O’Neal’s Dockside II Tackleshop
- 800 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-1111
O’Neal’s offers a huge selection of bait and tackle and rods and reels. Fishing advice is free, and fishing gear is available for rent. O’Neal’s also stocks much-needed camping supplies, boating supplies and beach gear.
Ocracoke Island Trading Co.
- 486 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-7233
Men’s, women’s and some children’s casual clothing is a highlight here. There are T-shirts galore, many name-dropped with “Ocracoke Island,” in sizes ranging from small to size 3X. Sportswear, dresses, shorts and hats are also offered as are gift and souvenir items.
Ocracoke Island Woodworks
- 158 Ocean View Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-7001
Ocracoke Island Woodworks furniture is handcrafted on the island from white cedar with their own wood-burned logo on each piece. Benches, Adirondack chairs and rockers, swings, table sets and many more pieces of classic outdoor furniture are available. You will find samples of their furniture at the True Value hardware store.
Ocracoke Photo
- 201 British Cemetery Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-7000
What better way to preserve your memories of Ocracoke Island than with photos? Professional photographer Mary Haggerty will take beach portraits of your family, senior portraits, family reunions or any other special occasion. For those planning an Ocracoke wedding, she offers five different themed wedding packages that include everything from location fees to flowers in addition to all the photography. At her shop, she offers custom framing, handmade photo albums, photo jewelry and home décor.
Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum Gift Shop
- 49 Water Plant Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-7375
Located inside the OPS museum, this is a good place for those interested in the island’s natural and cultural history. It also stocks a nice selection of books and music relating to Ocracoke, much of it by local authors and musicians. The souvenirs, which include stuff for kids, are affordable, and all proceeds benefit the nonprofit organization. Visit their online shop for those items you wish you had purchased when you were here.
Ocracoke Seafood
- 294 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-5601
Daily our fishermen unload their catch at the harborside docks of Ocracoke Seafood Company, Ocracoke’s only fish house. Adjacent to the docks you will find their market, so look here for the fresh catch of the day plus other North Carolina seafood like shrimp, crabs, tuna, flounder, oysters and clams. Steamed shrimp and raw bar items are sold as are spices, herbs and condiments for preparing a great meal. It’s more than a seafood market; it is also the home of the non-profit Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association whose mission is to preserve their cultural heritage and to protect and ensure the future of our local working fishermen. Be sure to visit the Watermen’s Exhibit at the Community Square dock where the boat trips to Portsmouth Island depart.
Ocracoke Station
- 990 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-4031
This local gas station and convenience store has a great deli (see Restaurants). Hot coffee, beer, wine, ice, soft drinks, candy and snack items, many necessities and groceries are also available as are beach supplies and souvenirs.
Ocracoke Variety Store and True Value Hardware
- 950 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-4911
The Variety Store is a grocery store where you’ll find produce, meats, beer and wine and almost all of your grocery needs. It’s also the place for T-shirts, beach supplies, ice, household items, over-the-counter medicines, gifts and magazines. The front foyer has a bulletin board and racks containing all sorts of local announcements and advertisements. Local menus are posted to the left of the front entrance on a glass-covered bulletin board. Or visit www.outerbanksthisweek.com for up to the minute restaurant specials and community activities and events.
Over the Moon
- 64 British Cemetery Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-3555
This is a fun store, one you’ll want to visit again and again. The gifts and crafts are distinctive. Over the Moon carries several lines of pottery, handbags, blown glass, recycled art, playful home accessories and a good selection of jewelry. The whimsical and inspiring Brian Andreas Story People prints and sculptures are sold here.
Pamlico Gifts
- 486 Lighthouse Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-6561
This shop is an Ocracoke original that’s worth seeking out for the primitive paintings by the genial owner, Elizabeth Parsons. Her artwork is also available on mugs, glasses and T-shirts. CDs of music by her husband, Roy Parsons, are also on sale. Ask her about growing up and life on Ocracoke. The shop stocks shark’s teeth, stained glass, toys and souvenirs. It’s a block toward the water from the lighthouse; follow the path from the road back to the shop.
Pirate’s Chest
- 11 Back Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-4992
We love this old-fashioned, mom-and-pop souvenir shop (not the kind of tacky chain souvenir stores you see in bigger beach areas). In the parking lot is an old boat full of net floats. The variety of merchandise is astounding: T-shirts, shells, gold jewelry, toys and inexpensive trinkets for kids, books, flotsam and jetsam, collectibles and more.
Ride the Wind Surf Shop
- 486 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-6311
Ride the Wind is a complete watersports center offering the gear you need for surfing and kayaking (see Recreation for tour and rental information). The surf shop offers the island’s best selection of swimwear and beach apparel and sunglasses for men and women in all the popular name brands. They also rent and sell surfboards, standup paddleboards and kayaks.
Sea’s Revenge
- 25 Lighthouse Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-4351
The Sea’s Revenge, located in the Island Inn at the intersection of Lighthouse Road and Irvin Garrish Highway, is a full service wine and beer shop. They feature domestic and imported beer with a large selection of North Carolina beers and an impressive collection of wines, including wine made from the co-owner Thomas Storrs’ vineyard. Feel free to sample beer and wine by the glass or stop in to shop for something to carry out. Outdoor seating and free wifi are provided for customers as well.
