Ragtime Vintage Clothing

Amazing selection and pricing, you will find things here that would take years of searching regular boutiques and value thrift stores to find. From my experience the pricing is incredibly fair and your dollar goes a lot further opposed to shopping online. With that being said some of the reviews reflect the experience, the store is absolutely packed with gold causing you to almost dig for the clothing which I can understand might not be for everyone. Having read through the reviews myself it’s confusing to see all the negative experiences young people have had, I dress in a pretty baggy unconventional way which understandably leads to often getting followed in stores (it’s hilarious if you get offended it’s probably because you’re stealing) but after talking to the owners and showing interest in the stuff they had they were more then happy to share the history and story’s of the clothing and store. At the end of the day it is a business. They take in a-lot consignment pieces that they don’t own and security precautions are necessary. The reason VV is so expensive is because of all the people popping tags.

It’s one of the last good vintage stores left in town. I imagine that people giving bad reviews complaining about leaving bags and being refused to try on small clothes expect the shop to be like a generic mall store… 1) You are asked to leave your bags at the counter because there are actual thieves out there and it’s hard to monitor the whole store all the time 2) They won’t let you try on clothes too small for your body because that one-of-a-kind item is irreplaceable and has no manufacturers guarantee you can claim as a store AND they have countless examples of inconsiderate customers damaging their things in the past. The staff are knowledgeable and they know what they’re doing; they have interacted with thousands of customers and they understand how vintage fits on a person. The staff have found me nice dresses that fit perfectly that I actually ended up buying. I’ve interacted with the owners and they are kind people. Be respectful and you will have a good shopping experience. They have a lot of cool stuff and I’ve bought numerous amazing items from there.

This past weekend was my first time visiting Ragtime Vintage Clothing. I stumbled upon it as I was walking along bank street. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with my experience. I was astonished by the amount of items in this store so I was eager to tour around. As I entered, I was asked if I needed help with anything but then was practically cut off by the employee asking if she could take my canvas bag and put it behind the counter. I was a bit shocked but I completely understood since thief is a big issue (I've worked in retail before so I get it). As I continued looking throughout the store, I felt like I was being watched and I felt uncomfortable since I noticed others with large bags but they weren't asked to put their bags behind the counter... When I asked for my bag back upon by departure, they couldn't find it right away and asked me to describe it to them. Definitely an extra burden and felt uneasy that they potentially gave my bag to someone else! Definitely do not go if you get overwhelmed quickly and get claustrophobic. At times, I was practically tripping on items and was squished between the clothing racks because the place was so full. This store definitely has potential but ensuring respect and trust with customers is essential.

IGNORE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS--they're wildly unfair, mean-spirited, and spoiled. The complainers whine about silliness like Ragtime being "claustrophobic" (yes, it's packed with treasures, and if you don't like that, you can go to Value Village), and that you have to leave your bags at the front (try to be kind and understand that the owners have to mitigate thievery). Ragtime has been an Ottawa fixture since the 1970s because their selection is ginormous, diverse, and lovingly curated by people who also happen to care about protecting the environment by repurposing clothing instead of peddling fast fashion. And by the way, employees do NOT "follow you around" the shop. THANKS RAGTIME‼️🥇

Very strange experience. I requested to buy a shirt from the display window and the manager looked at me and stated “it wasn’t marked and they had just set it up for display”. (It’s a Canada day shirt and it was June 29th, see photo below) When I further confirmed I CANNOT buy said shirt, he went a step further and fat shamed me by looking me up and down and going “well it’s a children’s shirt anyways…” If I could give it a 0/5 I would.

I am shocked at the reviews for this store, frankly. There are some reviews that complain about the store being claustrophobic or the owner being a little bit overbearing, but I would say that these are ridiculous. The store is packed wall to wall with amazing vintage at really reasonable prices so of course it’s a little cramped- that’s part of the fun. And I completely understand the need to be careful of people with theft being the problem that it is. I highly recommend coming, as I stopped in with a friend yesterday to take a peek and we found some amazing stuff- I will definitely be coming back when I have enough time to look through every nook and cranny. Two thumbs up for any thrift/vintage aficionados in Ottawa.

This store was recommended to me and I was a little doubtful prior to getting to the site, finding a parking spot is a miracle but the store is funky it reminded me of some places we visited in Europe - filled to the brim with anything needed for a Halloween party, to a dress for graduation or a gala. The trick is that you need to look around and take the time to find your treasure. This is worth a second look, I find that like most places the staff will react to the way you approach them either positively or negatively. My experience was positive.

