Whenever you need a break from the beach, Cloud Nine is a great place for some creative renewal. This very cool shop was established here in 1988, and its since been a favorite for locals and visitors looking for unique creations from Outer Banks and regional artisans -- pottery, paintings, jewelry -- but especially to indulge one’s own creative yearnings by making earrings or a necklace, or who knows? There’s a vast selection -- the largest on the beach -- of the prettiest beads of all sizes and colors, including authentic trade and vintage beads, gorgeous seaglass and other jewelry-making supplies to choose from to fashion say, an ankle bracelet or headband.

And if you don't know how to start, owner Ginnie Flowers and her staff offer weekly classes and workshops, specializing in seaglass wire wrapping and beading. Along with sharing her talents and supporting over 50 local artists and designers, Ginnie gives back to the community in a number of other ways. She contributes to Dare County’s Arts Council, Animal Rescue, Surfrider Foundation and, to encourage children's literacy, she started a "Read for Beads" program.

You'll not want to miss Ginnie's treasure of a shop, tucked away near a corner in Pirate's Quay Shopping Center, just south of the YMCA. What better way to spend the day but by making something beautiful to wear or give as a gift? Cloud Nine offers the best kind of Outer Banks souvenir: one crafted with your own hands.

 

 

 

 

 


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Nags Head
252-441-2992
Hours
*Off-season hours may vary*
Call 252-441-2992 for current hours.
  • Monday10:00am-9:00pm
  • Tuesday10:00am-9:00pm
  • Wednesday10:00am-9:00pm
  • Thursday10:00am-9:00pm
  • Friday10:00am-9:00pm
  • Saturday10:00am-9:00pm
Categories
Activities Shopping
Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin

Stop by Nags Head's Ben Franklin at Mile Post 10 on the Bypass where you will find everything you need for the beach! From Clothing, T-shirts and Swimwear to Boards, Chairs, Umbrellas and Tackle. You'll find it all…and of course, we have the best selection of Souvenirs anywhere on the Outer Banks. Enjoy your vacation! Independently owned by a member of one of the Outer Banks’ oldest families, the Ben Franklin store is stocked with just about everything a visitor would need to go to the beach.

 

Ben Franklin stores were once part of a five-and-dime retail empire, with about 2,500 locations across the country in its heyday. As decades passed and the times and customers began to change, many closed their doors, leading to fewer than 150 of these nostalgic shops. Nags Head Ben Franklin, however, has withstood the test of time and adapted to the needs of its customers to provide a memorable shopping experience on the Outer Banks.

 

Debbie Terry Tolson, manager of the Ben Franklin location in Nags Head, recalls working with former owner Tommie Daniels. Daniels’ father, Moncie Daniels, started the business in downtown Manteo in the early 1900s. The Daniels family has been a longstanding fixture in the Outer Banks business community—Moncie even sold gas to the Wright brothers in 1903.

 

Tommie, with an excellent business mind, saw the opportunity the new Bypass presented and, in 1977, he opened the Nags Head location of Ben Franklin. He was one of the first businesses on the Bypass,” Tolson says.In addition to a new location, the Ben Franklin store saw a new group of customers.

 

“People would come from all around because Tommie had a little bit of everything—it was more like a five and 10 then,” Tolson explains. “As he went to the beach, he began to get more tourists, so he started catering more and more to visitors.”

 

Today, the 21,000-square-foot souvenir shop quickly catches the attention of anyone driving by thanks to the ocean-themed mural that decorates the façade of the building, painted by local artist Rob Snyder. This Ben Franklin location has become the must-stop shop for both first-time visitors to the area and generations of families who escape to the Outer Banks annually.

 

Tolson credits the great prices and friendly customer service to the success of the location, which keeps families returning.“People come in all the time and tell me, ‘my grandmother or my grandfather used to bring me here and now I’m bringing my children,’” she shares. “One of my favorite parts about working here is seeing the people come back year after year.”