Rohrbach’s Baby News is closing

Business has been in Porterville for 46 years

A longtime Porterville merchant will be closing its doors for good at the end of this year, as Leroy and Donna Rohrbach will be transitioning into a new phase of retirement with the closing of Rohrbach’s Card & Gift/baby News.

To show their appreciation to the community for years of loyal patronage, they are announcing a liquidation sale which will begin on Thursday, Oct. 19 and will continue through the end of December.

The sale will include many discounts pending available inventory. The first 200 customers on Thursday will receive a coupon for $10 off of a $50 purchase or $20 off of a $100 purchase, and will also be entered into a raffle for a $100 gift certificate, which will be drawn early December. No purchase is necessary to enter.

For the Rohrbachs, the sale is the final chapter of a journey that began in 1966, when they moved to Porterville from Shafter and opened Smith’s Drugstore with their partners from Shafter Drugstore. In 1971, they expanded their offerings by opening Rohrbach’s Baby News, which introduced a complete line of children’s clothing, educational toys and many other infant items.

In August of 1992, the Rohrbachs sold Smith’s

Drug Store and Rohrbach’s Hallmark Store to Long’s Drug Store and moved the card and gift operation of the business into the then newly designed Rohrbach’s Card & Gift/ Baby News store, immediately north of their old location.

The Rohrbachs had a vision of striving to meet the gift needs of all of their customers. They have provided one of the most unique gift shopping experiences in town by offering customers multiple lines of greeting cards, candles, collectibles, crystals, jewelry and charms, in addition to their line of children’s clothing and infant necessities and items.

In recent years, they have featured a Christmas room offering shoppers ornaments, lights, home decor and Christmas gifts.

They have also provided a valuable resource for community youth by carrying items to meet the needs of 4-H members, and baton and pageant groups.

As they reflect on nearly half a century of doing business in Porterville, the Rohrbachs fondly recall being a part of the memories of many community families by ordering specialty items like little girl’s dresses, baby furniture, jewelry, and collectibles.

Rohrbach’s Card & Gifts/baby News is located at 76 N. D St. For more information on the liquidation event, call 781-4757.