Secret Garden Gallery
- 72 Back Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-2598
Secret Garden Gallery, in its 20th year on the island, features handcrafted jewelry, much of it designed by co-owner Barbara Hardy, local art work, paintings and drawings by co-owner Bob Ray. Other featured artists’s work is on display including Ed Starnes’s beautiful Ocracoke landscapes. They also have unique pottery, turned wood, photographs and more. This shop is a must see!
Sunflower Center
- 170 Back Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 921-0188
Plan to spend a good chunk of time at the Sunflower Center. The first level is primarily for their large collection of handcrafted jewelry, stained glass, fused glass and woodcraft. Upstairs you’ll find a wide selection of canvasses by local and locally connected artists in a variety of mediums. A special feature of the Sunflower Center is a small herbal pharmacy where one can find homeopathic and herbal treatments as well as a great assortment of vitamins and minerals. Look for the brick garden arches out front.
Teach’s Hole
- 935 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-1718
Enjoy learning about Blackbeard the pirate at this pirate-themed shop and museum. You’ll find all the pirate-related things you can think of including flags, jewelry, T-shirts, maps, books, costumes, toys and all the supplies you’ll need to host a pirate-themed party! There’s also an exhibit (see Attractions) that’s educational for swashbucklers young and old.
The Black Schooner
- 284 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-SAIL
This old island cottage houses a treasure trove of nautical gifts and décor right on the Silver Lake harbor in the heart of Ocracoke village at the Community Square. Treasure seekers can find artwork, ropework, scrimshaw, jewelry, reclaimed sail bags and handcrafted items from the nautical tradition that harkens back to the days of wooden ships and iron men. Here you can find great gifts for sailors, master mariners or anyone who hears the call of the sea.
This shop is also the shore side location of the schooner Windfall II, where you can sign up for sailing trips, purchase Windfall II merchandise and learn about their new sailing school.
The Community Store
- Community Square Shops, 294 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-9956
This harborfront store, in operation since 1918, is a traditional gathering place and a grocery filled with basic items and some organic, vegetarian products not found elsewhere on the island. They also stock beer and fine wines, local jams and jellies as well as drinks, snacks, household goods, pharmaceuticals and film. Although the focus is on the traditional, one can now purchase lottery tickets or rent a golf cart at the Community Store. And if you need some movie entertainment for the night, you can rent DVDs here too. Be sure to stop by to sit on the front porch, visit with islanders and catch a beautiful sunset over Silver Lake.
The Gathering Place
- 587 B Irvin Garrish Highway, Spencer's Market
- Ocracoke
- 252) 928-7180
Located at Spencer’s Market on the corner of School House Road, this inviting shop offers a fine selection of nautical decor, gifts, art and jewelry. For the gentlemen, they feature an elegant line of distinctive handcrafted folding knives and accessories.
The Glass Bead
- 587 Irvin Garrish Highway, Spencer's Market
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-2838
Create your own jewelry at this unique, family-oriented shop. There are thousands of beads for creating necklaces, bracelets, earrings or any other type of bead wear you fancy. They also host workshops to teach beginning beading and wire wrapping. Bring your family—it’s fun and relaxing. This is one of six bead shops on the Outer Banks, and it’s open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, from April through October.
The Ice Cream and Fudge Shop
- 294 Irvin Garrish Highway, Community Square Shops
- Ocracoke
Confections and refreshments abound at the Ice Cream and Fudge Shop. Homemade fudge, dipped ice cream, frozen yogurt, old-fashioned hard candies, sundaes, splits, smoothies, slushies, floats and milkshakes can all be enjoyed from the porch while watching the bustle around the harbor.
The Pagoda
- 274 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
- (252) 902-5058
Now located in the Community Square near the ice cream and fudge shop, The Pagoda features fine tobacco products as well as gifts and souveniers. Owner Ryan offers a selection of fine cigars and a collection of tobacco accessories, homemade candles, soaps, glass jewelry and of course T-shirts. With the waterside location on the harbor, Ryan plans on a smoking deck and wants to cultivate the culture that surrounds fine cigars. This promises to be a class act, so check it out!
The Sunglass Shop “We Fit You Under The Sun”
- 585 Irvin Garrish Highway, Spencer's Market
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-9000
The Sunglass Shop on Ocracoke is the home of more than 2,500 pairs of premium factory-priced sunglasses. In fact, they are now the largest sunglass shop in North Carolina. They feature Maui Jim, Costa Del Mar, Native, Ray Ban, Suncloud, WileyX and other leading brands. Fun and funky is their motto, so expect a wide variety of choices for the whole family including children. The owners are factory trained to provide the best fit at affordable prices.
The Vegetable Man
- 800 Irvin Garrish Highway
- Ocracoke
Most Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer a gentleman from the mainland unloads a truckload of in-season produce near the East Carolina Bank. Besides the fresh fruit and vegetables, you can find local honey, pies, cookies, jams, preserves and other goodies. Many items are kept in coolers; ask if you don’t see something you’re looking for.
Tree Top Studio
- 402 Back Road
- Ocracoke
- (252) 928-9997
Down a meandering sandy lane, Tree Top Studio features only the work of local artists. The gallery is filled with paintings in a variety of mediums, some photography and jewelry as well. It is also a professional picture framing shop catering to many local artists. Look for the big “Open” flag on Back Road. During the summer, they also sell some of the organic produce from their garden.
