After 15 years of annual trips to Old Town, this is still hands-down, my favorite store!! The people who work there are so friendly and accommodating. The selection of Mexican art and garden statuary/pots/wind-chimes/Talavera is amazing! As a huge fan of Mexican folk art, I just get sensory overload and want to buy everything. I encourage everyone to stop here!! read more

El Centro Artesano - My latest purchase. Isn't he adorable?? - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

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You can't miss El Centro Artesano because they're right at the west entrance of old town! I agree with other reviews that the vast selection and price range here is extremely reasonable. You'll find a good mix of authentic, hand-painted ceramics, decorative hangings, and beadwork from Mexico and Guatemala. Kids also love the inside of the store where there are tons of tiny figurines, magnets, and keychains. If you live locally (or within traveling distance) and are looking for Southwestern-themed garden decor, this is your spot. Depending on the style, you can usually find it in multiple colors. For example, the tall speckle glazed container with painted flowers and hummingbirds is available in light blue, navy blue, yellow, white, or pink. This design is only $42, but you could also find a large talavera pot for upwards of $75. My favorites to check out are the Mara mugs toward the back of the store because of their distinctive rounded square shape and whimsical etchings. They're even microwave and dishwasher safe! If you see something you like, I recommend getting it as supply tends to move quickly. I recently came back to get a dark blue talavera pottery for my small calamansi/calamondin tree. If you need help with measurements or are looking for a particular style, just ask and a manager or staff will be happy to help! If you have time, stop by the outer right corner for a variety of discounted items that are vintage, seasonal, or may have been damaged during shipment. Plus, if you purchase $100 or more, you receive a free nylon bag! read more

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Amazing selection of decorated ceramic goods. I am not sure if all are hand-painted, but there is a wonderful assortment of pottery, crosses, chimes, bowls, platters, tortilla warmers, and garden decor. Even their essential oils smell fabulous. I would say their prices are more than reasonable. I always end up buying several unique items as gifts and something for myself. Customer service is outstanding and extremely helpful. I definitely recommend this business if you're in Old Town, San Diego. You won't be disappointed. read more

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They have the best stuff here for decor indoors and out. As a local I come back often. And so far I have not found another place to match it for sure variety and fair prices in Old Town. Youve just got a check it out if you're nearby! read more

If I would have had my truck here, we would have been going home stocked up! Amazing place, came at end of September so the Halloween goods were rolling out. Some very cool stuff here, priced reasonably. read more

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Very large selection and variety of beautiful items including ceramics, pottery and tiles. There are high end also interesting and fun smaller mementoes at very affordable prices. The open market space gives an authentic vide of south of the border. This is my "go-to" spot every time I visit Old Town San Diego. read more

It's my favorite store in the vicinity of Old Town. Don't let the pots stop you from exploring this not-so-little store, there's so much more to see once you are inside. If you're looking into putting some vibrant colored décor in your home, you might find it here. How much of that décor and color you want to put in (or out) your home is completely up to you. And it doesn't stop there. Looking for a unique gift? They might have it here, too. There's a wide array of different knick knacks, from magnets, to shot glasses, to windchimes. Even wallets and ponchos, etc... it really felt like I was in a souvenir store in Mexico. Ended up with a few things both for home and to give away. Recommend coming in to check them out. You might find something you didn't think you needed... or wanted. read more

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Such a great place! Yes there are hundreds of options of everything but the prices are great and everything is very beautiful and very vibrant! Ended up leaving with two painted pots! read more

The tacos were Visiting San Diego and ended up going on a Saturday night! Prompt service, loved sitting at the window watching food be made! The Ceviche was most excellent! read more

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I really liked this shop and wished I had more time to browse around, however I must admit I was disappointed after realizing later in the evening that I had been over charged. Make sure to pay attention to your totals when making purchases. I bought 5 items which should have totaled 52.40 +tax. I instead got charged twice for one 15.00 item which brought my total to 72.62 including tax. read more

El Centro Artesano - Receipt showing I got charged twice for one $15 item. - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is a great "Find" for anyone who loves unique items. There must be One Thousand Wind Chimes in all styles as well as gift ideas. I bought a wood flying Pelican in July and 2 strings came loose and broke. I called this place and spoke with Monica and told her what happened. She was wonderful to speak with. She told me to take a photo of it and sent it to her and she would replace it. A few days later she shipped me a New One for Free. I love little companies, like this one, that have Customer Service. As a result, I will be their best customer for life. They have One of a Kind items that are great gift ideas. I had taken the Old Town Trolly Tour with my out of town guest and we wandered around Old Town and just came across this Adorable Shop. It is much bigger than you think with wonderful staff. They gave my friend a chair to sit on because I was taking so long shopping. I also bought a lovely wind chime that I put outside my bedroom sliding door. It has been a long time since I have YELPED a business for it superior staff and merchandise. I am a real person writing this. Thank you again Monica. I will be back to you wonderful store and I have told my friends about it as well. Dedie Angelier P.S. I believe they have another name DBA: El Centro Artesano. Their address is: 2637 San Diego Ave, San Diego , CA 92110 read more

