I love this store! Bluegrass Island Trading in Manteo, NC rocks! They have the coolest T-shirts in…read moretown. I love how friendly the staff is every time I walk in. There is a really fun history exhibit inside for us history buffs. They have everything from snacks to memorable takeaways. They have information about upcoming events and music festivals! Prices are decent. I look forward to coming back and getting more gifts for friends and family!

BLUF: Unique and nostalgic gift shop that plays off of local history in the area…read more I feel like Bluegrass Island Trading Company has been in business for a long time so I am surprised it's not on Yelp. I love this store so I wish I had taken more photos so the people of the Webernet could see what a neat vibe it has and be sure to stop in. Immediately upon walking into this unique and quaint gift shop, you feel like you have been transported somewhere else with a magical story to tell. We enjoyed looking at classic National Park-esque shirts from Woodsy Owl with slogans like, "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute," Sasquatch-brand soaps, gifty food items, and novelty drinks. Also, I loved the moonshine merchandise and that they had a really nice exhibit on Buffalo City right in the store. Having studied the history of Dare County a bit, I was somewhat familiar with Buffalo City being known for logging but I didn't realize that where all of the moonshine magic happen was just about 20 miles away. We visited nearing closing time so I didn't want to be too thorough in my perusing by now I wish I had spent more time in this chill store. Neat place with neat stuff and a neat story to tell.

I love the store and am a huge fan of the products she has, yes they are pricey but the quality and…read morestyle never goes out of style!

Such a gem if you are looking forward hard to find luxury. Highly recommend! Ridiculous amounts of…read moreFrank and Eileen and fun French Finds!

Bottom Line: There are many small businesses in Manteo and souvenir shops in OBX that earn their…read morecustomer's business but this is not one of them. Roanoke Marshes Trading has customer service equivalent to a vending machine. Instead of interacting with customers, the store has decided to just post handwritten signs about everything, everywhere. I can't really think of a more obvious and potent way to passively, aggressively insult customers than to scotch tape handwritten signs to everything. Don't do this. Don't do that. Don't touch. etc. I was in this store for about 15 minutes on a weekday and although I was one of only three customers, no one even said hello to me. I enjoyed my slow stroll through the store checking out the merchandise and marveling at all of the off-putting signs. Having worked in retail in a bustling touristy town, I know first hand that customers can present challenges (minimally supervised kids, dripping ice cream cones, etc.) but rather than post signs all over the store I know that it's better to directly and kindly approach a customer with a smile, give them great service and influence their behavior so it's desirable. Roanoke Trading does have some nice brands and decent stuff so it's too bad they've cheapened the experience by all of their signs. I left the store empty handed but I have some great ideas on writing a business management case study.

Would give less stars if possible. Not a very pleasant atmosphere. Very crowded as far as walking…read morespace vs merchandise. The layout isn't very accommodating. We went here as a family on vacation. We all carry cash on vacations as to not run up credit card debt. My 9yr old son wanted to purchase 2 outer banks stickers for his bicycle with his own money that he has saved up for vacation. Mind you that he pondered this decision for quite a while as he is very careful about what he spends his money on. These stickers came up to about $14 together before tax. He only had a $50 bill. His entire vacation savings. The store wouldn't sell him the stickers when he got to the counter and said they don't take any bills over $20. (Kind of strange since a lot of their inventory is over $20). None of us had bills under $50 for him to borrow and as I said, we carry cash on vacations. In the end, he had to leave without being able to make the purchase that he was hoping for with the money that he has saved up for months for vacation. He was very upset. This was late in the day. I would think that the store would have tried to make an exception for a young child trying to buy something with his own money. I am sure they were able to make the change by this point in the day. In the end, I would suggest you shop elsewhere. Somewhere that puts effort into customer service. It is experiences like this, that make people choose to shop online. If there is no customer service, than what is the point. It is more convenient and easier to shop online. More brick and mortar stores are going to the wayside and this is why.

I always shop here on my annual OBX vacation. There is such a vast selection and I never leave…read morewithout a bagful.

