Palomar Mtn. General Store

I walked into this quaint little store and was greeted friendly by this lady behinda counter. The stores smelled like soap very floral, it wasn't strong, but it smelled really good. This general store had a little bit of everything. It had cute little books for children. It had purses, wind chimes, crystals, and of course, snacks not a lot to choice from but enough and I had to stop by to get a 2 paydays bars and some sweet tea and water. And I brought my father with me that day. But like I said, this store has lots of little things that were worth coming to look at and see it. It has a look like an old Post Office and a little building just for the bathrooms, really clean. The drive up to this place It's kinda windy road that kinda like if you're driving on 74, 18 or 38 here, so it's a lot of little sharp turns, a little curves. We we're visiting to go see the palomar observatory visiting center.

This is a cute little general store at the top of Mount Palomar. They have lots of different items in the store. You could go there if you were using the campground and we stopped to get some water and some food to eat.

It's a cute little general store that sells gifts and sodas. It's a great place to stop by on the way up to or down from the Palomar Observatory.

Love this little store. Has saved us from running into town so many times. Everything from camping needs to gifts and souvenirs! Come check them out.

To all who visit this cute Gift shop will definitely love it.🤗 So much to see 😳😲and buy. 🧚‍♀️🧙‍♂️🦅🦋🐙📿💎📙 friendly customer service too.

Stop here frequently for a snack and rest room break when riding the bicycle or motorcycle. They never let me down.

Cute little store with polite and attentive staff. Plenty of what you might forget on a camping trip including firewood and other essentials. They have fuel, food, and other things you may have forgotten. There's also a post office in the same parking lot.

Really nice people. They had a long fork for roasting marshmallows! Forgot milk on our cabin trip and they had anything you could possibly need. Just like a good mountain store should.

Store is pretty nice for what it is being on top of a mountain and all, has just enough of the things you need after a drive or ride up . I came to yelp questioning the similar things said about the older gentleman working the register here in the reviews and then comparing my interaction... I walked in while he was outside, gave him and the older lady who seemed to be working there a quick wave and a hello, got a little smile back, grabbed a quick coffee and he went in to ring me up and then he initiated convo about the weather, pretty short talk. Only reason I checked yelp is because it was just an odd vibe I got, seems i may of assumed it was a race thing being i look dark skin latino or possibly middle eastern but compared to what others have said, I guess he's just an interesting old man with a lore we all should get to know...

Open on New Year's Day. Friendly folks. Good selection of snacks and drinks for a hungry, thirsty cyclist.

If you get a chance to make it to Palomar mountain, this is a good spot that has water and other refreshments. The parking is good. The open up at a reasonable time. Friendly staff. I am usually up there earlier than when they open due to avoiding traffic and motorcycles. the view of the trees/forest is relaxing.

Thank you for the mail order stickers! My gf lost the sticker/decals we bought from here and the staff let us do an old fashioned mail order to replace the stickers she misplaced. The ones you picked out are perfect. Thanks again!

Interesting little gift shop/convenience store. When you walk in there are quite a few trinkets but as you walk towards the back you'll find cold drinks and snacks. If there is snow, kids can usually play in the area behind the store. It's a good idea to stop here and check for areas of closure before driving up to the observatory, etc. The guy inside the store is a little odd. I didn't take him as, "rude," as many others have suggested. I honestly think he may be unwillingly lacking some social skills (not his fault). Anyhow, bathrooms are outside of the building to the right, just past the restaurant. There is only one stall, so there may be a wait.

Thank God the store is still open for business, I do miss the days when this place is packed with bikes and the restaurant was open. Times have changed, but Palomar mountain is still an excellent ride truly!

Over the course of weeks this store was a great vendor of "must haves" along with Mother's (life sustaining food therapy) en route to Observatory. They also had art, puzzles and emergency supplies---so you could stay stocked up high while thinking about getting on the low. Great store, no complaints and saved many the reported windy serpentine road trips down the mountain to meet oblivion or salvation.

I encountered this cute little shop on the side of the road on the way to Palomar Observatory. They have basic supplies and snacks, stuff you might need if you find yourself spending a day out on the mountain. They also have a delightful assortment of knickknacks and gift items. I especially enjoyed looking at all the miniature carnival rides and the miniature circus they had on display.

THANK GOD for the Palomar Mountain General Store. I rode up the mountain on my bike and reached the summit dehydrated and famished. This place saved my life. 2 Snickers, an Ice Cream Sandwich, a bag of Chips, a bag of Pretzels, 2 Gatorades and 2 Waters later I was ready to hit the road again, but I could not have done it without them. They are also very friendly, and the setting is beautiful.

