A Little Magic Beneath Our Feet

Penngrove is a whisper of a town tucked into Northern California. Like any small community, it has its share of challenges; traffic, too little parking, the need for more affordable housing, an overburdened local school, and, perhaps most significantly, water.

It isn't widely known that among the eleven westernmost states, California experiences the most recurring flood events. Here in Sonoma County, we're especially familiar with winter flooding. The creeks and rivers, which weave through the lush countryside that makes our home so beautiful, can become powerful forces when atmospheric rivers arrive and a Pineapple Express rains down upon us.

Our community of roughly 2,000 souls isn't even technically a town. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Penngrove is a Census Designated Place (CDP), nestled between Petaluma and Cotati, about an hour north of San Francisco as the crow flies.

I've often compared Penngrove to Brigadoon. There is something wonderfully ephemeral about it, as though it exists just slightly outside the modern world. Yet it is that very magic, its hospitality, its history, and the people who call it home, that keeps visitors returning time and again.

Many of our buildings are now more than a century old and are part of the Penngrove Historic District. Those of us who choose to build our businesses and our dreams here quickly discover that we are more than owners, we become caretakers.

When we purchased our neglected 115-year-old building in 2022, we had little appreciation for just how much time, labor, and love it would require to restore her. In hindsight, that's probably a blessing. Had we understood the full scope of the journey ahead, we might have hesitated before taking that first step. Instead, blissfully unaware of what lay ahead, we simply kept moving forward.

Each time we complete one project, another quietly introduces itself. Historic buildings have a way of reminding you that stewardship is never truly finished. This year's lesson is our floors.

While our building sits just outside Penngrove's designated floodplain, our neighboring properties do not. During particularly wet winters, the water table rises beneath us. Moisture slowly seeps upward through our old cracked, concrete slab, reminding us that water has remarkable patience. It's a problem we now know can no longer wait.

With another potentially wet winter on the horizon, we've decided it's time to address it properly.

We're incredibly fortunate to have found a local family-owned flooring specialist who shares our appreciation for craftsmanship and historic spaces. They'll be transforming not only our floors but adding a little magic to our walls as well, helping us continue the evolution of the little apothecary we've dreamed about for so many years.

To make that happen, Three Sisters Apothecary will be closed beginning August 15 for approximately ten days while the work is completed.

When our doors reopen, we'd love for you to celebrate with us.

We'll be hosting a Grand Reopening, welcoming both old friends and new with hot cider, fresh cookies, and a freshly transformed space created for everyone who believes that a little everyday magic still exists.

Until then, I'll probably continue having the occasional nightmare inspired by O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the scene where they blow the dam and the town disappears beneath the rising water. In reality, we're simply crossing another milestone in the long journey of caring for this remarkable old building. She has watched over Penngrove for 115 years. We're simply honored to be a part of her story.