Croatan Bookery

Croatan Bookery sits like sort of an anachronism on the ever-changing Bypass, the main drag that runs from Kitty Hawk through Nags Head. There’s nothing new about it, including its unused books.

In fact some of its most sought-out treasures are the antiquated books shelved within its walls, including a wide range of rare and first editions. It even has a huge collection of very old National Geographics, arranged by year, which make great birthday gifts, as do the illustrations found in many of the books. Another nice collection is its Civil War fine art prints.

Altogether, the store carries a variety of over 100,000 books, used and unused, naturally specializing in ones featuring North Carolina and the Outer Banks.

This no-frills bookstore is well laid out - a lot like a library - where you’ll also find reading rooms adorned with an unpretentious collection of art and antiques, along with a pleasant staff. The owner describes the Bookery as a place “Where all books can be found or ordered” and says the shop “will be happy” to order what you need if you don’t find it there. And it ships to anywhere in the US.

Croatan Bookery is located on the west side of the Bypass (NC Highway 158), just north of Harris Teeter. It’s open year round.