Botanica Chango

Please don’t come!! This place is required by appt, I made the mistake of coming without one and it’s not open. So I txt the person and this place was booked a week out supposedly and made an appt for today at 2pm. I show up and they are not here. I txted and called nothing. I waited 15 mins and wasted my time and gas coming here for them not to pull there part of showing up or even txting me a courtesy of letting me hey I can’t make it or something and rescheduled. It’s unprofessional, I wouldn’t recommend to no one.

Terrible store , lady answer and hang up the call? Do not come to this spot . Sketchy.

Julian is amazing.. Love to my friend always family

This amazing man has not only help me once but many times in my life whether with family problems or in relationships he has always been there for me. I trust his honesty very very trustworthy reasonable rates and most of all compassionate. 🙏🏽I will continue coming to this man For all aspects of my life. Never overcharges you like other places. Always Busy and his appointments may not always right on time, He will take his time to do his reading and explain everything in detail to you. Hands down the best in SD🎁 💯

I came to this Amazing Man after being to 3 different people, even drove to LA only to hear you need to do this and it’ll be this much $$&. I was so overwhelmed with my situation at the time. I didn’t know where else to turn too. I had lost so much hope, the stress was to much for me. I am a strong person and to say that I was overwhelmed is putting it mildly. I am beyond grateful to this Man for all the work he has done for me In a short amount of time. 2-3 weeks. He is extremely Honest, Kind, compassionate, takes his time to speak with you in details. ( can take time to see him). Doesn’t charge a lot like others do. It is definitely worth your time. Gracias Julian por todo lo que hizo y sigue haciendo por mi. Estoy tan agradecida por todo🙏🏽 Verónica S.

Well I am excited to go here Monday now as I have read the wonderful reviews about how the owner is kind, engaged in your affair, and dedicated to service not just $. I love it! Who could ask for more from anyone? Hope you are open tomorrow beautiful people at Botanical Chango

Great prices, when the store is opening in the morning, there’s a certain ritual that has to be done before you can come in so yes there’s going to be a little bit of a wait, but if you wait you won’t be disappointed. I love the prices and selection here especially for the candles. If you don’t know something ask, the Baba here is very knowledgeable. Spirit is calm and at peace here.

I love this place Julian is vary good on the work that he does he’s vary kind and respectful this botánica is not close it’s always open

You cannot simply walk in and shop, an appointment needs to be made to come in and shop as I think they hold religious ceremonies there. Inconvenient but rules are rules.

This place is not open for business the way you think. The sign says open, google says open, when you go over to the shop it's locked and closed, when you call it's someone's personal cell phone they ask you to text. Do not say you're open if you're not, remove the open sign from the window, and perhaps list you are open by appointment only and not for shopping.

My absolute favorite botanica. They have the best selection I've come across, and the staff/experts working here are unparalleled in their friendliness and knowledge. Extremely happy to have come across this wonderful multicultural botanica! You can't beat the prices, either. A true San Diego gem

It's a shame because I've heard great things about the readings here but anyway, I came for my 4pm reading today and to my surprise, the 3pm appointment before me was late since the 2pm appointment went over the scheduled time. I tried to call this location a few times but finally left by 417pm. I'm not sure why they even take appointments since they don't honor them. I made arrangements at work to come in early so that I could be on time for my reading and was highly disappointed. No resolution was offered just a message saying: He just finished his appointment like ten minutes ago, he looked for everyone but no one has time to wait. And that he's sorry I had to wait.

I recently moved to San Diego and was looking for a new place to purchase 7 day/prayer candles in a glass jar that can be dressed. Even though there are many metaphysical stores in San Diego, most don't sell this product. I was happy when I found this place through Yelp and saw the pictures of all the 7 day candles they carry. I went on a Monday because online it says they're open from 11:30-5:00, but they were closed. There's a sign posted on the window saying the hours changed in March. They should update online. I decide to call on Monday to see what the hours were for Tuesday. It went to voicemail which explained it was better to text. I did and received a response back saying they'd be open on Tuesday at 11:30. I arrived on Tuesday at 11:30 and the door was locked. I called, it rang twice and went to voicemail. I got a text asking to send a text. I said I was at the shop and we texted the day before about me purchasing 2 undressed candles. I received no response after that. I waited 15 minutes and left. I am extremely disappointed I wasted my time and gas money. I offered to come back, but if that's the customer service they offer, I will go to another botanica in San Diego. Don't tell customers to come at a time that you aren't open!

