Alfred Baron, the owner of Buddha for You, has been a buyer of fine merchandise since the 1950s. He worked for Bullocks, the May company and the Hudson’s Bay Company in Canada.

During his travels around the world, Baron developed an affinity for images and statuary of the Buddha. Upon his retirement, he began traveling to Asia, and his collection outgrew his home. From a table at Kobey’s Swap Meet, the business has grown into a 5,000-square-foot store on El Cajon Boulevard.

For the past four years, Baron and his wife, Lek, have been fulfilling Buddhist temples’ need for statuary. They’ve assisted many temples, both locally and around the country, in acquiring large statues for use in their main Buddha shrines.

Each statue is imbued with symbolism. There are Buddha statues for healing, compassion, good fortune and contemplation. But the collection is not limited to Buddha. Buddha for You’s stock includes handbags, pendants and jewelry, furniture, Tibetan singing bowls, books and gift items. The knowledgeable staff assists customers in finding the statue they want at a price they’ll like.

“The GLBT community is very important to us,” Baron said. “They’re our friends and family. Buddha for You supports the Pride parade, the Gay & Lesbian Times and local politicians who promote diversity, tolerance and equal opportunity.”

Buddha for You is open seven days a week, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.