Shop with Purpose at Trade Roots — Arlington’s Fair Trade Boutique and Café

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Trade Roots at 5852 Washington Boulevard in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood is one of those rare shops that manages to be genuinely good for the world while also being an exceptionally pleasant place to spend an hour. Founded by lifelong Arlingtonian Lisa Ostroff in 2012, the store is a fair trade boutique and café in equal measure — meaning that every handcrafted item on the shelves, from jewelry and scarves to housewares and clothing, was made by an artisan in a developing country receiving a fair wage for their work. Lisa has personally visited hundreds of workshops over more than a decade, and that direct relationship with makers gives the inventory a depth and authenticity that big-box “world market” stores simply can’t replicate.

The café side of Trade Roots is equally worth the visit: espresso drinks, teas, wine, beer, and freshly made pastries in a cozy, colorful space with indoor and outdoor seating. It’s the kind of place where you stop in for a coffee and leave forty-five minutes later with a gift for someone, a scarf for yourself, and a conversation you didn’t expect. Open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays as well. Browse the collection and find current hours at fairtraderoots.com.