Category: Updates

The countdown is officially on — Petrichor Bookstore opens in just TWO days, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share this long-awaited moment with you.

Join us for our Grand Opening on Saturday, August 9th from 11 AM to 3 PM at the intersection of Centre & Hastings Street in West Roxbury, MA. We’ll be popping up as part of the Summer on Main Streets series — surrounded by local businesses, good vibes, and the amazing community that makes West Roxbury so special.

The final days leading up to launch have been a beautiful blur — pricing books, organizing journals, tweaking the final layout, and making sure every last detail feels just right. And the truth is, this is only the beginning. Opening weekend kicks off a series of exciting next steps for Petrichor.

Here’s what’s ahead:

• Local pop-ups and collaborations with artists and nonprofits we love.
  
• Ongoing appearances at West Roxbury Main Streets events.
  
• Our semi-permanent weekly location every Sunday @ SoWa Market!
  

Of course, there will be hiccups. Things won’t always go exactly to plan — and that’s okay. What won’t change is our mission. We’re here to build something that lasts. Whether we’re selling new or used books, mugs, bookmarks, vendor merch, or our own Petrichor t-shirts — everything we do is rooted in community.

We are and will always strive to be a community-first business, dedicated to connection, storytelling, and leaving a positive, lasting impact.

To everyone who has supported us so far: Thank you. We are nothing without our community — and this is just the beginning.

We can’t wait to see you Saturday.

With gratitude,

Chris & Mallory Rohrig

Co-Founders, Petrichor Bookstore

The Petrichor Bookstore team has been busy busy busy getting ready for our Grand Opening on August 9th! We’re putting the final touches on our dream and can’t wait to show you all everything we’ve been working on.

A couple of exciting updates for those who’ve been following along:

• We’ve officially finished the build-out of the main truck! Next up: installing and staging our beautiful bookshelves.
  
• With the help of some amazing friends, we’ve labeled all our to-go bags and finished stamping, cutting, and rounding our signature price bookmarks (included with every book!).
  

With just a couple of weeks to go, there’s still plenty left to do – but we’re so close, and so ready to welcome you.

Thanks for all your support. Stay tuned, for now heres a little sneak peek!

I never thought I would start a business. Sure, I always wanted to—the vision was some far-off time when the kids were grown and I was retired—or if I had some random influx of money and was able to drop everything and jump in with no fear, given my huge inherited cash reserves. That being said, I am the first one to call out how unlikely it is that I find myself—that we find ourselves—where we are today.

Our mini truck, “Petrie,” has been painted, inspected, and tuned up. She has four new shoes (tires) to get around in, and construction has started on the enclosure that will allow us to operate as a fully fledged mobile bookstore.

The books have been cleaned, our inventory management system is updated, our pricing is being organized, and the point-of-sale system has been troubleshooted and is ready to go.

All of that signifies the things that got us here, but not the people. Our friends and family, with their unwavering support—special shout-out to our Nana and Papa, and Gramma and Grandpa! They were our first supporters and backed us from the start. Our sisters, and their belief in this crazy idea, and their excited cheers through FaceTime, were a constant source of encouragement as we navigated the kids and their attention spans while discussing the finer details of bookstore management.

Our friends have been here alongside us, cheering us on, providing insight, and keeping us focused on what matters most: our community. 

When we first purchased Petrie, we knew she’d need some work to get ready for prime time. What we didn’t realize was just how impactful a few local garages would be. We wouldn’t be this close to opening our metaphorical doors without the incredible support and hard work of Parkway Gas Automotive Care, Shell Gas on VFW Parkway, and G&M Auto.

We are so grateful to have you all in our lives, and to be along for the ride!

Thank you.

There’s a special place in my heart for a good garage sale. Even better? A whole bunch of garage sales happening on the same day. Even better? A community that creates a map so you can follow along and hit them all!

That’s where we found ourselves this past Sunday—cruising around Roslindale, a neighborhood in Boston—drawing lines through addresses as we tried to make our way to all 26 sales.

At one of these stops, our daughter started climbing on what we assumed was a store-bought climbing structure—maybe from Lakeshore Learning or salvaged from a Montessori school. It was that good. But when we asked the homeowners, we learned something even better: the father of the house had designed and built it himself!

As Mallory and I chatted with the couple, we exchanged a series of those unmistakable glances—the kind that say: “Should we hire this guy to build our mobile bookstore?”

And wouldn’t you know it—Michael, the husband, was immediately on board. After a quick introduction to Petrichor Bookstore, a follow-up on Instagram, and a plan to grab coffee in the coming days, we shook hands and set off to tackle the rest of the day, buzzing with excitement and a brand-new partnership in the works.

Fast-forward just a few days, and Michael has already taken measurements of Petrie, our mini truck, and is in the early stages of drafting a CAD model before construction begins. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the direction this project is taking. Collaborating with neighbors and building community—that’s precisely what Petrichor Bookstore is all about.

We can’t wait to share our progress in the coming weeks—and as always, we can’t wait to see you out there!

There’s something so thrilling about seeing an idea come to life! Transitioning from “Wouldn’t it be cool…” to stacking boxes of books and creating inventory on our kitchen table. That’s where we find ourselves at the moment— custom merch taking shape, and a 1998 Suzuki Mini Truck parked in our driveway, the kids have named “Petrie.” 

