KOIDIS

Fun costumes and knowledgeable staff.

Wanda C

The best place for costumes and accessories in Ottawa.

Tara Davis

My girls had an amazing experience being fitted for their pointe shoes. They were very accommodating with appointment times and were considerate of the fact we were driving from out of town. Russell was very quick to respond to any questions I had. Lisa was very thorough with explaining how a pointe shoe should feel on your foot as well as discussing the mechanics of it. This is important for first time pointe dancers. She took her time and was very friendly. It is also fun for first timers to be able to get a photo holding a cute “My first pointe shoes” sign. They have a large selection and the best prices.

Corin Payie

Solid selection of props makeup and costuming! Great and helpful quirky staff who are a real treat to confer with.

Cherisse Brewster

They have some great quality costumes for adults :)

Matt Tanguay

Great costume shop for costumes and theatre cosplay, lots of authentic and accurate costumes for theatre, not as much variety as i would have expected for just shoppers dressing up for halloween.

Joel Lendore

Wide selection, helpful staff, but some really poor quality items at high prices.

Madison Aitken

The staff here are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Their prices are also quite reasonable.

Lee Robinson

Great place for costumes.

Maria Treskov

No dance shoes

Tina Coyne

I have been shopping at Malabar Ottawa for many years. As a parent of a competitive dancer I chose this store over the others in Ottawa because the staff were always down to earth and the parking was easy and free!! They have some great sales and I get a discount all year for making a tiny donation to Rogers House. So that's a definite plus. My husband and I rented matching costumes there and won the costume contest at the big venue party we attended. I liked that we did not have to return our costumes super early as well

R.G. Excell

Very helpful staff and good selection of SFX products. Jessica was a particularly kind and knowledgeable staff member. Reasonable prices and easy to access. Made my day!

Alan Czajkowski

Pretty decent costume selection for buy or rent

Fadi Zreik

Friendly staff

Double Trouble

Staff are very friendly and helpful

Scott Fitches (Tatterdash)

They have everything.

Samantha Moonsammy

My favourite place to pick up costumes, especially for the Great Pumpkin Charity Ball.

Marla Minshall

I love this place. Have for years. Easy to find what I wanted and the prices were reasonable

Andrey Taylor

Went here with my gal.....the gal who uh, works there, she was kinda nice and had a professional friendly approach in tune to us as we stepped in. Got some things and rided up outta there in timely fashion. If youse looking for a decent price with a non pretentious atmosphere, check them folks out and spend your money. It ain’t hard to make a decision on goods they got a whole lotta outta there where they stock from. Malibars! ????. My kinda place. Them is gotta a whole lotta stock range, so make use of em’, only one unique kinda place outta all.

Denis Mercier

Great place to search

Katie Duval

Love this shop! Excellent advice with costumes and make-up.

Alex Augustin

Going back for Halloween bliiing

Jude Scott

Fantastic!

Shauntel Harry

I've been going to Malabars since I was a kid. This place is a Toronto STAPLE! Stephen in the dance section was super helpful and helped me find a great new pair of pointe shoes!

Sheila Muir

I had quick assistance with my shopping needs and there was a sale so all good.

morg 0073

Where I send all my tap dancers for a wide selection of quality tap shoes!

Rosh P

Great customer service. The only place which sells Ben Nye makeup. Reasonably priced.

Justin Hunt

Good selection. Prices are average.

Danish Vahidy

Great place for costumes

Kelli Kavanagh

The girl helped us find the correct fit in shoes. Staff was very nice.

Emilie Langevin

I’ve been shopping at Malabar for years and have always been pleased with the staff and their willingness to help. Whenever I get my pointe shoes there, they always take their time to fit me to find the perfect shoe! I would recommend this store to every dancer as they have such a wide selection of shoes, dance wear and accessories.

YZ Shi

They have a decent collection of dancing clothing,shoes and accessories. Also have some costumes for Halloween, Christmas, etc. and all kinds of fancy hats. The staff is very helpful. It's worth a visit if you need anything for ballet or a costume party.

andrea lavados

Staff needs to be friendlier.

Robyn Zaragoza

Best place to shop for costume makeup! Really polite and helpful staff makes finding everything a breeze

Jacques Labelle

Got my dancing shoes here... it took several months to get them... they were on back order...

