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No trip to the Outer Banks is complete without cruising through Brew Thru, the Outer Banks’ original drive thru convenience store. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing cold beverage of Coke, Pepsi and other soft drinks on the go, stocking up your cooler with refreshments to enjoy at the beach or piling up on beer and wine for a party, Brew Thru is a fun and unique experience all vacationers need to see for themselves. 

Brew Thru is your quick and easy stop for stocking up on over 120 varieties of beer, including kegs, as well as family snacks and drinks for the beach. Kegs are available  in 1/2 and 1/4. Many beers are availabe in kegs on hand, and you can place a special order for additional variety of brands. On hand keg brands include Budweiser, Busch, Coors, Fat Tire, Killians, Keystone, Michelob, Miller, Natural Light, PBR and Yeungling. Special orders include Bass Ale, Blue Moon, Dos Equis, Fosters, Guiness, Harp, Heineken, Kona, Magic Hat, New Castle, Sam Adams, Smithwicks, Stella Artois and St. Georges. A variety of wines also are available.

Brew-Thru souvenir t-shirts are an absolute must have! Since 1977, at the time of this publication, Brew Thru has sold over 4.5 million t-shirts. Apparal, collectibles and hats are available and the station attendant can give you a catalog to browse.

The friendly station attendants serve you as you place an order from your car.

Please consider tipping for their service.

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Featured Profile

The Road to 50 Years

For nearly fifty years, one stop has signaled the beginning of vacation on the Outer Banks — Brew-Thru.

For many visitors, that moment comes shortly after crossing the bridge onto the Outer Banks, when the pace slows, the salt air rolls in, and the first stop for cold drinks, ice, and beach supplies is Brew-Thru.

There are convenience stores…and then there’s Brew Thru.

For nearly half a century, Brew-Thru has been part of the rhythm of the Outer Banks — a place where beach days begin, sunsets are celebrated, and vacation traditions are passed from one generation of visitors to the next.

The story began in the mid-1970s when Dana and Becky Lawrentz, originally from Ohio, imagined a store perfectly suited for life at the beach — a drive-through convenience store where visitors could pick up cold drinks, snacks, ice, and beach supplies without ever leaving their cars.

With determination, a little savings, and a lot of hard work, construction began on the first Brew-Thru in Nags Head. For months, Dana drove down from Ohio every Sunday night, worked long days building the store throughout the week, and returned home on Fridays. Meanwhile, Becky played an essential role behind the scenes while caring for their newborn daughter and helping bring the dream to life.

In the early spring of 1977, the Lawrentz family moved to the Outer Banks and opened Brew-Thru for its very first season.

What began as a small family business quickly became something more. Visitors loved the convenience of driving through the store, but it was the friendly service and laid-back Outer Banks spirit that turned Brew Thru into a vacation tradition for generations of families.

Over the years, another tradition emerged as well — the legendary Brew-Thru T-shirt. With more than 6 million sold worldwide and a new design released every year, the colorful shirts have become a badge of OBX summers and can now be spotted all over the world. Many returning visitors make it a tradition to pick up the newest design each summer, turning the Brew-Thru T-shirt into one of the most collected souvenirs on the Outer Banks. 

In 2002, the story entered its next chapter when Philip and Brandy Foreman purchased the business from Dana and Becky, continuing the family legacy. Brandy, the daughter of Dana and Becky, grew up around the business, and Philip had long been part of the Lawrentz family — the two began dating in the ninth grade, and Dana and Becky became like second parents to him.

Today, Brew Thru remains a true family business supported by a dedicated team whose mission is simple: treat customers like family.

Now entering its 49th season, Brew-Thru stands as a true Outer Banks original — and as the road to its 50th anniversary begins, vacation on the Outer Banks still starts with that familiar first stop at Brew-Thru.

—By Julie Matthews

Top: Dana Lawrentz, Brandy Foreman, Philip Foreman and  Becky Lawrentz.
Left: Dana Lawrentz and Becky Lawrentz, holding their daughter, Brandy in 1977.
Right: Dana Lawrentz standing to the right the first day of opening.