Ezra L'Amour — Local services in Melbourne

I will say first things first, if you have social anxiety, this place will test you. The shop owner is very nice most of the time, but understandably seems to be a little traumatized from some bad customer experiences which I totally get from working with customers, so then you feel like you're walking on eggshells around her. The alternative and kitschy style of the shop is absolutely darling, it's exactly my style, but I felt so uncomfortable with the Christian gospel music playing the whole time... I feel like many of the alternative/kitsch community is queer like me and so feels weird coming to a place reminding those with religious trauma of the hostile environments they grew up in, but maybe that's just me. It just didn't feel like the safest space, with a slightly overbearing owner and the reminders of religion everywhere. It also seems like the touching of the decor is a huge problem, so why not adjust and put more stuff out of reach, or find cheaper/less valuable stuff to have in reach that you DIY or something to look cute but not be so stressed when people touch? The signs everywhere telling people "hands off!" just further lent itself to a hostile feeling environment, so I think that's a problem that drives a lot of the issues people have with the place and the tensions felt. It's also grossly overpriced for used items that seems to be cheaper newer elsewhere. I will say I have bought shoes here that I love, but there are a lot of other things I would have bought in a heartbeat if they weren't so inflated in price. I hope things can improve, but it is a lovely little store to visit, just make sure not to touch anything 😳 think of it more like a museum or a fun place for an...

My 17 year old daughter came to me in tears after visiting that store. When she first got in the lady would follow her through the store as maybe she thought my daughter would steal, then started making comments about how if she wasn't going to buy the clothes to not bother. My daughter assured her she had planned to buy something if she found something she liked. She proceeded about trying a few clothes when the lady again mentioned how she was concerned about my daughter not buying anything and how pricey her clothing were (nice to assume people are poor by their appearance or age). At this point my daughter starting feeling bad and pressured to buy something. She took a dress she liked the most even though she didnt want it. It had no tag and she was charged $180 for a used dress priced at $61 brand new online. She provided no tag and no receipt. You ma'am should be ashamed of yourself and I have never heard of any store treating their customers this way. You had my daughter in tears and who's adult take advantage of someone like this. Apparently from other reviewers this isn't the first time. L'amour isn't really fitting as yours and store's name. I thought my daughter how to stand up for herself next time and that's the only good thing coming...

I debated on writing this review, but I think people have a right to decide who they purchase from. We were shopping on the strip and decided to stop in to this shop because of the interesting decor we saw in the window. My friends and their daughter (white) walked in and were greeted normally. I walked in with my daughter (Asian mixed), and the woman was immediately hostile. She asked "Are you together?", pointing to my friends. I answered in the affirmative and she seemed miffed but allowed us in. I figured at first that maybe it was the heat and she might not want a big group in at a time. I smiled and just went looking at the clothes. The woman started telling my friend her shop had gone viral on TikTok (unsolicited). She also told us how things range from $95-$500 as if we can't afford it (though truth be told some of the clothes were in rough shape to be charging so much). I continued to browse. Saw a top I liked and asked if I was allowed to try on. The woman said "Only if you're going to buy. This isn't a Ross." That was my signal that this place just wasn't for us. My friends agreed and we all walked out. I'm not sure what exactly the lady's problem was with us, but it was very...