Edward C.

Was out of 60% of contacts before Halloween which was disappointing considering its a seasonal halloween store. Costumes in back of store are rentals only but are OBNOXIOUSLY priced. There was a cheaply made clown type of costume (yellow suit etc) and was over 80$ to rent... They're on point with most trends, they will probably have your IT, Fortnite, Frozen needs etc. If in stock ???? Fairly pricy stuff, very few items under 25$ but I guess this is standard..

Christine Young

Great Halloween shop! Awesome costumes and friendly staff!

Indian Foodie

The food is exceptionally good. The menu has a good mix of South and North Indian cuisine. I tried their Dosas, Idlies, Vadas along with Poori etc. Everything is rich in taste and really cooked well.The dinner wasn't expensive as I expected. The biryanis and the curries were cooked to perfection. The best thing is the store owner/manager & his family are very friendly to welcome & greet us .Try it...you won't regret it.

Tine Greenaway (FaceTheMadness)

My friend and I stopped into the store after hearing about it from another friend who had gone to purchase some Sfx makeup supplies. The lady working there (I believe her name was Talia) was absolutely wonderful. She was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and helpful and I definitely will be returning for any costuming or Sfx needs and recommending it to all my colleagues and friends for their future endeavours.

Cate D

Great help! Was able to find everything we need.

Anita Maasland-McNeil

Good selection of ballet gear and staff very helpful

Todd G

Extremely knowledgeable staff and owner. The prices on items I went for for my daughter were spot on or better than amazon , and wait for it .... I got to take it home today and talk to nice people and support a local business. We all need to start looking around our own cities for great places to buy from like this one because that is what community is about . K I'm done my rant thanx for reading ... and the pizza place at the end of the building smells good :)

Charlene Catchpole

Great selection and helpful staff

Simcha Genesove

Great costume and dancewear store! As a cosplayer and dancer, this store gives me the best of both worlds.

Marc Roberts

It's the really bellow average store. They have a lot of costumes, props, decorations, etc. but all of it is a little overpriced compare to big stores, and rentals are worn out and not washed or dry cleaned i picked up scabies from the rental got there. Avoid this place if you know whats good for you, Guy running is .... well if you go there you'll see it for yourself STAY AWAY

Oleg Hmelnits

A lot of different items for parties and holidays. Price for costumes and accessories are reasonable. It is possible to rent a costume too.

Michelle Paxton

The shop owner was super friendly and actually went out of his way to make sure I walked out with everything I wanted, he even sold me a pair old Gauntlents that he usually rents. Had a blast, can't wait to go back!

John Hnetka

Fantastic service, unbeatable selection

Naghmeh Vadovic

great selection of costumes and dance uniforms

Leonel Gouvea Perez

(Translated) Good prices (Original) Bons preços

Jack Uppal

Good variety for costumes.

Ty Pierson

Rented a costume there for a party. Crazy selection and the staff was top notch.

Timothy Schmitz

Expensive

Doris Landreville

Beautiful costume and helpful staff

Justin Howie

Sold me a prosthetic adhesive that was way beyond its prime. Owner needs to keep proper stock of his product and destroy old stuff rather than try to sell it and recoup the costs. Sad

Marguerite Lessard

I think I've finally learned my lesson. I've shopped at this store many times- most of the staff are friendly and helpful. The manager however is a tyrant. Rude, arrogant and belittling. Can't even ask a question without being disrespected. Never again will I set foot in this store and I would advise everyone to go to Brio for your dance apparel. Always great friendly service at Brio.

Natalie B

Amazing, over the top customer service! Each time we visit the store for my daughter's dance apparel, the staff are always friendly, very approachable, and informative. They know all about dance and how dance apparel should fit! During the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, my daughter needed a new pair of shoes for her virtual class. I called and spoke with the manager, Russell, who was incredible. He not only found the exact shoes needed, but to save us the travel, he offered to deliver the shoes to our home as he would be passing in our direction. Very kind and very understanding during these times.????

Afia Kubi

lots of selection

Jason Powers

Pricing is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!

Mary-anne Brasier

Disappointed that the costumes were rather old looking and faded.

