A Covid Success Story… OBX style

Highway12Shirts.com

A year ago today the world had been flipped on it’s head and shaken, not a single corner left unscathed. It was strange and scary time and remains rocky today, a year later. For many folks the pandemic prompted them to take time to make some internal reflections, one of those people was Megan Gregory.

Megan is a school teacher from Pittsburgh PA, though like many of you, her heart remains eternally tied to the salty shores of the Outer Banks, Hatteras Island to be exact. Megan grew up spending her Summers in Rodanthe, first RVing at her family’s seasonal spot at the Camp Hatteras Campground in Rodanthe and today in their Salvo family vacation home. She spent Summers as a teen working at many area shops and restaurants, but her most memorable are the summers as a hostess at the infamous Down Under Restaurant oceanfront at the Rodanthe Pier.  Then, as a realtor for Outer Beaches Realty and living in Waves, she added real estate to the trifecta of recreation, restaurants and real estate. That is, until 2020…

For Megan this introspection pushed her towards her creative side as well as her Happy Place. For many years she’d rolled the idea around in her head but with life always moving at light speed it’s not always easy to focus on your entrepreneurial thoughts. That is until the world shuts down… Megan decided to give life to her ideas and Highway 12 Shirts was born! Being that most of her time is spent in the Southern OBX most of her first designs had a Hatteras lean but she really reached us all deep down in our NC barrier island loving souls with her play on the Old Bay tin! We just had to have it in our Spring OBX Box. And not to mention, who doesn’t need a Time Out!

Megan’s designs continue to grow and she continues to reach audiences further and further up and down Highway 12. We can’t wait to see what Megan dreams up next!

Be sure to check her out at www.highway12shirts.com and on FB and IG @highway12shirts, Blue Whale in Salvo is the first shop to carry 2 of her designs AND did we mention that she will also be popping up with Bus252 at various events too!

Highway12Shirts.com is offering a BOGO 50% Off Deal through the end of April! Get yourself ready for that OBX Vacay, order your gear today and use offer promocode BUS252 to claim the offer, hurry offer ends soon!

Outer Banks Brewing Station

A brewery before breweries were cool, self-sustained on wind power before it was even in the minds of a few, Peace Corp volunteers Aubrey Davis and Eric Reece alongside friend Theresa Mackenzie had a vision and thanks to Aubrey that vision led them to the Outer Banks.  Sitting on the site of the original JKs, the building itself, is a modern interpretation of a turn-of-the-century Lifesaving Station.  The bar represents the lifesaving boat, that pointed toward the sea, is ready to be deployed down the tracks to save the crew of a floundering ship.

The Outer Banks Brewing Station is the first wind powered brewery in the United States! They were also the first business to produce wind power on the Outer Banks and rightfully pride themselves in being innovative and conscious about the environment, while helping  others learn as much as they can about renewable energy and sustainability. Read more about their wind-power here

 Not only is the OBBS a brewery with phenomenal beer and an earth conscious mission but they literally have something for everyone!  Most breweries are like a garage with taps and picnic tables.  Fun for some people, but not necessarily a must-visit for a multi generation family, the types of visitors we have here on the Outer Banks.  The Brew Station has outfitted their generously sized backyard bar with a pirate ship playground, corn hole, live music stage outside as well as an inside stage enlisting some of the best local and regional acts on the beach, and an interior space with lavish over-sized bar including booth seating and comfortable dining room for families and friends to relax and enjoy a cold brew and a delicious meal. 

On Tap Brews range from their most popular, Olsch and Lemongrass Wheat Ale to the hardier Wind Switch Stout and Elf Crusher and everything in- between they also offer a full bar (liquor and wine list).  

The Brewing Station also has an in-house pastry chef and some of the most creative chefs on the beach, offering full lunch and dinner fare.  Another vacay friendly offering from the OBBS is their pre-order family style to go menu, enjoy the fabulousness of the Brew Station without leaving the comfort of that beach house!  Check out their menu and plan your next visit and how to spend those Brew Bucks from your Spring OBX Box!

The Perfect OBX beach day Snack!

Spotlight Business from our Holiday OBX Box is The Outer Banks Beef Jerky Outlet

You opened your latest Beach Box and you found…..beef jerky?  

Yes! The beefy jerky was provided by Amy McDonnell, her father Vince, and husband Kevin McCoy from their shop, Beef Jerky Outlet – Outer Banks.

