Heart and Heritage
Donna Jamison Cave steps into her parents’ shoes to lead one of the region’s most beloved shopping and dining destinations, Peddler’s Village in Lahaska.
“I was born in Doylestown and just love Bucks County,” says Donna Jamison Cave, longtime chair of the board of Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, named CEO in October 2025. “It’s the style that I absolutely love—stone farmhouses and winding roads. Maybe Bucks County influenced my taste, but I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”
For Jamison Cave, who is the daughter of Peddler’s Village founders Earl and Sheila Jamison, helming the iconic Bucks institution is deeply personal.
“It’s our family history,” Jamison Cave says. “Our ancestors have been in Bucks County, I think, since the 1700s, so I think our whole family is really rooted to Bucks County and this is our childhood. We lived across the street and we came to the Village and it was our playground. So it’s important to continue that.
“Listening to my father and my mother [talk] about things, quality was really important to them,” she continues. “And I think the Village reflects that.”
Jamison Cave says she shares the same dedication her parents had when they started Peddler’s Village in 1962. Their vision was to create space that would become a destination for shopping, dining, and enjoying the surroundings, never to be “just a strip mall.”
“The interesting architecture and gardens are what I think made Peddler’s Village unique and special,” she says. “There’s not many places in the United States that look like us anymore.”
Jamison Cave takes special care to acknowledge her mother, Sheila, for the role she played in designing the breathtaking landscape for which Peddler’s Village is renowned.
“She’s the one who started the specimen plants and trees and bushes,” Jamison Cave says. “I always love to give credit to my mom for making the Village green and beautiful.”
To this day, she applauds the top-notch facilities crew for keeping that greenery thriving.
“We have great architecture that makes people feel good when they walk on the property,” she says. “Our facilities crew do such a great job. It’s warm and inviting, so my goal is to continue that.”
Jamison Cave has been local all her life, save a bit of time spent out of state for college, and time working “out west” to get perspective on the professional world outside of the family business.
That said, Peddler’s Village itself offered Jamison Cave ample experience in a variety of fields. Starting at age 12, she worked in every aspect of operations, from maintenance and marketing to retail and design to hospitality as a server and bartender. As CEO, she has come full circle.
“Every day I’m doing something different,” she says. “I think that’s what I like about it the most. There’s nothing like an owner in a business. An owner’s eye is more detailed. What my mother and father started, I want to continue, to keep that aesthetic and cleanliness, and good service and good food. I want to keep the standards up.”
In a world that seems to change faster with each passing day, Jamison Cave sees Peddler’s Village as a respite of sorts, a haven for unique restaurants and purveyors of one-of-a-kind wares.
“I think the main thing that the Village needs to be in this day and age is not cookie-cutter national brands,” she says. “I love that every shop is different. You might find that they’re maybe regional or there’s one 50 miles away, but they’re unique. When I’ve traveled in the past, I find it so boring if you go to a mall, indoor or outdoor, and you see all the exact same stores. I love that here they’re all different.”
Jamison Cave appreciates the experiential aspect of in-person retail—and it’s one she intends to carry on. From the ability to taste test flavored honey at a family-owned shop run by beekeepers to trying on clothes at a boutique, there are more than a few things at Peddler’s Village that just cannot be duplicated in an online transaction.
“You could go to our new store that’s opening at the end of [March], called Bucks Bespokery, and it’s a pen store with inks,” she shares. “We have a handful of artisan stores, [and] we have a lot of nice clothing stores. So I just love that it’s all different.”
Jamison Cave’s parents have passed on, and she is happy to carry the torch. Her hope is that future generations can enjoy the magic of the special place where she got to spend so much time as a child.
Jamison Cave’s parents have passed on, and she is happy to carry the torch. Her hope is that future generations can enjoy the magic of the special place where she got to spend so much time as a child.
“Like my parents, I’m a workaholic,” she says with a laugh. “Just the joy of being able to continue means a lot to the family. I am one of five siblings, and they have always been behind me. I’m just thrilled to continue the legacy that my mother and father started. I feel at home.”
Hear Them Roar
Name an industry—athletics, business, education, the law, medicine, real estate, etc.—and it has been made better by the talents and tenacity of women. From Bucks County to the Main Line, each of the women featured here plays an integral role in supporting her community and inspiring future generations who will one day follow in her footsteps.