Ragtime Vintage Clothing, a love letter to my friends and a huge F-U to the haters and losers on this very special 9/11. Firstly, Jon makes the best Hummus! He's an absolute legend! eaten on the stoop with carrot sticks and fingers, it's zesty, garlicky and primal, like when you see a monkey in Thailand gorging on a street Twinkie. I know what I'm talking about, I'm the famous Times o' New York "Hummus and Vintage Fashion" Reviewer! (and you're not). "WHAAAAA-*" you say? "Hummus and vintage clothing? Harrumph!" People gotta eat, dummy. I aughtta know, I eat people. I mean- I eat, people. Hummus mostly, sometimes the wild pusswois when ever I can catch one. "But, but, but... the store is crowded, and this makes me feel uncomfortable. And when I'm uncomfortable, I cry, then get mad then I WRITE REVIEWS!!!" Yeah, I read 'em, they suck and make me laugh and so do you, baby. Why don't you open a vintage clothing shop, run it for nearly 50 years and get back to me with your thoughtfully considered opinions, Hummm? Oh ya you haven't the ambition or talent... "Dude?" you're thinking, "How rude to see him eat what looks like a bowl of pre-chewed food! How roooood" Jon's a snoood, that just how a snoood chewed food, dude. I don't wanna be lewd, but have you been F-U ed? I'm saying get screwed, preferably snoo- snooed by the amazon brood. To all my pals, gals, their cats, bats and Minnesota Fats, you the cool fools who brought us all to school. To the the Losers and Haters, well, your life is bad enough already. god bless you.

This store has a great collection and things are reasonably priced.... BUT! they old guy who runs it is very fishy. I bought three things coming to $160. The guy removed all the tags then and he charged me $220 after tax. I only noticed when I got home and saw a tag he forget to remove. If you shop there be fastidious about the price tags and don't be conned like I was. The jacket I bought still has that "Salvation Army second hand" smell even after three weeks. The place is so jam packed with clothes it is a fire hazard.

When my father died we donated his air force general uniform to them. The older woman who was there at the time was kind and said they did a window display November 11th and would put his uniform in the window. A couple of months went by and I decided to go in to look around. I told the older man who was there the story about donating my dad's uniform. When I finished he abruptly told me to put my bag behind the counter. He then said it didn't matter who I was, he asked everyone. I promptly left the store. I have since found out that he was one of the owners! Wow! I wish we had never given them my dad's uniform. He was so inconsiderate.

This is one of the most unique vintage shops in Ottawa. When you come in, you're hit with an eyeful of floor to ceiling clothing, weird kitschy knickknacks and accessories, and the authentic smell of old clothes. Casual vintage shoppers can usually find a jacket, shirt, boots or accessory to add to their wardrobe. Hardcore vintage shoppers will love the authentic and massive selection of old clothing, accessories and costumes. There's about as much clothing for men as women, and there's also a huge selection of costumes and vintage tuxedos that customers can rent. The prices are definitely higher than Value Village, but you're also investing in a well-made classic piece of clothing that can add to your style for years. The staff is pretty laid back and more than willing to help customers, but they usually have to be approached before they'll help you, which I like. This store may not be for everyone because sometimes the selection can border on costumey rather than practical. Regardless, this would be the first place I'd take a visiting friend if they were looking for a great vintage shop in Ottawa.

I can't say much other than my first impression. I visited this store for the first time today as my partner and I are on the prowl for winter coats. The merchandise: There was wall to wall and ceiling to floor clothing. There was quite a bit of standard clothing, like coats and button up shirts that were located entirely out of reach for perusing. In my experience, this is where costume clothing normally is. I found that strange. The store was also extremely musty smelling. The staff: I wasn't greeted when I entered the store which wasn't a big deal. I sauntered in towards the back and suddenly a woman came up behind me and, in a very abrupt tone, demanded my bag (which was a small canvas grocery bag that was full) so that she could put it behind the cash. I was a little flustered but attempted to continue to check out the store. My partner was close behind me and, as I observed, experienced very much the same treatment by another older woman. He was a little upset by this as well so we decided to leave right away. On our way out, the first woman yelled "Thanks for coming in!" in a sarcastic tone. This soured my entire experience. If there had been a "Please leave your bags at the counter." sign or if we had been asked nicely to put the bags at the cash ourselves, we would have gladly. This was uncalled for, even if they've had theft in the past. I am never going back here.