Just a sampling of the deliciousness that can be found at the MP4.5 location of The Beef Jerky Outlet OBX

Amy McDonnell first came to the Carolina coast in college when she was participating in a summer study program at Cape Lookout. Then following years of vacationing on the Outer Banks, she and Kevin moved here full-time in December of 2016.

Originally from just outside Chicago, Amy and husband Kevin, who is from Northeastern Tennessee, lived in the Washington DC area for 12 years before making the move to the Outer Banks. And once they did, they wasted no time. A short 7 months later (June of 2017) they opened their first Beef Jerky Outlet location at milepost 4.5 in Kitty Hawk. Then just a year later the family opened another location in Corolla.

Kevin introduces the OBX to the delicious Beef Jerky Outlet jerky!

Beefy Jerky may seem like a strange business to be involved in, but Amy says it really isn’t. “My husband (Kevin) has always been a fan of jerky and especially loves Beef Jerky Outlet jerky. We looked into it and found it was a small, family-run company that makes their own jerky in Tennessee and Michigan. We liked the product and the people, and we wanted to introduce the entire Outer Banks to the best jerky in the world!”

But you will find more than just beef jerky at the Beef Jerky Outlet. For the more adventurous eaters, they also have a wide variety of wild game jerky. Consider trying elk, bison, alligator, and kangaroo. You can also find sauces and seasonings along with an assortment of popcorns, hot sauces, jams, jellies and a whole lot more.

Both Amy and Kevin are practicing lawyers in addition to owning and operating their Beef Jerky Outlet stores and they want to stress that they have a great team at the stores and couldn’t do this without them.

Looking for an interesting jerky fact you can use to amaze you’re family and friends? It takes 3 pounds of meat to make 1 pound of jerky!

The Beefy Jerky Outlet – Outer Banks ships and can be reached at (252) 715-5800. Find them on the web at beefjerkyoutlet.com/kittyhawk and give them a follow on Instagram @obxjerky and Facebook @OuterBanksJerky

Blog Written by: Greg Smrdel
Winner – 2019 Best of the Beach – Local Author
www.gregsmrdel.com

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OBX BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT – Naked Lady Mandalas

Naked Lady Mandalas
Connect with Melanie

(Instagram) | (Facebook) | (Website)

Naked Lady Mandalas is certainly a name that will make most anyone stand up and take notice. Melanie, who created 300 unique hand painted mandala minis for our Fall 2019 box, explains the name is derived from her “baring her soul” in her artwork. 

Melanie, who is originally from upstate New York, became a traveling nurse and spent time in both New York City and Seattle before receiving a travel contract on the Outer Banks in February, 2106.  But artist is just one of Melanie’s labels. She is a former bipolar turned spiritual “yoga lady.” She is also a musician, skateboarder, and surfer.

You may be wondering what the mandala has to do with the OBX… Mandalas began as a form of meditation in ancient Tibet.  The lines, symbols and patterns not only put the artist into a state of meditation during their creation, but also have a meditative affect for the observer.  The beach also puts us into a similar state, the calming sounds of the waves crashing along the shore are a reason why people flock to the shore for their annual vacation from real life.  These mandalas were created throughout the Outer Banks, absorbing the energy of this magical place in hopes to bring some of that calmness to your home, until you can get to the beach again… The Outer Banks Beach Box hope you enjoy your specially created mandala from Melanie, the force behind Naked Lady Mandalas! If you are interested in more of Melanie’s artwork and custom designs, be sure to check out her website, www.nakedladymandalas.com and give her a follow on IG @nakedladymandalas.

Written by: Greg Smrdel, Author
www.gregsmrdel.com | Facebook | Amazon

OBX BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT – The Spice and Tea Exchange

Fall Weather is back on the Outer Banks. The perfect time to visit The Spice and Tea Exchange in Duck. The shop, owned and operated by the mother/daughter team of Terry Bell and Megan Scott is located in the Scarborough Lane Shops where they subscribe to the mission: “Creating & sharing the experience of a more flavorful life.”

Step inside their 18th Century Trading Post retail concept and discover more than 140 spices, over 80 exclusive hand-mixed blends, 16 naturally-flavored sugars, an array of salts from around the world, and more than 30 exotic teas.

The Spice and Tea Exchange is now offering cooking classes this fall and winter. Plus, you won’t want to miss their Chef Series Dinners. The Chef Series features a  local chef preparing a 4-course meal in their shop using their spice blends, salt and sugars. Space is limited – and they sell out fast, so make your reservation now!

Any chef will tell you that fresh ingredients is so important for a great meal. Fresh is what you will find at The Spice and Tea Exchange in Duck – a place for all hand-mixed spice blends, teas, and accessories that you can’t find anywhere else!