PROS: this place caught my eye when I saw all the pottery. This place has earned an easy 5 stars for having a lot of inventory in a spaced out area with decent prices and nice workers CONS: when you're inside there's 10,000 chimes hanging from the ceiling that's at a level where everyone is bumping their heads into them OVERALL: Great place to come and see and if I were you I would make room in your house for one of these pots read more

El Centro Artesano - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

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I really enjoyed this shop. I had it picked out on Yelp because I wanted to check out Mexican pottery while I was in Old Town. I found the prices of the pottery to be on the cheaper side than nearby stores. Nice selection and variety of other Mexican goods, too. Will be back! read more

El Centro Artesano - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing clay items. Picked up Loteria tiles that we used as centerpieces. Consistently amazing, beautiful items. read more

El Centro Artesano - Loteria tile - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

This older lady with short hair yelled at my husband whilst he was looking to buy something, very unprofessional!

Read the reviews and it's disagree with a lot of what I've read about El Centro. Yes, I'm sure some of the knick knacks are made in China (literally EVERYTHING is). Just bought a large chiminea (clay) and got it home. Very good quality and an awesome piece to put next to my spa when the contractor is done building it. Going to heat nicely and look great with our Spanish style house. Also bought some Spanish tile to make a couple of mosaics to hang behind the pool, will match nicely with the sun/moon wall decor we also picked up. Owner was very nice and gave us a discount since we purchased a few items. I agree with a couple of the reviews (it IS rude to ring the wind chimes INSIDE - should be a no brainer but so many customers are oblivious to anyone around them!) I did not see or hear anything but courtesy and my wife and I browsed for an hour and interacted with several different staff members while shopping. Once the pool is done and we've arranged the pieces, I'll upload some photos to add to the review. Will also likely visit again if we decide we need additional pots or decor to finish designing the yard. Thank you! read more

I love this pottery shop located in Old Town San Diego. They always have such a good selection of pottery items and gifts. Sawyer was the sales associate who helped us and some other employees helped load the two birdbaths we got and each one of them was so nice and helpful. We are all happy with our purchases and will definitely go back. read more

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One of the funner shops in Old Town.. True, you can get a lot of this stuff cheaper in TJ but why risk being kidnapped? Most of the stuff here is from Mexico or Central/South American countries. It's a very colorful place and every inch of the property is stuffed with various pottery and hangable items. What's also great about El Centro is that they sell at all price points. There's something unique to be found for everyone including tiles, wind chimes, pottery, scented oils ( not essential oils), a lot of crap to hang on your wall, and surfing monkeys. - Not the friendliest staffers. They're basically sitting back behind the counter and collecting all that tourist money. - On Sunday they have a pottery demonstration. read more

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August 10, 2019 Came here knowing I would find a Authentic Mexican red clay bean pot like my grandma use to have. So my mini Mac went in saw what I wanted and we went in. We have been here many times but my cheap ass always cracks this line.....we can go to Tijuana and get one for $5 American dollars. We took our passport had plans to go get one but it got too late so we had no choice but to buy it here. The guy is pretty nice but he hustles his money can't be mad at that. I wanted an authentic clay piggy bank went to Tijuana got a gorgeous white one with hand painted pink flowers on it was in heaven......seen them in San Diego for like 60 dollars I paid 10. I high recommended this place for authentic Mexican pots and wind chimes you just need to know your paying high prices but then you don't need a passport or a 4 hr wait in the line to come back to the U. S. side. read more

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One of my favorite places to go love the Talavera planters they are amazing .highly recommend read more

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I had been looking for a strawberry planter for a while and finally found the perfect one here! The courtyard is filled with beautiful pottery at great prices. Be sure to check out the shop inside. It's full of smaller treasures that would make perfect gifts. The staff was great and they said that the store is super dog friendly. I'll definitely be back. read more

El Centro Artesano - Check out my strawberry planter from El Centro Artesano! I filled it with my cacti and succulents that had outgrown their nursery pots. - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is great they have such great variety of different pots windchimes and cool other home and yard decor definitely recommend them read more

