Agora Downtown Coffee Shop, owned by sisters MJ Stone and Andi Stone Chitty, is a coffee shop, used bookstore, gift shop, and a tremendous labor of love. Located in one of the oldest buildings in Fredericksburg (built in 1787), and most recently a residence, Agora is described by customers as feeling like a friend’s house that also serves you coffee and delicious homemade treats.
Here’s what you’ll find:
Espresso, coffee, tea, & other drinks
Specialty liquor drinks
Baked goods and sandwiches
Free wifi
Printing Services (color and b&w)
Dog-friendly outdoor seating
Live performances
Local handmade wares by over 90 local entrepreneurs
Used books
Plenty of charging stations/outlets
As teenagers, MJ’s dream was to open a coffee shop and Andi knew she wanted a bakery. Being so young and close in age, we of course did not get along well enough to consider having them combined into one, but we used to joke about having them next door to each other! We grew closer in college and, at the suggestion of our mother to open a coffee shop/bakery downtown, jumped on the idea.
At the time, MJ was finishing her M.S. in Business at Elmira College in Elmira, New York, and Andi was in her last year at Virginia Tech getting her degree in Food Science and Technology. We spent our last year in school having Skype meetings to write our business plan and visiting coffee shops in New York and Virginia to meet with their baristas and owners. Big, grateful shout-out to Collegetown Bagels in Ithaca, NY and Soulful Cup in Corning, NY who sat down with us for hours in 2014 teaching us about running a coffee shop!
Immediately after graduation in 2014, we dove in as a family to find a place, renovate it to rezone it into a commercial space and then into a restaurant, and staff it. As a stubborn “do-it-yourself-er” family of 7, we ended up spending almost eleven months working close to full-time on a tight budget to get the space ready.
Our first day open was May 2nd, 2015. We didn’t have any employees until 5 months in, so while Andi and MJ put in about 120 hours a week each, our two younger sisters and our little brother often helped out behind the bar, our father worked maintenance for us, and our mother took care of the outside landscaping and came in a couple times a week to make sandwiches in the coffee shop’s kitchen for us to sell. With everyone pitching in, it truly became a family-run restaurant.
Since then, we’ve grown a lot in both staff and offerings in the coffee shop. We even roast our own beans, now! With all the hard work put into Agora, it has turned into something incredible that we and many others have fallen in love with. We have wonderful baristas and customers that quickly turn into some of our best friends, delicious high quality baked goods and espresso drinks, and the unique ability to help out the community by representing artists, contributing to community events, and hosting fundraisers for local causes. It has actually become a dream come true.
If you’re reading this because you’re interested in visiting Agora, we hope you stop by and enjoy our labor of love!

Meet Our Team

Andi
Co-Owner, Baker, Barista, Coffee Roaster
Favorite Agora drink right now: Hot Americano, black
Fun Fact: Andi spends her days playing "monster" and reading and writing storybooks for her two young children, in addition to owning Agora.
Been with Agora since: The Beginning
MJ
Co-Owner, Operations Manager, Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Hot Latte
Fun Fact: MJ is a talented pyrographer
Been with Agora since: The Beginning


Kacie
Manager, Senior Barista, Macaron Baker
Favorite Agora drink right now: Lavender Honey Latte with oat milk
Fun Fact: Kacie is a classically trained ballet dancer, but her favorite styles to perform are contemporary and tap
Been with Agora since: May, 2017
Keri
Maintenance Manager, Baker, Senior Barista, Coffee Roaster
Favorite Agora drink right now: Soy Raspberry Matcha Latte
Fun Fact: Keri is currently a student at the University of Mary Washington, studying Computer Science
Been with Agora since: September, 2016


Mary
Floor Manager, Baker, Senior Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Cortado with soy milk
Fun Fact: Mary is covered in tattoos, a few of which she has done herself
Been with Agora since: September, 2018
River
Kitchen Manager, Senior Barista, Baker
Favorite Agora drink right now: Iced Americano
Fun Fact: River used to be an oceanfront lifeguard. He is an avid runner and swimmer and hopes to one day compete in a triathlon
Been with Agora since: November, 2019


Kristy
Baker, Head Roaster
Favorite Agora drink right now: Pumpkin Cinnamon Spice Latte with soy milk
Fun Fact: Kristy is a both a Master Gardener and a Master Food Volunteer
Been with Agora since: The Beginning
Linda
Baker
Favorite Agora drink right now: London Smog
Fun Fact: Linda's favorite thing to bake is pies
Been with Agora since: April, 2019


Brayden
Office Assistant
Favorite Agora drink right now: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Maple Latte
Fun Fact: Brayden is currently learning to be a blacksmith
Been with Agora since: November, 2019
Brandon
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Iced Honey Lavender Latte with oat milk
Fun Fact: Brandon is an artist who loves to work with watercolor and hand lettering. He's also obsessed with thrifting and plants
Been with Agora since: January, 2020


Zarah
Senior Barista, Baker
Favorite Agora drink right now: Salted Honey Bear Latte
Fun Fact: Zarah has sung at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman
Been with Agora since: January, 2020
Madison
Baker
Favorite Agora drink right now: Chili Pepper Mocha
Fun Fact:
Been with Agora since: February, 2020


Jovi
Senior Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Iced London Fog
Fun Fact: Jovi's first tattoo was a little coffee cup that she got while in Greece
Been with Agora since: June, 2021
Cora
Office Assistant
Favorite Agora drink right now: Pumpkin Cinnamon Spice Latte
Fun Fact: Cora loves any and everything to do with mermaids
Been with Agora since: July, 2021


Bridget
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Honey Bear Latte
Fun Fact: Bridget used to dance ballet
Been with Agora since: September, 2021
Sumner
Bookkeeper, Coffee Roaster
Favorite Agora drink right now: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Iced Americano with a long pull
Fun Fact: Some of Sumner's hobbies include knitting and making chainmail
Been with Agora since: November, 2021


Emma
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now:
Fun Fact:
Been with Agora since: December, 2021
Wilson
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Apple Pie Latte
Fun Fact: Wilson has played piano for years, and has performed as a concert pianist
Been with Agora since: October, 2022


Kaitlyn
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Strangely Delicious
Fun Fact:
Been with Agora since: February, 2023
Headshots by KWH Photographs (Kacie), a portrait and lifestyle photographer currently based in Fredericksburg, serving the DMV Metro area region to Richmond and beyond. Also a wonderful Agora barista and Manager!