A nearly 250-year-old home at one of Stafford County’s busiest intersections has found new life as a gathering place for local artisans, coffee lovers, and small businesses.
River & Roots Collective, at 107 Carter Street near the intersection of U.S. Route 1, Route 17 and Route 218 (Butler Road), opened in November 2025. The business is owned by Pam McElvain and her daughter, Kaitlin, who turned a longtime dream into a family venture.
McElvain previously owned a similar shop in upstate New York before returning to Virginia, where she grew up. After years in retail management and helping care for her mother, she and Caitlyn decided the time was right to create a space centered on local makers and community.
“My mom would have loved this shop,” said McElvain, whose mother died last year. “She loved visiting small businesses wherever we traveled, so this is kind of a tribute to her.”
The collective features more than 40 local vendors offering handmade jewelry, candles, home décor, skincare products, gifts, and books by local authors. Young entrepreneurs also have space to showcase their creations, from crochet and candles to 3D-printed items.
Visitors can stop in for coffee, Italian sodas, ice cream, baked goods, and the shop’s signature Dunbar Bars, named after Robert Dunbar, who once owned the historic home.
Beyond shopping, River & Roots hosts book clubs, craft workshops, gardening classes, jewelry-making events, and live music on the front lawn.
McElvain said the business’s name reflects both its setting and its purpose.
“We’re just feet from the river,” she said. “And ‘Roots’ represents family, community, and what you’re connected to.”
River & Roots Collective is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and closed on Mondays.
