All across the Outer Banks are people doing their best to make a living while still finding time to enjoy this wonderful place they call home. In this edition of Get to Know the Locals, you’ll meet one of them, Katrina Stone of AR Workshop, a DIY franchise in Kill Devil Hills.
Katrina grew up in eastern North Carolina and graduated from Manteo High School in 1997. She went to school for pharmacy and worked in that field until her daughter turned 2 in 2011. After 2020 brought her several life changes, Katrina was looking for something new.
“I found myself looking for a career that would bring me joy and be a positive influence in our community,” she says. “I started doing a lot of research, and Facebook actually hit me with an advertisement for a DIY franchise. I thought it was a great idea that combined my hobby of crafting and provided our community with something to do as well.”
AR Workshop is a haven for DIY projects. With a boutique atmosphere, the studio offers hands-on crafts classes, wine and create nights, group activities, private craft parties, gifts and home decor. You can make chunky knit blankets, personalized wood signs, pillows and home decor of every sort, personalized cornhole boards and so much more. In addition to DIY crafts and activities for adults and kids at any time of day, AR Workshop offers home school activities and summer camps. Katrina and her staff can also create personalized gifts if you don’t have time to come in and make something yourself.
All of this keeps Katrina quite busy, but she finds time for fun too. Keep reading to get to know this Outer Banks local a little better.
How long have you lived on the Outer Banks and how did you end up here?
I have lived between here and Hertford, N.C., most of my life.
What did you do before you were in this business?
I worked in pharmacy, licensed home childcare and at Village Realty.
What motivates you to work hard as the owner of AR Workshop?
I love the people, that is one of the things I enjoyed most about pharmacy as well. Getting to know the people and making a positive impact in our community is what I enjoy.
Katrina Stone and her daughter, Averie, working on a chunky knit blanket at AR Workshop.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
The creativity, the people and actually getting to sit down and create from time to time.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
The business side – especially marketing in a tourist area.
What do you do creatively? Do you have a favorite art medium?
I like creating outside of the box. Resin has been very popular, and we are just starting a candle mixology lab where you can come in and create your own scent and then pour your own candle.
What’s your favorite OBX town or village?
When I was first married, we built a house in Manns Harbor, and I love the sense of community there combined with a little more laid-back atmosphere. However, I grew up in Southern Shores and am now living back in the same house I grew up in. I love having the beach right across the road.
What is your favorite thing about living on the Outer Banks?
The beach and our culture and history
What is your favorite season on the Outer Banks?
Fall
What do you do for fun?
A lot of fishing
Where the magic happens at AR Workshop.
What do you do in the off-season?
I try to enjoy the places that are so busy during the season.
What’s your favorite beach access?
Ocean View Loop in Southern Shores
Describe your perfect day off.
A warm sunny day fishing on the beach with my family and pups – complete with lunch cooked on the grill and staying for the sunset.
Do you see more sunrises or sunsets?
It’s about equal actually, but still not enough of either.
What’s one thing you wish more Outer Banks visitors knew?
I feel like some people complain there is nothing to do here, but there are a ton of hidden gems. I think the biggest part of our charm the natural beauty of the beaches, parks and historical monuments – but if you need something more to do, there’s AR Workshop of course!
Where do you go on vacation?
My most recent vacation was to St. Thomas and St. John.
For a celebratory dinner, would you rather order take-out, go out to eat or cook something at home?
Cook at home unless I can go to NC Coast in Duck.
Where is your favorite place to get local seafood?
O’Neal’s Sea Harvest in Wanchese, without a doubt.
Do you have any side hustles?
Does Uber for my daughter count?
Do you have any pet projects or is there a local nonprofit that you’re passionate about?
Not currently, though AR Workshop has been offering Kitten Knitten classes with proceeds going to SPCA and/or Winston’s March Animal Rescue.
What’s one item on your bucket list?
To catch a sailfish here. I have done a lot of fishing all of my life. I've caught white and blue marlin and seen plenty of sailfish caught but never caught one myself.
Want to meet Katrina and check out her DIY boutique?
AR Workshop
3015 N. Croatan Highway, Unit 22-23, Seagate North Shopping Center, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 656-6694
For more information and to see a full rundown of events, click here.
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