Be sure to stop by on your next visit, located in the Scarborough Lane Shops in Duck NC and give them a follow on IG @spiceandtea.duck

Spice & Tea Exchange

Written by: Greg Smrdel, Author
www.gregsmrdel.com | Facebook | Amazon

OBX BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT – Hattiebuilt

Hattie Built
Hattiebuilt Website

What started your passion for Hatteras

We have been coming to Hatteras/Ocracoke for 35 years.  It was love at first sight…… and the love affair is still going strong!

How long have you been creating?  How did you get into it? Do you work in any other mediums?

My husband and I started Hattiebuilt in 2014, after realizing that a lifestyle brand focused on life “South of the Bonner” was not being catered to.

Did you grow up on the OBX? What is your history with the Outer Banks?

We grew up in PA and relocated to Virginia Beach, where we spent our entire adult life, until last year. Proud to finally call Hatteras Island home.  ?

What’s your favorite thing about the OBX? 

The laid-back lifestyle, the salt air, the views and sunsets at “the ditch.”

Tell us about your background/day job

Sales and Design background.

Which of your items is your favorite and why?

All of our logo’d hattiebuilt branded items are my fav!  It sets apart the Hatteras Island homeowner/vacationer and lover of this barrier island. Not everyone is “built” for life on a sandbar.

Where in the OBX is your favorite place to go? 

Anyplace where the sun sets along the water’s edge.

Are you passionate about anything else that you’d like to help spread the message about?

Beach clean up, turtles, horses, kids, and helping the hungry! We love to make friends with our homeless feline friends, that roam the island. Although we do not own a cat of our own, many of them benefit from our weekly Food Lion shopping trips.

OBX Business Highlight – Burn Baby Burn

Outer Banks Business Spotlight - Burn Baby Burn

Burn Baby Burn Website

Meet Emily Caffrey of Burn Baby Burn, one of our favorite Outer Banks businesses! We’ve asked her a few questions about her business, her start and her passions and her life in the OBX.

Burn Baby Burn

What started your passion for wood burning?

Like many artists along the Outer Banks, the ocean has fueled my passion. I could say even further that scuba diving is the biggest inspiration that I have. Getting up close and personal with so many different fish inspires me to create a piece of artwork including them. Conservation is also a major drive for me–I like to learn fun facts about the animals that I create to share what’s so cool about them and why they are important to their ecosystem!

How long have you been creating?  How did you get into it? Do you work in any other mediums?

I have been creating wood burnings since college. I was shown a burning tool by a friend and thought it was so neat. I tried my luck with it and loved it. Then I started to make burnings of things that inspired me, like wildlife. My first burning was a simple map of the U.S. Virgin Islands and then a heron! I liked to create animals much more than objects–straight lines have never been my thing! Although wood burning is my niche, I also paint, sketch, and enjoy photography. I like anything artsy. I have seen other pyrographers burn on water color paper; I’d love to try that next!

Did you grow up on the OBX? What is your history with the Outer Banks?

I grew up in western Maryland, but vacationed every summer to the Outer Banks with my family. During college I worked in OBX as a kayak guide with Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School which immersed me in beautiful areas of the Outer Banks that many have not visited. My love for OBX just kept growing, so I looked for work here after schooling and I landed a job at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. I’ve been here full-time for about 2.5 years.

What’s your favorite thing about the OBX?

Besides the beach? Saltwater marshes. I could spend endless time exploring the marshes, there are so many and each one is different. They are beautiful at any time of the day. During light you can see lots of birds, fish, and plant life while at night you can see bio-luminescence.

Tell us about your background/day job?

I am a SCUBA Instructor! I earned my degree in Environmental Studies from Salisbury University and after college I went through Divemaster and Instructor training and always hoped to combine the two together. And I have; I work as a Dive Safety Technician at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. I am a part of all the dive operations that happen in the facility in some form or another. It is my job to clean habitats, maintain and service SCUBA equipment, make sure other divers are safe, lead guest divers, train divers, and participate in an offshore Lionfish mitigation project (which is my favorite part about the job)! I have learned so much about wildlife and diving while working there that it has further fueled my passion for wildlife conservation.

Which of your items is your favorite and why?

I like the Caribbean Octopus that I did. Octopuses are one of my favorite animals; they are so interesting to learn about and to see in person (especially on night dives)! The piece itself also includes blue and purple colors, which is a fun addition to the burnt wood. The octopus totally needed the extra wow factor being that they are so vibrantly colored!