I've only visited Ragtime Vintage Clothing once but I'm definitely a fan and will be back. I arrived at the store at 5:30 figuring they didn't close for half an hour so there would be plenty of time to look around. When I walked in and saw clothes floor to ceiling over the entire place I knew I was wrong. You could spend hours, or days, treasure hunting here looking for something special. Searching through everything isn't as hard as it might seem. Since this is more of a consignment than thrift store it is much better organized. When i found one thing I liked (a nice suit at a good price) they were able to look at the tag and bring over 4-5 other items brought in by the same person. The prices are higher than Value Village but I think the better organization and having someone filter the collection adds enough value to make up the difference. The employees really know their stock which is great if you go in knowing what you want. When we went to the store, it was fairly crowded and there were four people working. I'm guessing two were the owners and there were two younger employees as well. All of them were friendly, said hello, and offered to help me find what I was looking for. The store is fairly equally divided between male and female clothing/accessories. I really liked their selection of men's ties and cufflinks that mixed vintage with some more modern pieces. More expensive items, including nice shoes and jewelry, are strategically placed near the cash registers. The lighting was really dim in parts of the store I recommend going in the fitting room which has better light to look over any item before you buy. The clothes do have a musty smell and will need to be washed/aired out before wearing.

I've been to this store a handful of times and have always been treated rudely by the owner as if my business is a pain in his butt. They are the go-to place for unique vintage costumes, which I am sure if what is keeping this shop open, yet the owner treated me and my friend like he was "doing us a favour" by pulling down some items to look at; after we asked and waiting almost 15 minutes for him to do it. AND we were the only customers in the store! When we didn't find anything that we liked, an employee actually scolded up for not buying anything after all their work and told us (and I quote): "Well then get the hell out of this store and never come back." I was flabbergasted. My friend was thankfully unfazed and replied "You are being very rude and I am now happy we didn't get anything. Don't worry, we won't be back." Anyone looking to rent a costume or vintage outfit, avoid this store. Poor manners, deplorable customer service and rudeness should not be rewarded. I hope the owner reads these reviews and learns from them.

AWFUL customer service! The two people working there (a younger man and an older gentleman) followed my friend and I around the whole time as if suspecting us of stealing. They kept butting into our conversations and were not very helpful, just kept staring at us.

The upside: - Massive selection of vintage stuff - Massive selection of new stuff that looks vintage (this could be a 'con' for some) - Fun old timey atmosphere - Friendly staff - Close enough to downtown, and easy to stop The downside: - Some of the "vintage" stuff is just crappy, or missing stuff - Very musty smell in the store - Lighting could be better - Although the owners are very nice they always find a way to bring up their deceased daughter which does not really make for a fun shopping experience Everyone should give it a try at least once!

super super good！I bought a lot of stuffs there！That's the biggest vintage in Ottawa！I saw the review on yelp that many people reckoned that the old couples were not nice, while they are very nice to me. The lady talked with me a long time I will be there again！！！

Reviews of Ragtime seem pretty mixed, but I can only guess that is because of differing expectations by patrons. I have never found the staff to be rude but then I also don't shop socially, especially in the case of thrifting; I shop with a mission. If anything the staff are more attentive than I'd like, but I'm also the sort of person who likes to be ignored in stores. Even more so when on a mission. For the record, that mission is to keep my aging, schlumpy self decently clothed, often in quasi-profession settings, while on a student/non-profit budget. And that is why shopping for me isn't a social experience. I've had good luck while shopping here, so I might be biased. I've gone twice to get specific items (winter coat upon moving to Ottawa and later in search of pre-Nike buyout Doc Martens) and left with what I wanted. That said, the rule of thrifting it understanding that it takes time and repeated combing of racks to find gems. The selection does include some basics, but definitely runs towards costumes, including accessories. There is also a decent military surplus section in the back. As has been stated by previous reviewers, this is a vintage clothing store, not a charity shop. The prices are going to reflect the fact that someone has taken the time to source and quality control all the items in shop. You're paying a markup for that time, just like you pay a markup to have food prepared or drinks mixed.

Awful experience here. The place smelled musty and was overcrowded. I was looking for a dress to wear to an event and when I asked the clerk if he had any recommendations he looked me up and down(I am a size 12) and said rudely "All my dresses are in small. I doubt we have anything for a girl of your size" He then turned his back to my husband and I and pretended to be doing something else while pointedly ignoring us. I was so stunned I left near tears. I'll never shop there again or recommend it to anyone. Such a disappointment.