El Centro Artesano - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

My favorite store in all of Old Town. I have to browse around every time. Lots of selection and treasures abound! I especially love the garden pots and décor, prices are really quite decent. I've purchased quite a few things over the years and adore every one of them! Whether you are looking for something for your patio, garden, man cave, kitchen or a gift, there is something for everyone here. It's like a little slice of touristy Mexico on this side of the border. CHEERS!! read more

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El Artesano he such a cool place in old town San Diego. They have metal sculptures, planters, stone benches, pario sculptures and fountains and stuff to hang on your guarden. And this is only on the outside part, they also have an inside building where you can find your more souvenir type items like jewelry, purses, handmade ponchos, and little knickknacks. What I loved the most were a collection of little skull figurines that were dressed in different outfits and represented different animals. As you can see from my pictures they have a ton of them, and I didn't even photograph the tip of the iceberg. I bought a couple and I wish I would've been able to buy more but unfortunately I travel very light and that doesn't leave me a lot of space to bring souvenirs back home. All in all this is one of the coolest places in the whole area. read more

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This is a fun shop. Lots of neat gadgets and art for outdoor decor if you are looking for that sort of thing. I ended up buying 8 mini succulent plants for our $1.50 each. Very good quality too! read more

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I came here on a whim looking for a pot that matched two other smaller ones I picked up in the area. I found one that I thought was a good match and was treated with excellent service. Unfortunately, that pot broke months later while we were in the process of moving across the country. We immediately returned to this location to find a replica of the one that I had lost, but this one was sold out. I talked to the owner and he was very receptive to my concerns. He offered putting some other pots aside for me if I was considering a different one. I happened to see a larger pot that I had my eyes on before and I knew I had to get it. The owner extended a discount as a courtesy after the incident with the first pot, which was not expected, but so appreciated. I absolutely love my new pot and can't wait to put it on our front porch in our next home. I also feel I should mention this particular location is full of other interesting pieces. If I was stationed in the area, I would come here all the time to decorate my outdoor spaces. Feeling very blessed for the hospitality today. Thank you! read more

El Centro Artesano - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

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I love this store and loved coming here over the years. The main attraction, for me anyway, is the variety of large scale chimes in different tones (baritone, alto, etc.)- I can listen to the sounds of these chimes all day long and even at the same time, too. My aspiration is to purchase one of these that cost over $100 but under $200 (yeah right, my husband would quickly object). Yes, there are some that even go up to nearly $600! My in-law's have them. I want them!!! I have some small ones and they are nice but I've lost a lot of the cheap ones since the wind blows mighty hard in LV (you wouldn't know it if you weren't a resident). Anyway, also featured here are the garden statues, some painted, some grey- mostly located in the courtyard, minerals, geodes, trinkets, souvenirs, keychains, other decor for the garden, hangings, etc. This is a large store. It's quite popular too. Lots of fun to browse here. We always stop here on every trip to Old Town, SD. We found some shell themed glass decor (yes, to complete our living room makeover, we're almost done, just need some paint) and a cute guatemala-made heart shaped keychain in bright colored striped fabric- you've probably seen the striped fabric before). read more

This place is enchanted. So many cute things for gardens and patios. Prices are also good.

Wide selection of chimes and yard decor. Careful when they ring you up. They overcharged me, then argued that the price on the price tag was wrong: that they had increased their prices but hadn't gotten around to updating the price tags in the store yet. As other reviewers mentioned, the store is all Made In China stuff in a vaguely Southwestern/Andean/Ocean/country kitsch theme. read more

El Centro Artesano is a store in Old Town that's been around for years. It's both indoor and outdoor, and it's chock full of wind chimes, some cheap looking, others nicer in quality, all of which are inexpensive. The chimes are EVERYWHERE. Floor to ceiling, wall to wall chimes. All chimes. It's a chime fiesta, a ChimEsta if you will. And I will. God help you if you walk in whilst the wind rustles the myriad mechanisms of the mobile melody machines. Then the complete cacophony created by the constantly crashing crafts could cause complete craziness. All alliteration aside, I have fond memories of this place, particularly because of my pleasant memories of wandering this open space with my mom and grandmother when visiting. However, one very important caveat: It is very, very difficult to walk through a store effing full of chimes when you have an afro. I was screwed the minute I walked in today. Damn chimes. read more

El Centro Artesano - Chimes! - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

