The Latitudes Legacy Carries On
Written by Kaitlin Hill | Photos by Callie Broaddus
When asked about the origin of Latitudes Fair Trade, owner Lee Owsley laughs, “It does go way far back.” Owsley and her husband, Terry, opened their initial location in Warrenton as a pop-up 14 years ago, but the inspiration behind the shop tracks back even further.
“It goes back to when I was teaching and I got a grant to do a Spanish immersion — two weeks in Guatemala. While there, I took a weaving class with a co-op of Mayan women.” She continues, “On the way home, I realized that I had bought some of their products to give as gifts, but that they needed a much better market platform… Wouldn’t it be cool to have a store on Main Street and sell their things and things from around the world?”
Inspiration came from Uganda, too. Owsley remembers, “A friend who was a missionary in Uganda would send me the jewelry that the women made. I would sell it at church yard sales and send her back the money. My thought was I could fill a shop with things from Uganda and Guatemala.”
She admits, “But I knew nothing about running an actual store.”
Inexperience in retail didn’t dissuade her. In addition to learning the ins and outs of a point-of-sale system, she took an introductory class with the Small Business Association. “They were really helpful,” Owsley notes, adding, “I did online tutorials and I interviewed people from other stores. I did a fair amount of research before actually diving in.”
“There is a very big push to be eco-conscious.” –Owsley
But beyond standard practices, Owsley went a step further. “There is an organization called the Fair Trade Federation, where [businesses] go through a rigorous set of checks before they can become members.” Once approved as a member, they’re expected to comply with the nine principles of fair-trade businesses. “Having safe and empowering working conditions, ensuring the rights of children, cultivating environmental stewardship,” Owsley lists as examples. “There is a very big push to be eco-conscious.”
Protecting cultural, racial, and ethnic identity when sourcing inventory is part of the requirement too, while encouraging the creation of items that will perform in the shop. Owsley explains, “The idea is to help people make things that will sell on an ongoing basis. They need to make things that [consumers] want to buy, but it still needs to reflect the cultural identity of the people that are making it.”
From an early start in Guatemala and Uganda, the inventory available at Latitudes Fair Trade now represents 40 different countries and roughly 90 different groups of artisans across three locations: Warrenton, Staunton, and Fredericksburg. In addition to the one-of-a-kind quality of items like capiz shell wind chimes from Bali, lotus blossom coasters from India, or coconut stud earrings from Ghana, purchases made at Latitudes uniquely empower marginalized communities and especially women. “There are so many instances of how it’s helped women. If women can be seen as producing income, it can really raise her esteem in the eyes of her husband or the community. It gives women peer models for authority and decision-making,” Owsley shares. She notes that many women who start as workers end up as group leaders.
Owsley believes the benefit extends to her local community, as well. “What’s good for the world is good for us — a rising tide raises all boats,” she says. “Even though the products aren’t made in the United States, [that] doesn’t mean it isn’t ultimately good for people who live in the United States… We’re a small business, a family-run business, and we give a lot back to our community.”
Owsley acknowledges that fair-trade products can’t cover all consumer needs, but encourages shoppers to make small adjustments to their buying habits where they can. “If people shift a little bit of their shopping to fair trade, it goes a long way.”
“Everything has been running smoothly for 14 years now.” –Neale
A small shift is happening at Latitudes, too. On July 1, Kelsey Neale, Owsley’s daughter and the store’s manager, will take over the Warrenton location from Owsley full time. Her other daughter runs the Staunton outpost, and family friends own the Fredericksburg spot. Of any potential changes to the shop, Neale says, “I’m sure organic changes will happen because we are all different, but I don’t have any big changes to make.” She continues, “Everything has been running smoothly for 14 years now. We’ll change with the times and the trends, but I don’t plan on changing something that is working well.”
As for Owsley’s plans? “I’m up to seven grandchildren now, so I am hoping I’ll get to be more available to them.” She adds, “I like to sew, to do art quilts, so I am hoping to spend more consistent, focused time on that. And my husband and I really like to travel. We’ve gone on 13 trips to visit our artisan groups for the store, but now we can travel just for pleasure.” ML
Published in the April 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.