County Perspective
The shopping is better at the coast!
As a rule of thumb, vacationers are great shoppers. They
frequently shop for the fun of it; they enjoy exploring new stores
and looking for product lines that they can’t find back home. They
often are looking to purchase items that are indigenous to the
destination. So, for the “Destination of Carteret County,” larger
isn’t necessarily better.
“There are a whole lot more small, unique, specialty stores
here than there are chains and big box stores,” said Priscilla
Livingston, owner of Priscilla’s Crystal Coast Wines in Morehead City and a member of the Board of
Directors at the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and
quite frankly, these small businesses give us a character and charm
that you won’t find elsewhere,” Livingston
added. “There’s not a shopping mall in the entire county, and to me,
that’s a source of great pride. Instead, you will find shop owners
who are invested here. They live here, their children go to school
here and they work hard to earn each and every customer’s business.”
Some of the stores worth finding are conveniently located
along the main artery (NC 58) that runs the length of Bogue Banks
between Atlantic
Beach and Emerald Isle.
Others are off the beaten path and present more of a challenge to
discover. The best guidebook may be the Chamber’s 2008 Business
Directory and Visitors Guide. Businesses are listed both
alphabetically and by category.
“The (Chamber) Directory includes a wealth of information
about commercial and nonprofit organizations that enhance our
quality of life,” says Carteret County Manager John Langdon. “It
represents a valuable resource for residents and visitors alike. I
can assure you will not be disappointed by patronizing businesses
that support Carteret County’s
Chamber of Commerce.”
How do you get one? Vacationers can request one from the
hotel, rental company or property management offices. Or, stop by
Chamber headquarters at
801 Arendell St., in downtown Morehead City,
open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. The number to call is (252)
726-6350.
Last month, in this space, Dr. Stacy Tomas, an assistant
professor at North
Carolina State University, commented that “the more
there is for tourists to do and see that is real and authentic, the
more appealing a place becomes. The more appealing you are, the
longer they will stay, and the longer they stay, the more money they
will spend.”
“She was talking specifically about tourism at the time,”
Livingston said, “but what could be more ‘real and
authentic’ than a good sale?”
It’s never too early for wise shoppers to plan ahead for
North Carolina’s Sales Tax Holiday weekend –
coming up Aug. 1-3. Clothing, computers, sports gear and school
supplies are all tax-free, up to a limit, of course.
“The date coincides nicely with back-to-school shopping,”
Livingston
added. “Who wouldn’t
want to send their child back to school wearing the latest fashions
and styles, direct from the Crystal Coast?”
If you have comments or suggestions about topics of interest
for future articles, pass them along to Mike Wagoner at (252) 726-6350, 1-800-622-6278, or
via e-mail at mike@nccoastchamber.com.
Mike Wagoner,
President Carteret County Chamber of Commerce
Read more articles in the May print edition of Island Review.
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