BEYOND AWFUL. Like some of the other reviewers, I had a very bad experience in this store. I had walked by numerous times when it was closed and had been looking forward to checking out their clothing. I am avid fan of vintage wear, albeit high end clothing (designers and well made custom pieces). I found the two owners to be incredibly rude, short tempered and unprofessional. There was a misunderstanding on their end and although I was cool with it, they were not. They completely overreacted and I was kicked out of the store immediately. When I opened the door, the woman yelled out "And don't come back". It was Halloween and the store was packed with customers. I was absolutely horrified. It was the worst shopping experience I have ever had, by far. As far as their merchandise goes, they do have some really cool items, but at the same time they also have poor quality items which look like they belong in a cheap garage sale. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the clothing had a dirty (not musty) smell. They obviously rent out clothes for Halloween and do not clean them afterward. I have seen much better quality vintage clothing in other stores, albeit in other cities. Unfortunately, outside of the Antique Market (on Bank) and the annual Vintage Clothing Show at the Chateau Laurier (in November), Ragtime is the only true vintage clothing store in Ottawa. Second hand clothing is not the same as vintage. Technically, vintage clothing is 25 years or older.

I have visited Ragtime twice so far. As a dedicated vintage shopper, I have endless patience to find my jewels at this place. The store is packed from the floor to the ceiling. It matches to my imagination of a 19-century backstage storage room. Several revolving clothes racks are so tightly packed that you get a good workout if you really try to look at every pieces in details. The styles are from 40's to 90's seemingly with higher percentage of 60's and 70's. As I am into dresses and blouses, the choices are plenty as back then those were all women had to wear. Soon enough I successfully spotted a floral spaghetti-strap dress and a short pink ruffle top. They fit perfectly together although they were made 30 years apart. The price is reasonable for the condition. The musty smell is stronger here than some other vintage places I have been to. I think the main reason is the tight space. An easy solution is to take some breaks getting the fresh air outside, then come back in to continue.

THEY WILL NEVER HAVE MY BUSINESS based on this experience. Abhorrent with potential paying customers. Rude, yes. Awful service. Uninterested in legitimate business, it would seem. I went in looking for a very specific costume eyeglasses. Presumably these people survive off of theatre and film artists looking for vintage pieces, but there does seem to be a slew of garbage in there as well, but I was discouraged from buying anything from both 'sales' men who approached me. I couldn't see my eyes in their mirror because the glasses were too dark, so one of the men suggested I take a picture with my phone, which I proceeded to do with each pair of glasses I tried on. Before getting through one of three trays of glasses, the other man said, "Well, that's all we have, so probably not what you're looking for," not at all knowing what I was looking for... I said, "You seem to be in a hurry." He responded with something glib, suggesting again that he couldn't help me. I snapped another couple of photos of myself in a other pairs, then he said, "Actually we don't allow anyone to take any photos of the merchandise," which was their idea!! I was so put off by their disinterest in making an actual sale and shooing me out of the store that I left without buying anything. The prices on ugly old prescription glasses frames including bifocals were in the $45 range, not worth the price. I can't imagine what they would have don't if I'd tried to talk them down. Save yourself the bother and don't even browse at this place.

I really can't see the appeal of shopping at a store that may from the outside seem pretty neat, but is actually nothing more than the stomping ground of two of the worst storekeeps I think I've ever met. After about five minutes of browsing I was chastised, snapped at and made to feel like a jerk, just for having a good time. I was told to leave (even though we were the only two customers in the store) and told firmly that I wasn't welcome to come back ** note: by "good time" I mean having my boyfriend try on a coat and a hat, and then we took a picture of him. And, while I'm actually shocked to have been treated so poorly, it's no big deal never going back - their prices are ridiculously high, their stock is in really bad shape, and the store smells like mold (as done everything they are selling and renting in it). If you are looking for a fun and truly unique (and clean) used clothing store, try Aunt Olive's on Gilmour at Elgin. There, everyone is seriously nice, and they'll even serve you a bowl of soup while you look at dresses!!

The previous reviews made me feel a lot better, I thought it was just us. I don't know how this store stays in business. They were beyond rude. I felt as if we shouldn't have been there, that we were bothering them, I mean seriously if you don't want to be there, then sell he store!! Not sure who they think they are but they won't be getting any of our dollars. We will never go back, and will certainly spread the word. There are other places to buy vintage clothes, but if you want to feel insulted, then this is the place to go.

