Giant Tiger

On Saturday afternoon I was at Giant Tiger looking at a pair of knee high boots. I tried on only the right boot and having not liked the style immediately removed the boot without trying on the left boot. After a few minutes of leaving the store I felt an itch on my leg. When I reached to scratch it I felt a very noticeable bite mark. After several more minutes the itching on my leg increased and I noticed there were actually 7 large red unknown insect bites on my leg. All of the bites were above the top of my sock and below my knee, so only the areas where the boot touched my leg. I was wearing leggings at the time so whatever bit me was able to do so through those. By night time the bites had increased in size. They were all large, red, inflamed welts. The smallest being the size of a quarter. The burning and itching was so intense I was unable to sleep. I spent over $ 20 on several remedies for bites, none of which relieved the itching or pain. It is now Tuesday morning and the bites are still quite large and still so uncomfortable they are affecting my ability to concentrate on anything else or get proper sleep. I have no doubt the bites came from the boot I tried on because they showed up only minutes after trying on the boot and I have no new bites since the initial 7. I will not be shopping at this location in the future and I suggest, if you want to avoid days of intense pain, that you find somewhere else to do your shopping.

I’m not really a fan of Giant Tiger, I refer to them as glorified dollar stores, where you can find just about everything from cheap clothing, food, accessories, and household items.
It’s split on two levels, household items and food are in the basement– Apparel is upstairs. The quality is left to be desired and the overall look and feel of this place is «cheap».
Not everything is a bargain though. Similiar to a convenience store, if you need to refill on basic supplies, you’ll pay a little more than a Walmart or discount grocer. I found an Olay face cleanser for 8 $ for example, it’s usually half the price elsewhere.
What I do like is that it’s centrally located, awesome in the downtown area if you need some quick snacks or grocery staples.
I only love this place on Canada Day, whenever I visit, or as a tourist — If you’re in need of some kitsch festive wear, rain poncho, sunscreen, cold drinks, or lawn chairs, you’ll find it all here!

I’ve got to give Giant Tiger some love.
Before moving to Ottawa I had never heard of a «Giant Tiger» before and apparently the location in ByWard is the original one.
This is the place you visit when you’re on a budget. There is clothing, shoes, packs of socks, cleaning supplies, packaged groceries, frozen food, dairy, personal care products, lamps, school supplies, dish sets, rugs, pillows, candy… Pretty much anything you could need when you move into a new place.
The staff are cordial for the most part, which I commend because I don’t imagine it’s super fun to work here.
Check it out. You will probably be surprised at what you can find!

This place is so run down. From the stairway you are assaulted by indeterminate smells.
Went in for a coffee maker and was sent to nearby home hardware so not a satisfying shopping experience. This place is more of a landmark than it is a retailer at this point.

Many people do not know that the Giant Tiger located in the Byward Market is the ORIGINAL Giant Tiger. Yes, it’s actually the first Giant Tiger opened in Canada. It’s such a big deal, that they even offer tours of the store and parking for tour buses!
The Byward Giant Tiger is similar to most GT locations; they offer clothes, small appliances, food, electronics, and other assorted goods at discount prices. They have recently started stocking produce, which is scary but neat. If you consume tobacco products, they have the cheapest prices in Ontario.
Please be aware that this location is NOT accessible! The location is spread out over 3 floors with no elevators. If you have difficulties with stairs, you may not be able to shop here. They will, however, help you bring your bags outside if you have difficulty carrying heavy items. The staff are generally courteous, but it really depends on when you go and who serves you.

This rating is probably the highest rating I’ll ever give a Giant Tiger. Do they make Giant Tiger’s ghetto on purpose? Because if they do this is the most awesome one! It feels like Honest Ed’s in a smaller and more cramped space they did it perfectly! This is the original GT in Canada.
The stuff here is a pretty good price especially when things are on sale and it’s like Walmart-​lite without having to leave the downtown core to go to Walmart. The only thing I do buy from this GT are usually supplies like paper towels, detergent, dish soap, etc…
The staff is always friendly and the people working the tills can strike up good conversation! Thank you GT for letting me not have to leave downtown!

I think I might have a love-​hate relationship with Giant Tiger. Sometimes the things I find in there are just garbage — no nice way to put it. Other times I can find such awesome little things for so cheap, and I walk out totally happy with only spending a few bucks. You can usually find odds and ends that you need here, which makes it both inexpensive and convenient.
One year, in the summer, as it was approaching Canada Day, a few friends and I were in the Market and stopped by this location for a few random items. We bought a couple of Canadian flags, a couple packs of batteries, a disposable camera, Coke, and some Pixy Stix for our sweet-​tooth fix. It was less than $ 10 and we were able to pick up some little things that we needed for later, as well as some junk food that we wanted to eat right then and there. My friend even went back for a bottle of water and an extra bag of chips, opened them up, and even ate them while he paid for them at the cash. The cashier didn’t seem to mind, and she was really fast at ringing us through.

Not only is this GT centrally located but it’s also the original Giant Tiger in Canada!
The old two story place is good if you’re looking to stretch your dollars or if you’re in a pinch and need something that you can’t find at the Bay or Sears which are the only other two department stores in this area (Zellers is a few blocks west).
The downstairs is right full with home stuff and the second floor is clothing. This part of George Street is busier and much more friendly with the addition of an upscale condo next door but you will sometimes find some interesting characters hanging around the entrance or even inside the store but the place usually has a lot of staff on hand.
The essentials like wrapping paper, tape, batteries, etc. are a good safe bet here and won’t set you back as much as the other department stores.
And hey, you’re inside Canadian department store history.