Strip Mall Churches

A picture blog celebrating churches found in strip malls


Trinity Christian Center

Trinity Christian Center

My sister alerted me to this church in the closest strip mall to my mom’s house.  Then I got a phone call from a friend who’s mom and sister had also noticed this place.  It’s tucked away in the corner next to this small supermarket called Food Fair that my mom never shopped at.  There is a salon and pet grooming place as well.

Somehow the picture makes me wonder what strip mall heaven must be like. It’s something about the trees. I imagine an infinite parking lot with infinite strip mall stores and God and a lot of fluffy clouds.  What does strip mall heaven look like to you?


SonRise Community Fellowship

RIP Galaxy 8. Yes, this place used to be a movie theater. The last movie that I saw here was Sleepy Hollow.  I remember coming here and cutting high school to watch movies. I saw Beavis and Butthead Do America and Pulp Fiction at midnight and the Star Wars re-releases with all the new and unnecessary scenes. Then a bigger movie theater moved into town and we got this. It was the first strip mall church that I ever really noticed.  How could I not?!?  I am sure there were plenty around before that, but this place is ginormous.

Anyways, in the same plaza it’s got an Enterprise Rent-a-Car and an insurance place and a bicycle shop and a place called Fuji Massage which may or may not have happy endings.  Sadly, there was no happy ending for this movie theater.


United Methodist Center

United Methodist Center

Alright, so it might be a little soon to be including buildings that are not strip mall churches on a site dedicated to strip mall churches.  Still, the United Methodist Center’s corporate looking headquarters fit in well with the theme of the site.  Though to be fair, this place had a fairly traditional looking church next door.


Canyon View Christian Fellowship

Canyon View Christian Fellowship

This place in San Diego was a favorite. A giant sign so you don’t get lost with all your post church going needs. A hair salon nearby. Domino’s right next door. Jack in the Box in the same shopping plaza. Kindly located near a vet so you can say a prayer for Fluffy or Mittens. And if you get to church early, you get primo parking.


St. John Lutheran Church

St. John Lutheran Church

This was the second strip mall church that was in the same shopping plaza as The Father’s House.  Why two strip mall churches in one strip mall?  There are many answers.  For me, the likely answer has something to do with the pho restaurant that is located about 30 steps closer to this one. Pho is delicious!