Oskadusa

I have often walked by this store in my neighborhood, but finally took the plunge and went in to get inspired for an art project idea. The owner Lauren is fabulous! She showed me the basics of picking out the right type of beads and all the accessories for my project and even helped assemble it. She has great taste coupled with a warm vibe and has inspired me to create more projects. The high quality, beautiful beads are very reasonably priced as well. I will be back!

Best bead store EVER. The owner has exquisite taste and stocks amazing goods that I don’t see anywhere else. Though it is a tiny space, there’s a lot packed in here: GREAT pendants and charms, seed beads (including vintage), good findings, buttons, plus some (really luscious) felted textile items. The best and most unique rocks are behind the register. I’ve been coming here for 10+ years.

Excellent customer service, will even provide chair if you need to sit. And the mermaid ROCKS!

Drove all the way here on Sunday at 11:15am and they were closed. Their voicemail, website, and sign all say they are open at 11. Never coming back.

A quick Google search lead me to Oskadusa, which is fairly close to my son’s school, working out perfectly considering my desperate need for a clasp to finish off a bracelet. What I didn’t realize was that Google led me to my new FAVORITE PLACE EVER!
This is very small ‘bead boutique’ — with very unique ‘finds’. Now that I’ve discovered this ‘gem’ (get it… gem… irony folks!) — I’ll be back (with Henry and crew!) .
PS– Thanks for the ‘sewing’ advice!!!

This is a real gem of a bead shop! If you are looking for sterling… this is your store. Now if you are looking for «cheap», look elsewhere. The beads here are of a very high quality and of limited supply. If you see something you like, grab it because if you come back a week later for it, chances are, it will be gone! The shop owner is always very friendly and helpful but not pushy at all. She’s got some really great items that you aren’t going to find in any other store in San Diego county. I have attended one class at this store and ended up making a beautiful bracelet with plenty of help from the instructor even though I am all thumbs! I love this store!

Excitedly I drive 45 minutes with $ 150 in my pocket to celebrate a milestone in my life by making something wonderful purchased in your store yesterday. I walk in, and the woman behind the counter just stares at me without a greeting or even a head nod. I start looking around at the lovely selection of high end products when the sales woman brings a customer around to shop near where I am browsing. Her first words to me were «sorry, I don’t mean to crowd you» (as she is crowding me). I walked out empty handed without even a good bye from you! Some training or even basic courtesy would have given you a very good customer as the stock is beautiful.
My first and last visit.

Okay, here is the straight scoop! I don’t do Michaels, or JoAnns or places like that. My stuff is high end and I will pay for it. I stumbled on Oskadusa a few years ago, have no idea how, but BOY AM I GLAD I DID. First of all, walking in there is like going into a friend’s house. The owner is almost always there, but if not, she usually strolls in while I’m drooling over hr stock, with a cheery «hi, how are ya girls today». She offers you a cool drink if it’s hot (like today) or just shoots the crap with you if it’s not. She loves to share her new stuff, but doesn’t pressure, push or try and up-​sell you. She treats her gems as I do mine. Adores them, fondles over them and is quite frankly proud of them. The store is quaint (some say small, I say QUAINT) and she carries Vintage and Seed Beads which are of no interest to me, BUT she has amazing gems, both strands and loose. rare stuff, I can’t find anywhere and chain and findings in 14K Gold Filled.
I’ll be honest though I have to temper myself, because a trip to Oskadusa always finds me running home to double check my card balance. I can NEVER get out of there without finding a special something or ten, I didn’t know I wanted, but could not leave without. I don’t care though, because I cherish all my buys from her and my heart weeps just a bit when I eventually allow myself to sell them. I only do quality and for that Oskadusa is my stop!
So, check your balance and go there… now. Her stock is rare and limited at that. If you hem and haw over something, it won’t be there when you go back… cuz I BOUGHT IT and that’s THAT!

I cannot say enough great things about this little gem of a bead store! Their findings are unique and competitively priced with what you find on the Internet. What makes Oskadusa so great is their beads. They are truly unique. You will not find these beads in other stores in the area. The owner has exquisite taste and personally shops for the beads and other findings she offers in her store. I HIGHLY recommend Oskadusa to my fellow beaders and anyone just wanting something unique and beautiful!

LoVe, LoVe, LOVE this place!!! The shop gals are so nice, super helpful to beginner beaders like me;-) Lauren saved me when I needed last minute gifts for not one, not two, not three… But 14 people in my office… And when I say last minute I mean the night before!!! She helped me pick out supplies to make 14 beautiful necklaces, and put them together for me! Everything was ready the next day, I couldnt believe it! Needless to say I’m a forever customer now… I love their selection, I’m eager to take some classes!

Yes this is a tiny store BUT everything we found in it we loved! In our search of beads stores during the 2010 Bead Shop Hop, we did find larger stores with less to pick from. This is one store that «size does not matter.»
The owner and her employee were both very friendly and helpful. And we saw several items we will come back to take classes or make in the future.
I told the other gal I was Bead Shop Hopping with that it was time to leave, when I found myself hanging around the edible «treats».

I don’t know if the sales person was intentionally rude or clueless, but there was one other person in the shop and she had me wait for 20 minutes before she would even speak to me. I left.

Cute little bead store with a decent selection of beads and semi-​precious stones. The store is TEENY TINY though, so obviously the reason why you’re not going to find the largest selection of beads. They offer classes, although rather sporadically. I always seem to miss the one I want! Staff is friendly and helpful. Prices are reasonable — I never feel like I’m getting ripped off.