Getting Petrichor Bookstore up and running isn’t just about our first event; it’s about the people and conversations along the way: the small, intentional decisions that help to shape and build something meaningful, piece by piece.

1. Choosing Stories That Matter

We’ve started selecting books for our opening collection, which honestly feels a little like curating a mixtape for a friend. Every title is chosen with care—books we love, books we’ve been changed by, books we hope will find the right person at the right moment. There’s no algorithm here—just two people surrounded by piles of books being cleaned, organized, and stacked with a sense of determination and passion.

2. Swag That Feels Like Home

We’ve also begun designing our first round of merch and swag. Coming up with tag lines and branding has been an adventure in and of itself! It’s not about slapping a logo on everything—it’s about creating pieces that feel like a quiet nod to our values—things you’ll want to use.

3. A Bookstore That Moves With You

One of the most exciting parts of this journey is watching the transformation of our mini truck. This isn’t just a vehicle—it’s the bookstore. A place that can show up at community events, farmers markets, or in your neighborhood on a Saturday morning. 

4. More Than a Calendar

We’re starting to map out our first events, and the conversations we’ve had with you—our friends, neighbors, and future customers—are shaping everything. We’re dreaming about pop-up readings, storytelling nights, workshops, and moments of gathering that don’t just fill time but nourish community. 

So here we are: surrounded by cardboard boxes, half-finished to-do lists, and more excitement than we ever thought possible.—

When we first started dreaming up Petrichor Bookstore, I imagined a cozy brick-and-mortar space filled with shelves of thoughtfully chosen books and people lingering over conversations about their latest reads. It was going to be a community spot, a little quiet corner of the world to share stories and ideas. That vision is still very much alive—but it’s evolving in a way I didn’t expect.

A few weeks ago, Mallory and I were catching up with a close friend, Michelle, talking through the challenges and logistics of finding the right space in Boston. Real estate is expensive (no surprise there), and the timelines for permits, renovations, and all the behind-the-scenes pieces were stretching longer than we hoped.

That’s when our friend tossed out a simple question: “What if it wasn’t a traditional store? What if you did a book truck instead?”

I laughed at first. But a mobile bookstore could bring books to people where they are: parks, farmers markets, neighborhood events. We talked about freedom, creativity, and sustainability. I listened. I pushed back. And then I listened more.

And honestly? It’s brilliant.

The more we talked it through, the more it clicked. A mobile bookstore gives us the chance to build community across neighborhoods, to show up with stories where they’re needed most. It’s more flexible, more adaptable, and it opens the door to possibilities we hadn’t considered before—like seasonal pop-ups, collaborations with local artists, and even taking the bookstore on little road trips.

So now we’re in it. We’re designing a mobile version of Petrichor. It’s still going to be rooted in all the things we care about: good books, good conversations, and showing up for people. It’ll just be on wheels.

I’m excited (and a little nervous). But more than anything, I’m grateful—for the people in our lives who help us see things from a new angle, and for Mallory, who never stops dreaming up ways to make things more connected, more meaningful, and more fun.

More soon,

Christopher

I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked up and down Center Street over the past five years. And I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve gazed into storefronts, picturing the perfect spot for Petrichor Books—imagining shelves lined with stories, poetry, and possibility.

We’ve been searching for more than just four walls. We’re looking for a space that feels like it belongs here—somewhere that fits seamlessly into the neighborhood’s daily rhythm. A place that welcomes curiosity, sparks connection, and offers a quiet corner to get lost in a book.

As of today, we’re still searching… but it feels like we’re close.

We’re so excited to find the right home and start filling it with doorways to other worlds, shared stories, and potential connections with each of you.

Thank you for walking this journey with us—we can’t wait to welcome you through our doors.

See you out there.

Petrichor Bookstore is Officially in Bloom

There’s a kind of magic in beginnings—the scent of possibility in the air, not unlike the smell of rain hitting dry earth. That’s where we found the name “Petrichor,” and now, we’re beyond thrilled to share that Petrichor Bookstore is officially sprouting to life.

We’re proud to announce that we’ve officially formed our LLC! It’s a big milestone and the kind of moment that makes you pause, reflect, and then immediately start making to-do lists again. But it’s also a moment worth celebrating. The dream of creating a community-centered bookstore—one that welcomes everyone, champions curiosity, and reflects the diverse voices that shape our world—is beginning to take form.

Our first piece of mail arrived this week, addressed simply to “Petrichor Bookstore.” We won’t lie—it gave us chills. There’s something deeply moving about seeing your vision recognized in ink. This wasn’t just mail. It was a symbol. A seed. A whisper of the future.

Now comes the adventure of finding our space—a place that feels like home the moment you walk through the door. We’re searching for a location in West Roxbury that’s not just retail-ready, but also rooted in accessibility, comfort, and care. Our goal is to create a space where everyone feels invited to stay awhile, explore shelves of thoughtfully curated books, attend meaningful events, and connect with one another.

Thank you for joining us at the start of this journey. Whether you’re a neighbor, a future customer, a fellow book-lover, or just cheering us on from afar—we’re so grateful to have you with us.

Here’s to the first page of many.

With warmth and excitement,

Christopher & Mallory Rohrig

Co-Founders, Petrichor Bookstore