The Catholic bookstore void in Fredericksburg was filled Sept. 12 with the soft opening of Rex Rappahannock, a family-owned store of religious books and gifts. Co-owner Heather Gardner, a parishioner of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg, hopes the store will fill the gap left by Christ the King bookstore, which closed two years ago because of the pandemic, Gardner said. Locals saw the closure as a blow to the Catholic community. Shoppers had to order gifts online or drive more than an hour to buy a confirmation card.
Rex Rappahannock is located at 311 Frederick St. in the historic Purnia Mill tower warehouse building, which was renovated in 2019. The tall white-and-red-checkered tower has been a beloved Fredericksburg landmark for years.
Gardner was first approached to open a bookstore by Garrett Green, owner of Green Fitness, also located in the Purina building.
“He had been trying to talk me into this for years and when these two rooms became available this year he said, ‘Heather, this is it,’ ” said Gardner. “We decided to finally take the plunge. It is definitely a labor of love.”
They chose the name Rex, which means king, and Rappahannock, after Fredericksburg’s nearby Rappahannock River.
“We wanted to make sure we were grounded in the community,” said Gardner.
Gardner hopes they have their sea-legs by the grand opening event Oct. 7, and that most of their shipments come in so they have fully stocked shelves.
Their shelves are by no means bare. Guests from surrounding parishes have checked out the store and perused the books on catechetics. Young children can access a healthy selection of age-appropriate literature.
“I was a librarian in a former life and we homeschooled all of our children so we definitely want to try and support the Catholic community around here,” said Gardner. “We have a lot of books that explain the various cultural issues families are faced with today, how to explain it to your younger and older children, and the theological teachings behind it for yourself. We have a lot of that.”
In addition to books, the store has tables designated for liturgical season items. There are products made by religious orders such as creamed honey from Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville and Mystic Monks coffee. The back wall is covered with square cubbies filled with colorful t-shirts with Gardner’s custom designs. One of her favorites has a picture of St. Josemaria Escriva with the quote, “Reading has made many saints.”
The new owners hope to be a resource for local Catholic artisans who want to sell their wares in a brick and mortar location. The checkout counter already has dozens of beautiful rosaries on display made by another St. Mary parishioner, Ruth Tucker, owner of Loreto Rosaries.
“The Fredericksburg downtown community has been very welcoming,” said Gardner. “We have had a lot of neighbors who have come by to welcome us and help. They are just so happy to see another business. This area had been doing a revitalization, turning the old warehouse buildings into apartments. It’s been great to see. We have such a thriving Catholic community. Everyone has been very excited and it’s nice to be part of that.”
Kassock is a freelancer in Fredericksburg.
