Outer Banks Shopping

Askins Creek Store is located at the southern end of Avon and open year-round. This general store has a good selection of beach apparel and quality shirts, iconic gifts, local interest books and their registered trademarks like Kinnakeet, Canadian Hole and Kite Point. The car wash and gas pumps are open 24/7. There is free air and a touch-free car wash with undercarriage wash. The self-serve food court offers a coffee, espresso and cappuccino bar. They also have a selection of domestic and international wines and beer, cold drinks, N.C. lottery tickets and fishing licenses. The friendly staff is always ready to help and get you in and out so you can get on with your vacation.

At Billy’s Seafood they stock plenty of fresh, local seafood, so pick some up to prepare your own feast at home tonight. They’re a great stop for local soft-shell crabs in season, and they also have convenience items, seasonings, beer and wine. The fresh, homemade tuna salad they sell here is some of the best you'll find anywhere; buy more than you think you'll need.

Downtown Manteo has several nice women's boutiques, including this fine new one that you'll find just across the street from the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum. This is a must-stop while you're out browsing in Manteo, but it's also a worthy destination when you're seeking high-quality, stylish additions to your wardrobe. Bloom Boutique offers women's clothing for a wide age span (from young teens to the young at heart), jewelry, accessories and gift items as well. You can access the shop from either Sir Walter Raleigh Street or Fernando Street. 

Established in 1984, Buxton Village Books makes its home in a Civil War-era island cottage. Sometime in the 1960s this vintage kitchen house was floated up the shoreside of Pamlico Sound from Hatteras village, hauled up the cart path from Buxton Harbor and placed in its current location along N.C. Highway 12. Owner Gee Gee Rosell has a welcoming smile and great taste in books. Prepare to spend some time browsing, as every room offers more titles than you would imagine finding in a bookstore at the beach. In addition to a surprising number of selections in the young adult and health/awareness sections, look for new releases in fiction and nonfiction along with cookbooks, local interest books, a great selection of Southern and contemporary fiction, mysteries, a well-stocked adventure section with many books recommended by Outside magazine, field guides, unique greeting cards and journals. There is truly something for everyone here. Buxton Village Books offers a great selection in a charming space and has an easy to navigate website so you can shop local when you’re not on Hatteras Island. The shop is open year-round, and the interior has recently been renovated. Ebooks, online ordering and shipping are available.

The Cotton Gin has been a coastal shopping tradition for more than 50 years. The original Cotton Gin has stood in the same location in Jarvisburg since 1929, starting as a working cotton gin and growing into a gift store with four locations. The store's primary location in Jarvisburg currently is being rebuilt following a fire, but there's a Pop-Up location nearby in the meantime. The Cotton Gin's other locations in Corolla, Duck and Nags Head offer visitors the same unique shopping experience that the establishment is known for. You’ll find resort fashion for men and women from fine designers like Vineyard Vines, Southern Tide, Habitat and Simply Southern. Other top accessory designers include Pandora, Vera Bradley and Spartina 449. They also offer home fashions, candles, books, garden accessories and products for the gourmet kitchen. The Cotton Gin stores also sell the wines of their sister business, Sanctuary Vineyards. In-store tastings of their many locally grown wine varieties are available.