O’Connor’s Church Goods

O’Connors used to be my favorite store in the world, but it has gone downhill quite a bit since it altered its focus from the brick-​and-​mortar store to online sales. They have such a limited stock there (really, the store looks practically empty) that the last three times I have been, they could only give me a catalogue and tell me to order it online. I ended up finding my desired goods much cheaper through a different online company. I think if O’Connors is going to be successful, they are going to have to focus on in-​store products that customers can take home that very day and leave the online sales to those who have them so far beat on price.

This place is and always has been ridiculously over priced. They do have a good selection of Catholic items and whatnot but it’s nothing you couldn’t get at a church gift shop I recommend the gift shop at Mission San Diego Del Alcalá.

Horrible company to deal with. Back in early March we ordered two seven light candelabras, which John O’Connor guaranteed that we would have before Easter. Suffice to say that never happened. We paid $ 1,700.00 to this company and they charged our account before they ever shipped the product. Between myself and the church secretary we spoke with them 12 times (more considering the «no answers»). On each occasion that we spoke with someone, we were told that «we need to check that out, and get back to you,» only once did they get back to us. That once was intentionally late in the day so that, we being on the east coast, they would only have to leave a message without talking to us. Even as late as April 18, during one of our contacts, we were still being told that we would have the candelabras by Easter. Lie after lie after lie. They call themselves a «Church» supply business, they need to go back to church and find out what lying is!

This a great, family-​owned establishment. I know the business has been there for somewhere around 70 years and although it can show in the building, there is so much heart and history that it romanticizes the place, in my mind.
You need anything for a christening, baptism, confirmation? You can get it here, and if they don’t have it in stock, they will bend over backwards to find it for you. I know that the family is community-​minded and strives to improve the El Cajon Blvd business district. For this reason, I continue to give them my patronage and would suggest them to others!

For a second, I thought I had wandered into a bus station men’s room, albeit a very religious one. I waited for assistance; however, after a few minutes totally alone in the «store» peopled by an indifferent staff (they were probably all related so it would be of no use to complain), i thought better of my decision to come in and left.

Dusty, musty, crusty. Went looking for Mothers’ Day Novena cards; what they brought out looked like it had been in the attic since the 70s. Book selection includes stuffy old paperbacks with yellowed, stained pages. No matter that they have 3 or more people on staff, you always have to wait and wait and wait… A chaotic, disorgancized mess.
On the plus side, they have a super-​extensive stock of holy cards.

3.75 stars :-)
i’ve been on a quest to find Catholic icons and statues for my multi-​cultural, multi-​religious ancestor-​veneration shrine for the upcoming Day of the Dead/​All Souls Day (my conservative Korean Catholic and Buddhist ancestors might or might not be rolling in their graves at the thought). O’Connors was fantastic in their array of various traditional Catholic crosses, crucifixes, iconography, statues, books, greeting cards, blank programs for various sacramental events, prayer cards, rosaries, the whole she-​bang. If they don’t have it, they can order it too!
I certainly wouldn’t call this store whimsical, nor would I say it has a sense of humor (though the people who helped me were very nice) — for that you should check out Vintage Religion or maybe Back from Tomboctou, but if standard, traditional Catholic grandma-​approved items are what you’re in the market for, take a looksie at O’Connors.
Oh, I almost forgot, there is parking in the back, a definite plus.

is there a zero rating? the gay guy there is an ass.

This is an unusual store, but if you’re in the market for any catholic paraphernalia it’s the store for you. Myself, I was looking for a scapular, they had a handful and I found one I liked. They have a large book/​bible section, a large statuette section, a large jewelry section, and even a section that has priest’s mass robes (not that most of us need those).
There are 2 standouts: rosaries and saint medallions. They have rosaries in every color with lots of different bead types. They have a million saint medallions (one for the saint of irish blackbirds — never heard of him before) — and they’re organized alphabetically.