Colleen Bell
A seasoned Realtor with deep roots in the sandy soil of South Jersey, particularly the shore points, driven by a love of family and a lifelong desire to make a difference in the lives of others. colleenbellhomes.com
A seasoned Realtor with deep roots in the sandy soil of South Jersey, particularly the shore points, driven by a love of family and a lifelong desire to make a difference in the lives of others. colleenbellhomes.com
Sarah Brophy and Amy Dalessandro
Master colorists and co-owners of Beauty Bond Hair Studio, an education-driven and community-focused salon in Yardley staffed by a team of talented and highly trained stylists. @beautybondhairstudio
Master colorists and co-owners of Beauty Bond Hair Studio, an education-driven and community-focused salon in Yardley staffed by a team of talented and highly trained stylists. @beautybondhairstudio
Susan M. Gibson
Founder of Doylestown-based Gibson Family Law, devoted to helping clients who need expert guidance navigating some of life’s most challenging obstacles, as well as vice president of the Central Bucks School District Board of School Directors. gibsonfamilylaw.com
Founder of Doylestown-based Gibson Family Law, devoted to helping clients who need expert guidance navigating some of life’s most challenging obstacles, as well as vice president of the Central Bucks School District Board of School Directors. gibsonfamilylaw.com
Dr. Sheedeh Madani
Trusted advocate of children and the founder of Bala Kids Dentistry, a well-established and growing pediatric dentistry practice headquartered in Bala Cynwyd. balakidsdentistry.com
Trusted advocate of children and the founder of Bala Kids Dentistry, a well-established and growing pediatric dentistry practice headquartered in Bala Cynwyd. balakidsdentistry.com
Dr. Stephanie Molden
Creator of The Female Pelvic Health Center & MedSpa in Newtown, an elegant, physician-led space where women can address their intimate health concerns and aesthetic goals in an atmosphere of comfort and confidence. fphcenter.com
Creator of The Female Pelvic Health Center & MedSpa in Newtown, an elegant, physician-led space where women can address their intimate health concerns and aesthetic goals in an atmosphere of comfort and confidence. fphcenter.com
Carie Ann Ochsenreither
SERHANT. Realtor whose name has become synonymous with multimillion-dollar listings, market exclusives, and properties of unparalleled refinement on both sides of the Delaware River. serhant.com/agents/carie-ann-ochsenreither
SERHANT. Realtor whose name has become synonymous with multimillion-dollar listings, market exclusives, and properties of unparalleled refinement on both sides of the Delaware River. serhant.com/agents/carie-ann-ochsenreither
Dr. Kathleen Petrucci
A practitioner of chiropractic and integrative functional medicine who has spent nearly 30 years helping patients lead healthier, fuller lives through her Yardley-based practice, Optimal Health Center. myohcenter.com
A practitioner of chiropractic and integrative functional medicine who has spent nearly 30 years helping patients lead healthier, fuller lives through her Yardley-based practice, Optimal Health Center. myohcenter.com
Maureen Reynolds
Luxury home Realtor with SERHANT., who strives to achieve remarkable results for buyers and sellers of luxury real estate in Bucks County and beyond. societeselect.com/agent/maureen-reynolds
Luxury home Realtor with SERHANT., who strives to achieve remarkable results for buyers and sellers of luxury real estate in Bucks County and beyond. societeselect.com/agent/maureen-reynolds
Dr. Miriam Ting
Clinician, educator, and founder of Think Oral Implants & Periodontics, devoted to enhancing patients’ smiles and raising the bar for all practitioners in her field. think-oral-implants-and-periodontics.org
Clinician, educator, and founder of Think Oral Implants & Periodontics, devoted to enhancing patients’ smiles and raising the bar for all practitioners in her field. think-oral-implants-and-periodontics.org
Karen Ann Ulmer
The force behind Karen Ann Ulmer P.C., better known as Ulmerlaw, a firm that has been serving family law clients for more than 25 years, with offices in Langhorne, Doylestown, Jenkintown, and Phoenixville. ulmerlaw.com
The force behind Karen Ann Ulmer P.C., better known as Ulmerlaw, a firm that has been serving family law clients for more than 25 years, with offices in Langhorne, Doylestown, Jenkintown, and Phoenixville. ulmerlaw.com
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, March 2026.