Where in the OBX is your favorite place to go?

Pea Island! Because it doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic, it’s such a fun place to walk the beach, look for shells, watch the sunset in a kayak on the sound, and enjoy some solitude when I need it. It is such a great place to get a look at the Milky Way at night!

Are you passionate about anything else that you’d like to help spread the message about (Beach clean up, turtles, horses, kids, helping the hungry)?

Beach clean ups for sure, or any clean ups really. I believe that you should leave a place a little bit cleaner than how you found it–and that’s easy to do by picking up a few pieces of trash along the way. It not only helps the place look cleaner, but it prevents any garbage from getting into water systems and in the bellies of curious animals. It’s easy to make small adjustments in your lifestyle to help make the world a healthier place (a.k.a. use reusable water bottles, straws, and grocery bags). Being more conscious about how your actions affect the place surrounding you.

Business Spotlight – Ocean Hippie Organics & Barrier Island Bagels



Ocean Hippie Organics

Instagram

What started your passion for Ocean Hippie Organics?

My passion for handmade skin care products began while pregnant with my first child over 4 years ago. I quickly became one of those women who obsessed about what I put in my body via beauty products and for the first time in my life I became aware of ingredients and how amazing our skin is. Out of my immediate love and devotion to our unborn child (and for my fear of stretch marks) I embarked on an oily journey that ultimately became Ocean Hippie Organics.

What’s your favorite item?

My favorite product is by far the Ancient Recipe Face Serum made with Jojoba Oil, Young Living Frankincense and Myrrh. 

I have never been to one to wear a ton of makeup, if any, so I have to keep my skin fresh and youthful. To do so I apply this oily serum to my face and neck every single day after I shower. The intense blend of vitamin E from the Jojoba oil and the holistic skin healing properties of the Frankincense and Myrrh my face has fought off sun damage from my years of coastal living and natural aging wrinkles. I honestly will never put anything store bought on my face again as my pores have become incredibly spoiled and pampered!

What’s your most popular item?

OHO’s most popular item is a close call between the Ancient Recipe Serum and the Matcha Body Butter. Both men and women immediately fall in love face Serum. My husband and other male users say they love the Serum for the perfect after shave feel. My dad uses the Serum everyday on his face to help heal his skin cancer scars and help with exhausting cancer spots (Frankincense and Mryyh are most amazing oils to help heal skin cells!).

What’s your favorite thing about the OBX?

The Outer Banks has been my home away from home since I was in my mother’s womb. I am from New Bern but a lot of my upbringing was in Corolla. My parents moved a house to Corolla when Route 12 was still dirt so to say that me and my family enjoyed the “wild” Corolla is an understatement. Freedom, solitude, nature, wind, and extraordinary experiences are what made up my childhood and shaped me into the free spirit I am today. Wildness is what I love about the Outer Banks. It still exists here but not as freely as 20 years ago but if you know where to look you can still find it. 

Barrier Island Bagels

Instagram

What’s your favorite bagel/cream cheese?

Wow, choosing just one favorite bagel and cream cheese is difficult. But I guess my go to on any given day is a everything bagel with veggie cream cheese on the side ( I am a dipper). But if I have a sweet tooth, French Toast bagel for sure!

What’s your most popular bagel/cream cheese?

The most popular bagel winner hands down are French Toast Bagel and Everything Bagel. Both are pretty versatile and can accommodate breakfast sandwiches, cream cheese, butter, and some folks even put ham on the French Toast!

What does your daily routine look like on nice Spring day?

Spring is one of best seasons on the Outer Banks and for good reasons. Empty beaches, perfect weather, restaurants reopening and the return of money! 

My daily routine on a nice spring day is kids, make money, play outside, sleep, repeat! We are a family of outdoor enthusiasts and conservations so the hustle to get outside is very real every day.

Besides the store, where in the OBX is your favorite place to go?

I enjoy several other businesses but when it comes to my favorite place to go it’s always in nature. I will choose a sunset, campfire or beach adventure over any restaurant or bar every time

Outer Banks Box Has New Owners!

Hello OBX fans!

We have some great news to share.

After a wonderfully exciting year and a half of business, and learning the ropes and nuances of running a subscription box company, Outer Banks Box is officially under new ownership!

Over the past few months, Nina and I had been considering the effects of managing the business alongside our two full-time professions. We knew that the potential of Outer Banks Box is so very great, but were developing a sense that we could not give the business all the time and nurturing it deserved. We wanted to find others with the passion for the Outer Banks who could take what we started and run even further with it!

