Outer Banks Articles & Shorts - Cotton Gin

If you’re like a lot of people – like hundreds of thousands of people – you love the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You might consider us presumptuous drawing this conclusion so quickly, and we would agree with you . . . except for the fact that we’re right. You love the Outer Banks beaches, the Outer Banks water sports, the Outer Banks towns, Outer Banks shops, the Outer Banks events and Outer Banks activities . . . everything about this place (you wouldn’t be on this site if you didn’t). We do too. And, lucky for you, we also love writing about the Outer Banks. Locals and visitors alike value our Outer Banks information.

Our local writers tell you how to negotiate dining out if you have a big crowd. We show you, step by step, how to pick a crab. We’ve written articles highlighting Corolla and the Currituck Outer Banks or about charming Manteo on Roanoke Island or telling you the mysteries of Ocracoke Island. We cover the events happening on the Outer Banks – and, boy, are there a lot of them to cover! Outer Banks activities, everything from water sports to walking tours to lighthouse tours to birdwatching trips, are focal points. Businesses, rituals and legends local to the Outer Banks are detailed in our articles. You’ll find out how that restaurant got its name or the modest beginning of that now-booming business. We give you insider Outer Banks information about staying safe in the ocean, how to navigate those pesky turn lanes, which restaurants to check out for the best Southern cuisine in the area and resorts’ present and future aspirations. Our Outer Banks articles are good reading. You’ll feel like a local with all the knowledge you’re sure to collect! And we’re adding to them all the time. Click on in to learn about the Outer Banks from the locals' side!

 

Looking Forward with a Decades-Old Outer Banks Establishment

By Hannah Lee Leidy
For more than 60 years, the Cotton Gin has been an Outer Banks icon. Shoppers of every generation love it for the general store eclecticism and the treasure trove of goodies brimming in every room. For the locals and vacationers journeying from the west, the bright red, farmstead shop in Jarvisburg offers a majestic... Read More

Retail Into Recreation: A Revolutionized Shopping Experience

By Hannah Lee Leidy
A shopping trip often means hopping between shops, malls and even web pages to find clothes, beachwear, accessories, home decor, books and more. But imagine taking care of it all with time still for a wine tasting, a vineyard stroll, a hang glider ride and the chance to unwind afterward in the company of musicians and... Read More

The Cotton Gin: Destination Recreation

By Hannah Lee Leidy
We live in a world where the convenience of online shopping and ever-evolving trends in merchandise pose an obstacle to brick-and-mortar stores. Driving to a shop, wandering through an emporium of themed rooms and delighting in their novel items is that classic concept we’ve long associated with shopping. It’s the... Read More

Shop, Sip, Stretch and Soar

By Hannah Lee Leidy
The Cotton Gin was established in the 1960s as an Outer Banks shopping oasis. In recent years, though, it’s becoming equally regarded as a recreation destination. With the return of warm weather and long daylight hours, The Cotton Gin and Sanctuary Vineyards furnish a bounty of outdoor activities that capture the... Read More

Making Priceless Memories at The Cotton Gin

By Hannah Lee Leidy
“Out with the old, in with the new” is a trend often found in the retail world. Nevertheless, each passing year at The Cotton Gin proves that its shoppers can have both. The family-owned business never stops looking for new ways to combine retail, recreation and the surrounding natural resources to create an... Read More