Sarah Rizk

very helpful staff..lots of variety

Cyndy Gibson

Thank you so much for helping Skye with her first pair of pointe shoes. You were so professional and we had a lot of fun.

Gail Baker-Gregory

Great costumes

David Adair

Staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

Zulie Castaneda

the Store has closed down, so disappointing I've only ever admired from outside always saying next time I'll go in. Next time came but the store had closed. I still admire the beautiful historic building any time I am close by.

Landon Arbuckle

Best costume store in Ottawa

Diane Laurin

To the staff at Malabar.... Thanks again for all your help fitting my daughter with the necessities... tap,jazz,ballet shoe, tights and dance wear to start off the new dance season!!!! The staff is so helpful !!!! Once again we got everything we were looking for. D.

Steph Bilas

I love this place. Always an adventure

Katherine Bignell-Jones

Great store, a little pricey, but they had most of the items on my list. Very helpful and friendly staff.

Anne Gingras

good service and lots of fun costumes and dance supplies

Marc Giroux

We have been shopping here for our daughters dance gear for eight years. The staff are knowledgeable and always friendly. The manager is professional and always willing to assist in any way he can. I would not shop anywhere else.

Olivia Georgiou

It was awesome

Deanna Bradley

Staff are super helpful and knowledgeable!! Trying to learn about sfx makeup on my own, one of the ladies helped me put togeather a great starter kit for myself! Always my first choice to go to for makeup and costumes!

Johnathan Guigue

Poorly made products for a high price

Drk King

Nice and friendly people. They have tonnes of choices. You can be almost anything for Halloween. They even have a huge section where you can rent the super good quality costumes instead.

Julie Teed

Staff are very friendly and helpful.

Kevin Whalen

Buy local. A great selection of costumes and open year round! Always a riot shopping here.

Tyler Brown

The costume rental staff here are excellent. They provide excellent customer service.

Doug Lein

The first staff member I dealt with seemed very knowledgeable but when I went back with my granddaughter I didn't find the 2nd person that knowledgeable

Stephen Lorne

Unsanitary costumes were not cleaned properly on my first and only experience renting here. When I informed the staff upon return (I wasn't asking for a refund, just informing them), I was told that certain items could only be "wiped" but not cleaned in any way, and they were indifferent to my suggestions that a particular head-piece had cause a nasty rash. Problems happen sometimes with rentals I understand, but the lack of interest in feedback regarding a hygienic concern means I'll never return.

Laryssa Pretty

Great service, good quality products in store and great selection of costumes, makeup and dance accessories.

Kevin Williams

Not the best place. I rented a crown for a stag took it out off the box they gave me and it looked like sombody had jizzed on it. Tried to take it back and they told me they wouldn't do a refund...I rented it for 2 hours tops and they charged me 24 bucks. Go to party packagers or inspect the stuff they give you before renting.

Timo Sawyer

The service was excellent, friendly and informative, quality items

Carrie M

Had good experiences in the past with this shop. Unfortunately, I won't going back for my daughter's dance shoes anymore as the person serving us seemed to only care about getting us out quickly with an ill-fitting shoe that was too wide/long (gaping) over taking a few extra minutes to find a good fit. didn't even ask her to stand. Even after pointing out how big the shoe was the response was "there's room to grow" (more than a thumb's width). Didn't purchase the shoes as it would have been a hazard. We'll be going to another dance store in the area from now on with staff willing to spend a few extra minutes in order to get the right fit.

Marc Gauthier

lots of costumes and props are available but overall it is very pricey and rentals are astronomically expensive!

L. L.

I've been buying dance shoes from Malabar for 20 years. Just love the store.

Stephen Sullivan

You'll pay full price, but there's stuff here you cant find anywhere else.

kyle deschamps

Great selection. A little pricy but quality seems to reflect the price

Alexandra Gateau

(Translated) Place from another time, beautiful! I was able to choose a 20s dress for Halloween, the rental of the dress also includes the accessories (gloves, jewelry, hat ..). I received great advice from the salespeople, who were professional and very pleasant. Thanks to them !! (Original) Endroit d'un autre temps, magnifique ! J'ai pu choisir une robe des années 20 pour Halloween, la location de la robe comprend également les accessoires (gants, bijoux, chapeau..). J'ai reçu les très bons conseils des vendeurs, qui étaient professionnels et très agreables. Merci à eux !!

