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 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. 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. 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
Favorite Agora drink right now: Hot Americano, black
Fun Fact: Andi is currently working towards becoming a Registered Nurse, in addition to owning Agora
Been with Agora since: The Beginning
MJ
Co-Owner, Operations Manager, Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Mama Rose Latte
Fun Fact: MJ is a talented pyrographer
Been with Agora since: The Beginning
Kacie
Assistant Manager, Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: London Fog with Rosewater
Fun Fact: Kacie has been eel-hunting in a rice paddy in Bali
Been with Agora since: May, 2017
Heather
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Vanilla medium and dark roast Butter Coffee
Fun Fact: Heather is an avid hiker
Been with Agora since: April, 2017
Jen
Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Soy London Fog
Fun Fact: Jen is a proud owner of two pet rats
Been with Agora since: September, 2017
John
Baker, Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Raspberry Coconut Italian Soda
Fun Fact: John will drop anything he is doing to talk to you about Star Wars
Been with Agora since: March, 2018
Kaley
Baker, Barista
Favorite Agora Drink right now: Honeysuckle Matcha Latte with Almond milk
Fun Fact: Snowboarding is her jam
Been with Agora since: May, 2018
Keri
Barista
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
Selene
Baker, Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Strangely Delicious
Fun Fact: Selene is a master juggler
Been with Agora since: April 2017
Richard
Baker, Barista
Favorite Agora drink right now: Strangely Delicious
Fun Fact: Richard can name all 50 states in alphabetical order
Been with Agora since: January, 2018
Headshots by KWH Photographs
Great small business with delicious drinks with fresh ingredients, including liquor, and goods baked in the kitchen. You can sit in the shop, in the kitchen, the library-like back room with games and books, or the quiet outdoor space with occasional live music.
6/17/2017
my new favorite is chili pepper mocha, a great start to an early morning !
10/18/2017
Great place! Great people! Puts Starbucks to shame 😀
5/22/2015
Great smoothies and muffins, super friendly service and as a reader I loved that a bool club had a section reserved where they could get together and chat. The section we set at had a set up to play games or read a book, it would be my hang out spot if I lived more in the area. Still a really great stop along our trip.
6/01/2017
Loved our first visit to Agora! Delicious muffins - *impossible* to choose a favorite! Friendly and welcoming - we'll be back soon!
5/24/2015
I was on travel from Honolulu in the Fredericksburg area, and a local recommended this sweet spot to me. Heaven on Earth! I had a dirty, flirty chai latte (chai latte made with rosewater, added two espresso shots) and a pumpkin cinnamon swirl muffin. Both items were incredible. You've got a real treat here Fredericksburg!
4/14/2016