Gina Elko’s journey from extinguishing fires as part of the Nags Head Fire Department to selling hemp as the owner at House of Hemp OBX is not just a career transition; it’s a narrative of resilience, discovery and empowerment in personal health.
Originally from Maryland, Gina’s firefighting career spanned more than two decades, culminating in her role as captain. But when a knee injury in 2016 led to her early retirement, it prompted her to seek alternative healing methods. The turning point came when she discovered the healing power of CBD during her recovery from double knee replacement surgery. Dissatisfied with conventional pain medications, she turned to CBD to manage inflammation and pain. The results were transformative, enabling her to recover faster and resume her daily activities ahead of schedule.
Driven by her own positive experience with CBD, Gina decided she did not want to keep this knowledge to herself and embarked on a mission to share its benefits with her community. In 2017 she opened House of Hemp OBX, a haven for organic, hemp-based products aimed at promoting health and wellness naturally. Located in Kill Devil Hills, House of Hemp OBX offers a wide range of grown-in-the-USA, organic hemp-derived CBD and THC products.
Central to Gina’s vision is ensuring customer safety and education. For transparency and quality assurance, House of Hemp holds third-party lab reports on all products. The shop offers the largest selection of organic CBD products on the beach to include salves, lotions, soaps, bath bombs and salts, massage oils, patches, tinctures, capsules, honey, coffee, tea, gummies and chocolate.
In addition to CBD offerings, this summer House of Hemp OBX introduces a host of new tasty THC-infused products such as Oreos, peanut butter cups, gummies and chocolate bars. These products, legal at both state and federal levels, cater to customers seeking relief from various ailments including sleep disturbances and chronic pain. And who doesn’t love Oreos?
Gina’s commitment to customer care extends beyond the walls of her shop. House of Hemp OBX now has a brand-new website at houseofhempobx.com, providing customers with easy access to their favorite products and information. This summer the shop is expanding its presence beyond Kill Devil Hills, appearing at Dowdy Park Market on Thursdays, Dare Day in Manteo on June 1 and the Outer Banks Seafood Festival on October 19.
House of Hemp OBX is not only a store, but also a hub of knowledge and empowerment. As whispers about CBD’s therapeutic potential grow louder, Gina and House of Hemp OBX stand at the forefront of this wellness revolution, allowing the community to embrace natural solutions for health and vitality.
“We’d love to help you have a healthy summer,” Gina says.
3105 N. Croatan Highway
MP 5.5, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 255-6420
houseofhempobx.com
About the Author Maggie Miles
Maggie Miles is originally from the Outer Banks. She moved to Palm Springs in 2023 to work as an on-call reporter for the New York Times. Her portfolio includes contributions to The Times, BBC, MSN and many other media outlets. During her career, she has focused on a wide range of topics, including workplace corruption, gun violence, social justice, the environment, arts, health and wellness, travel and in-depth profiles of notable people and businesses.