Over the course of the spring, we sought out and met with several local business owners who we felt qualified to manage what we started and interviewed them to ensure they’d treat our creation, customers, and local partners with the level of care and devotion we had committed to. We’re happy to announce we found what we feel is a perfect match, and as of August 4th, 2018 Outer Banks Box is officially owned by the fabulous people at Muse Originals OBX!

You may recognize them from their storefront on the beach road in Kitty Hawk, NC near Art’s Place, or perhaps some of their fantastic social media posts and OBX Made business spotlights.  They aren’t your average local art and gift store… they really are something special with a distinctly fantastic vibe! Ami Hill, owner, is joined here with her family, Jonathan, Haley, Cooper, Griffin, and Penelope as well as Karen Brown, President of the Chamber, Sara Keener, Chamber and Richelle Barrett, CresCom Bank.

Nina and I could not be more thrilled to have found such wonderful people with a clear dedication to sharing the best of the Outer Banks with the world. We know this transition will open the door for bigger and better things for the little business we started, and also allow us more precious time to spend with our families in the Pittsburgh, PA area.

(Left to right: Melissa and Joe Minkowski, Ami Hill and son Griffin, Bob and Nina Kissell)

Ami has partnered with her Creative Director, Melissa Minkowski, at Muse Originals OBX and her computer genius and longboard surfing lover husband Joe to bring the Outer Banks Box under the Muse Originals OBX umbrella. We snapped this fun photo the day we transferred ownership to them, an exciting day for all!

I want to personally thank each and every person who’s been a part of our Outer Banks Box journey. From the very first customers who waited online to sign up back on Thanksgiving morning in 2016, to Facebook fans and business partners giving us support every step of the way. Your photographs, feedback, and words of encouragement are something that we will never forget. It has been a pleasure sharing our little slice of heaven with you in that teal blue box… and we have faith you’ll be delighted for years to come.

 

Sincerely,

Bob and Nina Kissell

 

 

 

 

Business Spotlight – Stephanie Kiker Designs

Spring has sprung on the Outer Banks and hundreds of OBX fans have received our latest box and have been enjoying a sampling of items from the place they love. One of the most popular items from the shipment was a set of neoprene coasters featuring iconic imagery of the Outer Banks. Sometimes there’s nothing better to help cure the “missing the OBX blues” than having a keepsake in your home that has a beautiful representation of the scenery on the beach. The coasters did that and more, and we were exceptionally excited to share with our subscribers.

As you walk through gift shops, cafes, and art galleries on the Outer Banks, it’s hard not to take in all the beautiful crafts and works of art and start developing a sense for “who’s who” and signature styles of individual artists. One artist with an incredibly alluring and memorable style for their depictions of nature and bold colors is Stephanie Kiker.

A Hatteras Island local, Stephanie graduated from the School of Design at North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design. Having always enjoyed drawing and illustrating, she began pursuing a career as a working artist when she moved to Hatteras Island, NC. Since 1996 Stephanie has been selling her art to galleries and stores nationwide. She produces her art on a variety of products from prints and wall art to functional art such as cutting boards, Phone cases, coasters, ceramic tiles, coin purses, ornaments and more.

“I love living at the beach and on an island…Hatteras Island, North Carolina.” Stephanie’s art is inspired by her environment. Whether it’s on the beach, on the water, under the water, in the marshes, or in the sound she enjoys creating her own interpretations and expressions of the wildlife and their natural surroundings. Textures, colors, patterns, shapes, movement all play a part in Stephanie’s pieces. She moves from realism in the soft pastel works to bold graphic shapes, patterns, and colors in the colored pencil/ink or silk painting work.

“I feel lucky to be able to enjoy the natural beauty of this area and experience it much of the time through surfing and kiteboarding. Along with the exhilaration of the sports, they give me the chance to be surrounded by the smells, sounds, water, wind and wildlife that inspire me so much.

Stephanie’s designs are easy to fall in love with and even easier to make your own. By visiting her website, StephanieKiker.com, you’ll find her works on hundreds of items plus a schedule of her live appearances at art shows and festivals over the course of the year. Make sure to see if there’s an event during your next trip to the Outer Banks! You can also follow along on her Facebook page and Instagram profile.

Whether looking for a gift for a loved one or a work of art to fill your home with a little more Outer Banks happy thoughts, Stephanie’s works are sure to please. We can’t thank her enough for working with us on the 2018 Spring Box for our subscribers, and wish her years of continued success living out her passion for art and the Outer Banks!

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO THE OUTER BANKS BOX!