This is another store I wish was in Ottawa. It's true that the clothing is cheap, but it's not as poorly made as some other cheap clothing chains and a lot less tacky. For that reason, I would disagree that this is a place to go for wardrobe staples. The clothing will fall apart after a year or so and H & M isn't about providing staples anyway. It's about providing a much cheaper version of what's in style at the moment. If this is the style you want to embrace, even just a little, H & M is a great place to go to find items that accentuate your trendy look.
This two story building has a lot of clothes to choose from and it's not too crowded. No sales clerks ever approach me, but that's what I prefer anyway.