This man changed my life. Yes the appointments may run a little later than expected so you may have to wait a bit longer for yours, BUT IT IS WORTH IT. I used to go here every week or so when I lived in San Diego around 2016-2019. I had just gotten out of an abusive relationship and had years of trauma from an abusive childhood. I was desperate for any kind of healing that works, not the Caucasian psychics on El Cajon Blvd who try and convince vulnerable people to spend hundreds of dollars on a cleansing or information that isn't even accurate. Julien is always right. I did buy cleansing from him, because I knew he sincerely wanted to help me, and my life changed. I no longer suffer from anger issues or self destructive behavior. I am now in a healthy, loving relationship, and am living in Los Angeles. Finally pursuing my dreams and aspirations I've had since I was a little girl that I never thought would be possible for me. Gracias Julien Por Todo. May god bless him. Come here and you won't regret it. Buy a green candle and have him fix it for you if you are having money troubles or in need of a job, or even if you want to manifest your dream job, it works. (Use with caution as it also represents fertility unless you need it for that as well.)

Wasn't open called and text sign on door no reply So I can't give a review. Hours are wrong on website and door

Excellent place and very good service. I recommend it. He is an educated person. I highly recommend this place.

Excellent place to go for spiritual cleansing, tarot card readings, and religious items for the Catholic denomination or Santeria denomination. PROs: Julian and the Botanica Chango is outstanding! Julian has helped my family and I countless times over the years. His services are second to none and are the best in San Diego, hands down! If you want a cleanse for you or your home come here! His new botanica is much larger than the last one too. There are lots more merchandise and room now. People will sometimes complain about the wait for an appointment, but you must understand that Julian sometimes doesn't know how short or how long readings will be. You can't rush things like this. Remember you wouldn't want him or someone else to rush you through your reading when it's your time. Keep a respectful and open mind on this place. It is a house of worship for some people. I look forward to all my trips to see Julian and hear from the Orishas! CONs: Zero!

My phone was stolen and it's showing it's at this place of business. When I called about it and left a message, my phone was immediately shut off again. Super SUS. Do not trust this person.

Bad bad service . Never got a response I have to txt him so many times the same thing for him to respond . Over it . Sucks

Stop here just now to pick up some sage. The door is locked even though there's a sign on it that says open. There was a woman outside who told me that she's been waiting for the store to open for an hour. States that she called the store and they told her that they were busy. What the fuck?

Weird. This place is just straight up weird, but I love it. They have spiritual stuff--candles that scare away bad energy, oil that makes people want to hump you and incense that helps you pray. The last time I went into Chango's I think I interrupted some kind of sacrificial religious thing. There weren't any goats with their necks slit, but there were a couple of old dudes sitting by each other, burning incense. I walked in and they all got real quiet and stared at me while I walked around the store. Oh, if you need a plastic Jesus or Mary, Chango's is your one-stop spiritual effigy stop.

Their items are overpriced and the worker doesn't speak english, the male is kinda rude. I wouldn't ships here. They also don't stuck to their business hours.

I'm busy today pathetic catching go and a person working in there is very honest I don't know white people make it and bring use scented is not true I do have good good experience and the place harmony and Barry is be retrieval He is held me with my own problems and also with my family

Just disappointing, you will never will be seem on a timely manner even if you have appointment, you will be there for at least 1 to 2 hours just waiting, not reliable, never answer his phone.

I texted them like the sign said, and they didn't respond within 10 minutes, so I called and they didn't answer. The people were inside just sitting on their phones. Took forever. I was waiting 30 minutes and I never got to go in!! What a waste of time!

I don't practice Santaria, but I adore folk art packaging and local-unrecognized saints. This place has it, with a minimum of anglo-tourist interp. Botanica chango is not trying to be appealing. They don't care if you understand what this stuff is all for. It's not as good as the Santaria district in TJ, but it's also better than dealing with the hastle of TJ.

I had seen this place many a time from the bus, and I decided to wander in one day. Some kind of religious ceremony was going on when I walked in too. Everyone there is speaking spanish. This is what I'm pressuming is the kind of place my aunts go to get "limpias" aka cleansings. The kind where you drop an egg in water and it tells you when you are going to meet your potential soulmate. They have an extensive selection of candles for a variety of things, luck, money, love, and er death. Also a lot of herbs and saint statues. Their candles are on the expensive side, I've seen them elsewhere for much less. Fun expirience though.