Peter Jupp

Super fun store! Great staff.

Nicola Wilson

Go here!! I've been here for Oktoberfest and Halloween costumes/makeup and both times I've been blown away by the level of customer service. The staff are friendly, approachable, knowledgeable and eager to help or advise in any way they can.

Meaghan Richens

Great service and prices! We will definitely be coming back here for our future costume needs!

Naomi G.

Three staff in the store, nobody else in the store, yet not one of them greets me or offers help. I felt absolutely invisible. Then someone else walks in and suddenly they offer them help. Really nice. Won't ever go back, DO NOT recommend.

Annie Chan

Best fancy dress shop i have gotten near my locaton. They are best and fantastic.

Abrahim Farah

They have amazing costumes but old and overpriced.

Ashley Adams

I've been shopping at Malabar for many years and have had nothing but great experiences! The staff are always friendly and attentive to me every time I visit and are very patient with me when I ask many questions. I would recommend this store to everyone :)

Grace

A lovely space with attentive staff. It's the go to place for costume rentals.

DR. Osborne

Great selection and then some... Sales girl who helped me was oddly bossy (I swear I've never had this happen to me before) She ordered me away from a display I was looking at then (condescendingly) explained how I try on shoes - actually instructing me to remove my shoes and remove my socks then put on peds... Really? At no point did I seem confused as to how I try on shoes. It was quite weird I thought - aside from rude. Whatever.. I found what I was looking for at a good price and saw many nice items I'd love to buy soon. Loved their inventory. Very strange treatment however from the salesgirl.

Gowtham Parasuraman

Great collection. Bit expensive if you want super hero costumes. Overall, one stop shop for all your costume needs.

Rita Mathews

Buyer Beware! I was buying dance shoes for my granddaughter who lives in Arnprior and asked if I could return them. The salesperson said yes but didn’t bother to point out that their return policy is 14 days only! For personal reasons, my granddaughter had to discontinue dance, before she even got to use the shoes. By the time I got them back from Arnprior and was able to get back to the store it was past the 14 days. Since the shoes had never even been out of the plastic bag in the box I hoped that the manager would be reasonable and allow the return. The experience was terrible. The manager refused to even look at the shoes or talk to me. The salesperson went back and forth downstairs where she supposedly talked to the invisible manager but just kept saying NO REFUND. It was worse than buying a car. This manager needs some training on customer service. It was my first experience there and will certainly be my last. I would never recommend this store to anyone! Great way to get repeat business. If you’re in the market for size 3x tan jazz shoes, brand new, paid $60, I have a pair available!!

SP Healy

Great place for dance gear and very helpful and knowledgeable staff

Dianne Clare

This place is awesome.

Rai H

Great service, friendly staff and exceptionally accommodating and super laid back, love this store. Highly recommend!!!

Lisa Wright

Every time I go into Malabar, the staff is always friendly and they listen to me and take into account my budget and needs. I never feel pressured to by anything even though I always want to buy everything! I love shopping local!

James Trauzzi

Enjoyed the store definitely something for everyone. More of the same costumes that are everywhere, but definitely more accessories to choose from.

Marsha Alvares

Pricey but convenient downtown option for dance shoes. Right now children's costumes are $5 which is awesome!! Bought costumes for my kids for next year!

Jerry Cronin

Pricey, but excellent selection. Also does rentals on a good selection.

AJ Lin

Lots of good prices, lots of good stuff.

Karen Wasilka

Great service

A Dude

Helpful and courteous staff more interested in making sure you get what you need than making a big sale.

MJ Bettencourt

Amazing. Very accommodating and helpful. Extremely pleased with the service. My daughter is starting dance for the first time and when I called for information, I wasn't cast aside or treated like a number. Customer service hands down fantastic!

Charles DesMarais

Great selection on costumes, especially in Sept-Oct for Halloween. Be VERY careful when purchasing discounted costume sets. Make sure to open it in-store for they aren't likely to tell you to do so at the cash and is non-refundable; you may be missing a few pieces/the majority of the costume.

Darlene Collin

Tons of selecton

Mathew C

BEST in the city year round! From contacts and teeth to crazy costumes, props and makeup. Amazing costume shop (Be aware, it's rather expensive here)