By Dan Murphy
Geraldine O’Hagan, managing owner of Rugg Road Paper Co., stands outside the shop’s soon-to-be former home at 105 Charles St.
Rugg Road Paper Co. is leaving its longtime home at 105 Charles St., at the end of July, but owner Geraldine O’Hagan wants her many loyal customers to know that the beloved neighborhood stationary shop isn’t closing – in fact, it’ll be relocating in mid-August to a much bigger space, just across the street at 130 Charles St.
O’Hagan, who took over as managing owner of Rugg Road in May of 2018, had long had her eye on the new space, which was previously the longtime home to Marika’s Antique Shop, and with her current lease soon set to expire, the move seemed like a natural transition for the business.
Rugg Road opened on Charles Street in April 1994, after relocating from the Brickbottom Artists Building in Somerville. But the business got its start years earlier, however, on its namesake Rugg Road in Allston-Brighton.
The shop’s expanded storefront, which is now undergoing an extensive renovation, will offer additional room for more “high-end products,” said O’Hagan, allowing Rugg Road to provide patrons with an even greater variety.
Within the new space, O’Hagan also aims to replicate the cozy atmosphere of the old store.
“I loved the quaintness of the store when I took over,” said O’Hagan, adding that she wants to recreate the “feel” of the old store within the new space, which, spanning nearly 1,750 square feet across the ground floor and basement, is more than twice its size.
Maureen McGrail, O’Hagan’s 17-year-old daughter who is about to enter her senior year at Thayer Academy in Braintree, will continue be an integral part of Rugg Road in her role as retail assistant.
Though she was only a young child when her mother assumed ownership of the shop, Mauren began pitching in at Rugg Road almost right away, and her role within the business has grown substantially since then, with Maureen now working after school, on weekends, and during vacations.
“Maureen has a lot of ideas for designing the new space and a lot of input on what [products] we take into the new store because of her youthful perspective,” said O’Hagan.
The impending move to 130 Charles St. will also put Rugg Road on the same block (but opposite sides of the street) as O’Hagan’s other retail business, Paws on Charles, a boutique pet supply store at 123 Charles St.
Paws on Charles opened in September of 2021 and was named top-place winner in the category of Best Pet Accessories in Boston Magazine’s annual ‘Best of Boston’ editions for two consecutive years in 2023 and again in ’24.
And although Rugg Road will be absent from Charles Street for about three weeks between the time the shop decamps from 105 Charles St. at the end of this month and when it opens at the new location at 130 Charles St. in mid-August, O’Hagan wants her loyal customers to know how much she appreciates their ongoing and unwavering support.
“The store has had so much community support with the previous owner and since I took over,” said O’Hagan, who looks forwards to soon seeing her loyal customers at Rugg Roaad’s new Charles Street location.
For more on Rugg Road Paper Company, visit ruggroadpaper.com, call 617-742-0002, or email them at [email protected].