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O'Connors Church Goods
Have you ever thought about where the ashes on Ash Wednesday or the palms on Palm Sunday come from? Walk inside O'Connors Church Goods on El Cajon Boulevard for a behind the scenes glimpse of the specialized business of retail religious
articles and church furnishings that so many churches and people in the community are intricately connected to.
O'Connors Church Goods is a family run business that goes back four generations to John Michael O'Connor Sr. In 1936 he moved from Arizona to San Diego with a focus on improving his health. He was a previously a grocer, but he was unsure
about his future career path. John Sr. was raised in a strong Catholic family and he was a friend of the bishop in San Diego. The bishop told John that San Diego lacked a church goods business and suggested he start one. To get the
business off the ground the bishop allowed him to use the basement of the cathedral until he found his own location. Soon enough, O'Connors Church Goods opened its first storefront Downtown on the corner of 4th Ave and B St. The business
was off to a very good start and it wasn't long before John Michael O'Connor Jr. began working with his father. John Jr. was instrumental in creating the first nationwide church goods group catalog business. This enabled them to
establish key partners throughout the United States and offer a thorough selection of items in the catalog that are printed in the ten of thousands.
A bigger business translated to a need for a bigger space, so in 1964 O'Connors moved onto El Cajon Boulevard. Today, O'Connors Church Goods is run by John O'Connor IV, his mother Jackie O'Connor and Jackie's brother Bob Brant. When
Jackie's husband Gary O'Connor passed away at a young age, Jackie stepped right in, knowing that it was her duty to carry on the family tradition.
One thing Jackie finds so unique and interesting about the business is that in order to achieve their extensive product line, they must work with over 750 vendors! On any day of the week, they are in touch with artisans in Italy, Spain,
Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, China and the Philippines to place orders that include stained glass, wood carving, metal wear or uniquely fabricated dress wear. The range and variety of business along with the daily interactions with the
people who come through the store, many of whom are more of a friend than customer, is what makes working there so special. Of course, Jackie, Bob and John also share the benefit of working in a family owned business. Jackie considers it
very unifying; the successes are more, the stresses are shared and together it feels good to carry on what others in the family have dedicated their lives to.
In 1988, Jackie was a few years into running the business when she took another great leap by attending a meeting with the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association. She observed the nature of the people, their professionalism
and their underlying interest in revitalizing the district. As a young girl, Jackie attended school at Blessed Sacrament on El Cajon Boulevard and 56th Street. She carries many special memories of the El Cajon Boulevard, which include
watching JFK cruise down the Boulevard in a motorcade, observing her school's cathedral get uplifted and moved down the block to Goodbody's Mortuary and of course the fun she had eating at Oscar's drive-in. After decades of urban
deterioration, The Boulevard needed Jackie's attention. She was elected to the Board, and has served in one capacity or another for the last twenty years. In the early 1990's she was instrumental in forming the Business Improvement
District Council, serving as its first president.
With all the rewarding work Jackie has been involved in, another milestone is just around the corner. Next year, O'Connors Church Goods will celebrate their 75th Anniversary. Commemorating a family tradition that has remained successful
for this long is an outstanding accomplishment, and the Boulevard applauds O'Connors Church Goods for actively giving back to the community.
O'Connors Church Goods - 3720 El Cajon Boulevard
Little Saigon Foundation Banners Unveiled
Little Saigon Foundation of San Diego (LSF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization in City Heights announces the unveiling of the Little Saigon banners which will hang on the light poles along El Cajon Boulevard between Highland
Avenue and Euclid Avenue in the dense Vietnamese business district of City Heights and Talmadge. LSF in partnership with the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association (BIA) developed a Request for Proposal, an assignment
prompting SDSU graphic design students to create a series of banners for the Vietnamese community. The winning set of banners will be revealed in the unveiling ceremony scheduled for Thursday, June 3rd at 12:30 pm in front of the Asia
Business Center on El Cajon Boulevard. County Supervisor Ron Roberts will join the community in the Little Saigon district to celebrate this historical event.
Little Saigon Foundation aims to uplift the spirit of the Vietnamese community by honoring the hard work of its business owners and residents. The name ‘Little Saigon' symbolizes the strength and endurance of Vietnamese immigrants all
over the world and is also reflective of the characteristics of San Diego's local residents.
SDSU's Graphic Design Studio Course students were asked to create three standardized designs to print on banners which identify the existence of the Vietnamese business district, highlight aspects of Vietnamese culture and its rich
history, and celebrate Vietnamese holidays, traditions and the spirit of the Vietnamese residents. Eight sets of banners designs were submitted to LSF. To get the community involved, a banner voting process was developed for both the
business community along El Cajon Boulevard as well as the residents. Over 300 votes were counted and used to select the winning set of banners, designed by Danielle Goodman.
Little Saigon business districts have been established in other cities in California such as West Minister Sacramento, and San Jose. Thanks to the work of the Little Saigon Foundation and the El Cajon Boulevard BIA, Little Saigon San Diego
is in its early development stages. The big vision of the Little Saigon initiative is to cultivate an identity for the Vietnamese business district. Through the celebration of holidays, culturally appropriate street improvements,
enhanced cultural tourism, and civic engagement of local youth and residents, the Associations aim to install pride amongst the diverse ethnic cultures and develop an iconic neighborhood character.
Yelp About the Boulevard
Pho King
4658 El Cajon Blvd
Yelper: I am a pho expert, considering my parents made a pot of pho almost every week during my childhood. I have been coming to Pho King for over a year now and I tell everyone that this place is one if the best pho house in town.
It's all about the nourishing and well balanced pho broth with the yummy pho noodles, toppings of your choice and of course the "rau cai" which includes Thai basil, rau cua, bean sprouts, thin slices of jalapeño and of course the lime!
You can add hoisin for more depth or Siracha for more spice. It is best to have pho in the morning believe or not since it is a traditional breakfast dish in Vietnam but pho anytime of the day is good!
Please visit Pho King and experience a truly authentic experience. Ask for them to switch on to Asia Entertainment on the TVs to see and hear current Vietnamese music and fashion.
Happy pho eating!
Click
here for more yelp reviews.
Featured Art on the Boulevard
Many people would agree that the commercial corridor of any city reflects the essence of those who live there. In Colina Park, we can walk down El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue and experience food from all parts of the world,
so you can just imagine the exquisite dishes that are cooked in the homes of families in Colina Park.
This year, students at the Multimedia and Visual Arts School (MVAS) at Crawford High Educational Complex initiated the Taste of Colina Park service learning project by interviewing family members and friends in the community about a
favorite recipe that reflects their culture and traditions. Not only do these recipes and stories exemplify the unique make-up of the neighborhood, but they have given students a new sense of pride for their family members, individuals in
their school and their community.
Below is a pair of Taste of Colina Park banners, designed by students at Crawford High School to promote the project. The banners are hung along El Cajon Boulevard between Euclid and 54th Street.
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