Thirty years of care
Arcana celebrates three decades of helping customers explore wellness through thoughtful products, compassionate support, and personalized guidance. Our story continues with the community we serve.
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Arcana Empothecary · Since 1996
A modern apothecary bringing together thoughtful guidance, practitioner-quality products, and a whole-person approach to wellness.
Explore our apothecary
Our Community
Since 1996, we have specialized in practitioner-quality supplements, herbal and homeopathic remedies, essential oils, flower essences, and more.
Our compassionate and knowledgeable staff is here to support you—whether you’re working with a healthcare practitioner or beginning your own wellness journey.
We collaborate with medical doctors, naturopaths, and nutritionists, and offer in-house consultations to help you explore personalized support for your health and vitality.
Meet our practitioners →Our Philosophy
Arcana Empothecary is dedicated to advancing and embodying the principles of holism, with emotional, physical, and spiritual harmony as the core pillars of wellness.
Our name brings together empathy and empowerment with the classic term apothecary.
We believe that empathy and empowerment through education are fundamental building blocks in the healing process.
Mind. Body. Spirit. Wellness.
What Guides Us
Thoughtful choices. Honest guidance.
Listening with care to your unique needs.
Knowledgeable support at every step.
A carefully considered apothecary.
The Arcana Story
Our story began with a small seed in 1996. Begin at our roots and follow our growth upward.
Begin at our roots ↓Arcana celebrates three decades of helping customers explore wellness through thoughtful products, compassionate support, and personalized guidance. Our story continues with the community we serve.
Following more than 25 years of growth, James entrusted Arcana to Michael Masi. A new chapter began, carrying forward the commitment to personal guidance, community, and holistic wellness.
After outgrowing its clinic space, Arcana moved to Carmel Valley. A thoughtfully designed boutique brought color, art, and balance into the experience, while Ben Mattioda joined in a management role to help guide its next chapter.
At the Scripps Center, Arcana adopted the name Empothecary to express its philosophy of empathy and personal empowerment. The practice grew alongside the clinic, serving an expanding community across San Diego and beyond.
James and Arcana were invited to join the newly established Integrative Medicine Department at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, bringing herbal and nutritional expertise into a collaborative clinical setting.
Arcana moved into a naturopathic school in Del Mar and transitioned away from pharmaceutical medications. The move strengthened connections with holistic practitioners and expanded James’s role in herbal and nutritional guidance.
Shortly after arriving in San Diego, pharmacist James Mattioda purchased a neighborhood pharmacy in La Jolla and founded Arcana Herbal and Nutritional Pharmacy with his son Ben and a dedicated team. His vision was a more personal pharmacy experience, introducing customers to broader approaches to wellness.
Follow our growth upward ↑
Our Story Continues With You
Visit our apothecary, explore our products, or connect with a practitioner for personalized guidance. We look forward to being part of your journey.