I've been coming here for years out of necessity when I forget the one item or two while camping or to refill the ice in the cooler. I tried to avoid it if possible the old man working here is a complete asshole he avoids eye contact or conversation he generally seems pissed your even there or talking to him. One time I asked if he had coffee he said no then I noticed a few boxes of Starbucks bottles behind him and asked about that he said they haven't been entered into the system yet and wasn't going to be anytime soon because he was busy!! still I'm polite and say hello and good afternoon When I walk in there I usually get no response or a grumble . I chalked it up to just a bitter old man It wasn't until this weekend I've changed my opinion now I feel more like he's a racist or he's prejudice against males I could be wrong I don't know I'm not one to pull the race card but when a woman of the same color as him gets greeted politely when she walked in and I get so much as a glare it shows me he's capable and you start to come to assumptions? I've seen this more than once, I'm not sure if he's the owner or a employee but this place is losing a lot of business because of him. I always tell other campers to head down to lake Henshaw if they forgot something they have more necessities then the Palomar store plus they are open longer.

This store is oh, so fun to browse and occasionally pick up a forgotten item. Yes, as many reviewers point out, the man who often works the register is a total jerk, but not, I think, a racist as a former reviewer wrote - I am a white female and he had been treating me rudely (like a POS actually) for all the years that he has worked there. That's really the reason for giving just 3 stars.

Buyer Beware! Rude man and woman working there. I bought a $20 dollar flying saucer to go sledding. My daughter used it and it broke within 20 minutes. I went back and ask for a refund or an exchange and the rude lady behind the counter pretty much told me "too bad" i was like wow you should stand by your product! they had the nerve to tell me maybe someone over 250lbs was using it. I didn't get a refund or even an apology.not very friendly people and very unhappy. they must hate to live up there but whatever. Just avoid this place seriously!

We really liked this store. It's in a pretty remote location so isn't like a place you'd see in town, but it carries all the basics and plenty more. Their gift shop is really fun, lots of neat items, and we were able to purchase the grocery items we needed. The staff were amazingly nice, very helpful and friendly. The restaurant next door is vegetarian but who cares... they had EXCELLENT food and great bakery items. Highly recommended!

Find necessity and unnecessaries at this convenient general store on Palomar Mountain. I bought ice but no souvenirs.

Got there at 5:01 and the lady just abruptly shut the door and said they were closed without a further word. This isn't the city so why the strict adherence to time? Paying customers and needed supplies

The guy works in the store is a A hole. He just opened at 11am in the morning and I would like to get some firewood and ice for my family. He frustrated because he needs to walk out to unlock the freezer and the cage to sell me some overpriced firewood. Keep that in mind guys, firewood at the Doane Valley camp ground is cheaper. Later on, I went back to get more ice with my service dog, he wont let us in. When I was there that morning, there was a customer with her dog inside, so what is going on? I probably will never stop by for anything even they are the only store around the area.

this place is sooo random and awesome! there were rocks and stones, costume masks, books about prostitutes in the old west, yogurt, beer and cheese among way too many other things. i would actually need about an hour or more to observe every little thing about that store. this store was just what we needed to enjoy our palomar mtn. experience!

AWFUL SERVICE!!!! If I could leave zero stars I would. I was here on Saturday June 3. The guy who was working the register had a serious attitude problem. He smashed his hands on the counter when my friend handed him a fee wadded up bills, then smacked the credit card machine repeatedly while running my card, then snapped at me in an extremely rude manner when I informed him I was using the microwave to microwave a sandwich that I had just purchased. There is a sign that offers the microwave for customers, but I was simply informing him out of courtesy and politeness that I was going to use it and return after I took the rest of my items out to the car. He snapped at me and raised his voice and threw up his hands as if he didn't care. Then I watched him go outside and angrily bang the wind chimes together as he was taking them off the wall. I will make it a point to NEVER return here and to also tell all of my friends the same. This guy has NO BUSINESS being in customer service at all.

Be aware for broken gifts! This is a place where you can buy a little drinks and foods but more like gift shop. Gifts are displayed in narrow space in small tables so you can unexpectedly fall and break them and you must pay for them. My wife and I went there and walked around. I accidentally hit a small table that made a gift fall from the table because the space is very small and narrow. The store clerk came immediately and said "It is broken!!". I felt like they were waiting for somebody to do that. The broken gift is a long wooden status from Africa as they said, and it costs $70. WHAT THE HELL!!! They pretended to be kind and offered 50% discount and started to wrap it up even I didn't say to buy! We finally had no choice to buy it. After I paid for it, I looked into the status from the wrap and it looks it was already broken!! GOD! I suspect that they just put the broken status (it still can stand!) and waiting someone to touch it! It is fine to buy a drink and small snack there (they are pricy but it is mountain) but don't be attracted by gifts there perhaps you have to do unexpected costly purchase!