Bottom Line: Cotton linens, clothing, home decor, women's accessories and other goodies fill this…read morelocation to the gills. Funny enough my husband wanted to go to The Cotton Gin to shop for Vineyard Vines clothing. I had planned to sit the shopping trip out but next thing I know I'm checking out at Cotton Gin with a new puzzle, bracelet, Christmas ornament, candy and bag. Just when I didn't think I needed anything I managed to find a variety of things at Cotton Gin. As indicated by this anecdote, The Cotton Gin sells a variety of stuff and it's fun to wander through the various rooms of the two level store. Although I most commonly come away with beachy souvenirs it is worth noting that they have high end cotton products like towels, quilts, and such. The Cotton Gin has various locations and the Nags Head store is located at the 14 Mile Post across from the Outer Banks Mall.

Bottom Line: Shells, driftwood and beach inspired decor and jewelry…read more What I really like about Shipwreck is the scenic causeway location overlooking the sound and the very friendly employees. I also think the name is very cute. Shipwreck is an Outer Banks staple that has been in business for decades. They have tons of sea shells and driftwood. They also have jewelry, ornaments, home decor and toys all inspired by the Outer Banks. For those looking for hermit crabs, they have those too! For vacationers wanting a great beach souvenir shopping experience, Shipwreck is a good place to check out!

Sweet ladies, great artful finds. Some large coral and shells are pricey, but good and rare finds!read more

My family had come here before I got to the area. But out for a day of exploring I wanted to check…read moreit out since they said some nice things about the space. This store takes up space in the Outlets of Nags Head. Which is good for the plaza. Think of this as a high end souvenir shop. A lot of beautiful things that you can take home to decorate your place. It almost feels like a library in here. It is quite, bright, and every shelf or table is full of items to browse. A lot of things that look desirable. So many things that you can take a lot of day looking through it all. I came in and looked all around, I went straight to the magnets to add to my collection. My nieces and nephew went straight for the shells. All nice and clean, ready to pick through. They also have this section where they have mini books, which they loved. Walked out of here with many little things, most of which are on the fridge at home. Great place to browse and grab.

Loved this little shop! I found so many cute items and the prices and quality were great!read more

Bottom Line: Small shop with seashells and Wanchese apparel…read more This shop looks so fun and beachy from the outside and I have been curious about it for years. I recently finally stepped in to do a little exploring this August. The retail store has shells, more shells, driftwood, nautical home decor, some jewelry, small gifts and Wanchese apparel. By Wanchese apparel I mean t-shirts and such paying homage to the charming fishing village. I was expecting local shells but it seems a lot of them were from overseas. Everything was so nicely labeled with the type of shell and the origin - I really appreciate those details. The retail store is just a small portion of their building as I believe the core of their business is being a wholesaler. The business participates in various trade shows throughout the year and retailers can sign up for wholesale accounts. Overall this was a neat stop in the quaint village of Wanchese.

This place is a hidden gem. We drove past and I saw the big rope door mats. Came back Saturday and…read moremet the owner in the parking lot. Wish I'd asked her name. They were fixing the roof so she offered to take us in the back way. They wholesale shells and stuff, amazing selection. The retail side had great stuff at very reasonable prices, ended up getting way more than just the door mat. Had a great time.

Lovely jewelry... fine and fun! Great gifts with beach decor for yourself and friends. Wonderful…read morestaff that is very helpful!

Lots of cute mass produced items. Loads of jewelry- great selection of larimar. If you are…read morelooking for typical but nice beach decor or souvenirs this is a great spot.

This was such a cute fun place to look around at. I found so much stuff I loved, and the staff were…read moresuper sweet and helpful.

A treasure on the island. They have so many unique items. Staff is helpful and friendly. There is…read moresomething for everyone if you are looking for a little reminder of your time in OBX!

Beautiful array of coastal home decor, linens, houseware/kitchen and jewelry from local artists and…read moresources. Special unique items for your home or to buy as gifts. The staff was attentive and so friendly. If you are visiting the Outer Banks plan a stop at the store. You are guaranteed to find something special.

Bottom Line: A beautiful display of quality and tasteful housewares and gifts…read more The Cottage Shop in the Outer Banks Mall is definitely one of my favorite stores in the area! The Cottage Shop is a fairly large store consisting of tasteful home decor and gifts. Many items are beach themed but there is plenty of cool and cute stuff for (in)land lovers too. Here are the types of things you can expect to find at The Cottage Shop: - linens like tea towels, hook rugs and bedspreads - home decor like candles, artwork and Fiestaware - scarves, flip flops and jewelry - drinkware like Tervis, Yeti and decorative wine glasses - Christmas ornaments - stuffed animals and toys for little ones - greeting cards You can also expect a friendly staff! This is a great place to get a gift for someone else or yourself!