Soaps, candles, oils, figurines, incense, beads, other.. assorted things lying around.. Staff never acknowledges me, and that adds to the ambience of the store. I always check out how much money the grim reaper statues are making when I go in. I also reccommend "silver rain" incense for anyone who needs to up their chedda. IT WORKS!

The House of Thunder.. literally translated, Shango is that rebellious guardian of thunder, who is manifested in the primeval elements of nature... So keeping this in mind, know what you're getting into when coming here.. this is not play time and peoples jokes about voudoun and sorcery aside, I respect the African Roots of these traditions to the fullest... I've used Santeria on numerous occasions for its protective properties and I've gotten numerous talismans and herbs here... K'a má fi wàrà-wàrà n' okún orò.

Recently a friend shared with me about a ritual that he was asked to take part in. I am familar with this ritual because I am of cuban decent and know through personal experience what santeria is and does. The rituals he was asked to do have nothing to do with santeria. Please seek true practitioners of santeria there are many in san diego. They charged them inflated prices and gave them nothing but problems and asked them to perform rituals that have never been heard of in the faith.

Well I've been going here for prepared candles for a little over a year. Its nice, but it is predominately Spanish speaking, but they do speak enough English to get their point across. The down side is that it is like a black salon in there (that's coming from a black woman). When you have an appointment you'll be waiting at least an extra 45 min, but you get a really good reading ( if you signed up for one), just make sure to have questions prepared or you'll get a general reading which can be quite quick. And you want to make sure that you get your money's worth. So bring a book or a magazine. There are no heeby jeebies people that feel that aren't grounded and are working themselves up over nothing. Its basically oils, soaps, washes, aerosol sprays, paintings, statues and figurines, as well as, incense already prepared candles that Julian prepares himself or candles that you can have fixed while you are there. There is a lot of Catholic and Santeria type stuff in there and jumbo pillar candles behind the counter where you pay as well as some figure candles. Also they only take cash, so if you don't have any then you go to a little mini mart about 2 doors down and get it from their ATM, but the fee is like $2.50, so just try to bring cash with you. Also you park on the street. I think that is it.

this place freaks me the fuck out. the one time that i happened to stumble in there for some tacky catholic crap, this haitian dude behind the counter took one look at me and handed me some religious charms, saying "here- you look like you need these. i sense something... about you. something... wrong." and he didn't even see my "666" tattoo on my middle finger first! UM, YEAH. needless to say, i will not be going back. overall everything looked totally commercialized as well. i don't like that. i want handmade junk. the real deal. i'll stick to mama roots on adams ave. and my weird santeria shops in t.j., thankyouverymuch.

I was excited to check this place out based on the reviews, but I was pretty disappointed. Felt more like a waiting room than a store. Maybe that's what they are going for, I dunno. Will stick with Mama Roots.

botanica chango is a religious shop. i think, though i'm not sure, that it's mainly geared towards those who practice santeria, but if you're just the kind of roman catholic who likes to buy a lot of plastic saints to scatter around your home it works for that too. they also have a smallish selection of items for practitioners of eastern religions. a friend of mine got a just judge candle here and the guy at the register even fancied it up for her and told her how to use it. i'm not sure what all he put in there, but i identified rosemary and the oil smelled kind of like rose.

Santeria is a mystical and spiritual universe full of symbolism, lessons and advice that guide. The main purpose of Santeria is for every believer to set a direct communication with the deities (Orishas). The divinities, Orishas, act as guides protecting against all evil in the visible world. The divinities Orishas will be the intermediaries with God (Olodumare) in the invisible world. The divinities Orishas also guide in matters of health, life problems, happiness and prosperity. The spiritual leader or mentor of Santeria is the interpreter of the esoteric language of the gods and the ancestors, meeting the role of therapist and physician, and is fully responsible to teach and strengthen followers in all aspects. Visit with an understanding that all religions are to be respected. Visit with an open mind, such as to learn Holy Death is not the grim reaper, Visit seeking good and favorable outcomes in your undertakings, not if you are seeking to "get even" with someone or to do harm.

Not a wide selection. Limited quanities of product. Not knowledgable staff at all. Prices are $$$.