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Wind chimes galore!!! Love the sound of the various wind chimes types as you walk through this incredibly-packed store. First, you enter through the courtyard for garden varieties, and then continue inside the store for, what else, more wind chimes and other little accessories. Fun shop to peruse~ read more

In addition to painted and unpainted clay pottery, this place is filled with "yard art" - windmills, wind chimes, sculptures, and more. This is the kind of place that you hope your wacky neighbor doesn't visit. Is this really how the 19th Century Californios decorated their outdoor areas? Surely not. It is, however, worth a visit to see the bright colors and weird and wacky designs even if you won't ever buy anything. read more

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I've been coming here since I was a kid. The prices are reasonable, some small items are overpriced and large ones underpriced. There's a very large selection, from tourist knickknacks to traditional(?) Mexican pottery and art (tall people, prepare to dodge a lot of wind chimes). You'll find something that suits your taste whether you're kitschy or classy. If you're a stickler for authenticity, check the tags, most items are from Mexico but there are some from China and elsewhere in the mix. I needed a last-minute gift and was excited to find a beautiful, ethically made wall hanging for a very decent price. Very pleased with the customer service, the blonde staff member with dreadlocks jumped up with a smile to help me when I asked for assistance. I was also happy to see that the gentleman who does pottery wheel demonstrations has been going strong for so many years. He works at a booth just inside the entrance where there's standing room and a bench to sit and watch. He frequently gives his completed works -- sombreros and small pots made of unfired clay -- to viewers, especially kids, he'll even write your name on. Overall, worth a visit. There's so much to see even if you're not dropping cash, and a visit to Old Town wouldn't be complete without it. read more

Nice selection of pots and tourist nicknacks, but customer service is horrible--oh wait, none existent! I bought a large pot, 15" or so and fairly heavy. No offers to help carry it and it had to be carried across the entire store twice. There were employees around the yard straightening the nicknacks! I'm a healthy 75 year old, I can take care of myself, but help with the heavy pot would certainly have been appreciated. Oh yes, I'm not a tourist. I'm a 50 year resident of San Diego and I'll be shopping...somewhere else! read more

This is a wonderful place. Great people! Great time! If you come here you know you will be taken care of.

I love the selection here! I remember my first visit when I fell in love with the giant metal peacock yard art statues and got sucked in to admiring all of the windmills and other yard knick knacks. Recently it was my mom's birthday and being the garden lover she is requested some kind of outside accessory. El Centro Artesano was the first place to come to my mind! I ended up finding some beautiful hand painted in Mexico stackable potting bowls in a set of three for only $21! I was very pleased with my findings and even more so that they accepted credit cards! And the best part, my mom loved her gifts! read more

El Centro Artesano - Pottery, hand painted pottery. - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

This place had so many small Trinkets, Pots, Wind Chimes , and more . I could not figure out the reason they had so many different kind of Trinkets. It was nice to browse around it wasn't for us but it might be for you . This store was typical of all the stores in Old Town San Diego . read more

El Centro Artesano - The outside Pottery and Wind Chimes - Home Decor Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been disappointed to discover that a lot of the traditional looking Mexican pottery around the Bazaar Del Mundo is actually made in China. WTF?! CHINA?! Sheesh. C'mon people. It's not like Mexico is that far away that you have to order inventory from China! This is why it's a wonderful surprise to find beautiful pottery and windchimes and other things that are actually MADE IN MEXICO! El Centro Artesano has an awesome selection of authentic pieces imported from Mexico as well as handmade pots and crafts made on the premises! My wife was able to find a beautiful pot for her cactus garden and I got to watch one of the resident artisans spin some pots while I waited for her to look around. This place is a class act with some great merchandise! read more

I collect Mexican pottery and I love this place. I live in the northwest and it's fun to come to Old Town and find clay suns, clay pots, etc. Stuff that isn't as available where I live. Definitely go on a Sunday when the gentleman makes clay pottery in front of you and you can buy it just for a tip. I gave him $5.00 and he seemed shocked! (I feel bad if people don't give him what he deserves to sit there and make a terra cotta pot, by hand, for you!) He was so sweet and I ended up buying 3 things from him. I've bought numerous terra cotta suns from this place. I would love to buy the set of 3 Mexican painted (tourist pottery type stuff) pots for $18.00, but, can't figure out how to get it home and they don't ship. Some of the stuff is cheap looking, but, I am not there for that stuff. I enjoy the variety of Mexican suns I can get for my home. Nice, cheap souvenirs! read more

Good place to get some momentos of San Diego. Prices are a bit high, but you're supporting their location efforts. Not a lot of staff to help, but over all a fun place with a HUGE variety of odds and ends. read more