I must agree with Katherine M's review in its entirety. I had been told when I first moved to Ottawa that Ragtime has the largest selection of vintage clothing in Ottawa, and I was looking forward to being a regular customer as I love vintage clothing. I had my first Ragtime experience shortly after I moved to Ottawa at Halloween when I tried to rent a costume. I found the two owners, a husband and wife team, to be the RUDEST, and most UNPROFESSIONAL storekeepers I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. Even listening to the way they spoke to potential customers on the phone made me cringe. Like Katerine M., I too was treated extremely badly due to a misunderstanding and was kicked out of the store, and told not to return. Because it was Halloween the store was packed and the fiasco I encountered was witnessed by a crowd of people. I was so embarrassed I actually left the shop in tears and contemplated putting in a formal complaint to the Ottawa Better Business Bureau. I've since spoken with numerous vintage & costume rental dealers and they either had similar experiences, or heard similar stories from their customers. Recently a friend decided to check out the store and she also was not impressed. Although she didn't have a problem with the owners she did notice that the store smelled like dirty clothes, not necessarily a musty odour that u can get with some vintage clothing, but more of a smell of dirty clothes that were rented and never cleaned afterwards. Although my friend didn't check out the costume rentals she did have a chance to browse thru the extensive racks of non rental clothing, and she found most to be unimpressive. The strange thing is that they do seem to have many cool and unique items, but for whatever reason, most of the better items -- the formal wear, the furs, the good quality vintage items are inaccessible. They were hanging from the ceiling in such a way that most of the items could not be viewed from below. Quite honestly, don't waste your time in this store. There are too many other options. While Ottawa has only a limited number of vintage stores, there are quite a number of vintage dealers that either rent booths at antique shops, or become vendors at Ottawa's annual vintage clothing and/or antique shows. There are many more vintage clothing stores in Montreal and Toronto as well as countless online boutiques around the world which sell quality vintage at every price point.

Young workers were very helpful and the selection was plentiful and unique. The only thing that i was disappointed with was the owners.....the man, it seemed like i was bothering him. The woman was helpful, but when all we bought was a pair of shoes she actually said "aren't you going to buy something, after all the service?" .....are you kidding?

The worst shopping I have experienced anywhere. They might have some interesting items if you can get past the cranky owners. Would not recommend it to anyone. Shops like this don't deserve to be in business. If I could give no stars I would have.

Bad bad bad experience. I was selling goods on consignment there for years. I asked if my couple items had sold and the owner said No, so I said I would come and collect them because I was moving away out of Province. He reluctantly said Yes then called me back and said I could only take my posessions if I paid him $5. (I had about $30 worth of stuff there) This is called extortion so an agument ensued. I ended up saying I was coming to collect my things and hung up the phone. I was dialing the police when he called me back again and said to take my stuff and never come back. When I went to pick up my items he threatened to call the police on me for being rude over the phone. Then he banned me from the store. I said when you threaten me with extortion and theft I will speak to you accordingly. Then he called it a storage fee... They sell overpriced retro goods, but I urge you not to support this greasy man. He also didn't return all my items. All this just to scam $5.

Like a few other reviews that have been posted to this site, I had a poor experience in this store at the hands of a bearded fellow who was extremely rude and condescending. I had been looking forward to sifting through the store, and there was another younger girl in the shop who was quite pleasant and helpful to begin with, but the unprovoked and overt disrespectful , argumentative, and dismissive customer treatment I received at this mans doing means that I will not entertain idea of darkening Ragtimes doorway again. This is unfortunate because in my profession I spend a great deal of money at these sorts of places. Though the place is overwhelming with eclectic merchandise, good, bad, beautiful and ugly - the poor attitude and unprovoked attack does not warrant my investing my money into this business to support it. other may have had a good experience, but I did not - and it seems I am not alone in this. So if you chose to go into that place, consider yourself warned.

Brought stuff in to sell, went in to pick it back up when time was up like it said on the agreement and was given the wrong dress - with my name on it! Another time went to retrieve a number of items and was told by the man "I don't have time right now - it's in the basement somewhere" the next week I went back and received the same response. 2 weeks later went back again and was abruptly told "it's gone - you can't leave things here this long - it's not our repsonsibility..etc." I asked to have my crystal necklace back which ws sitting in a display case. He said it wasn't mine - the tag had no initials just a price. I said it was mine - if that wasn't it then where was it. He said he had no idea but that wasn't mine. Liked the store and was a regular buying customer - no more - there are other ways to find vintage clothing without putting up with the attitude like your a pest - as a seller and buyer. Would rather give my $$ to someone who appreciates it.