There’s a lot more than “fishy” things at this store, which is much bigger than it looks from the road.  With island music getting customers in the mood as soon as they step inside, the store evokes the layed-back tropical vibe and makes you want to crawl into a hammock and soak up the sun. The store is nearly bursting with colorful merchandise, literally filling every possible space from floor to ceiling. It features hand-crafted jewelry, art and furniture, much of it created by local artisans.  How about some cool silver balls to hang from your ceiling? Or a sun wall ornament ---- offered in a range of sizes and prices? There are also island-themed T-shirts, dresses and sandals for sale. Suffice it to say that everything in this interesting store is beach-y, but with a bit more of a Caribbean or Pacific island edge. There is also a complete selection of Happy Birthday books and greeting cards. Something fishy is now offering beach towels, sun block, sun glasses, mens swim trunks, cover ups for women, and sun clothes for children. And of course there’s plenty of fun fish décor. 


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Nags Head
Hours
*Off-season hours may vary*
Call 252-441-0624 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
  • Sunday10:00am-7:00pm
The Cotton Gin

For those traveling to the Outer Banks, The Cotton Gin is a beloved landmark with its large windmill and picturesque gardens. The Cotton Gin has stood in the same location since 1929, starting as a working cotton gin and growing to a gift store with 4 locations. Visitors are treated to a unique shopping experience in our main store in Jarvisburg, as well as our beach stores in Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head. Explore room after room filled with décor for your home and coastal fashions for both men and women. Discover the brands you really want, like, Vera Bradley, Vineyard Vines, La Mer Luex, Simply Southern, Lindsay Phillips, Scout, Pandora, Kameleon, Brighton, Spartina, Tommy Bahama, Southern Tide and Salt Life and Old Guys Rule - all under one roof!

 

Don’t forget the gourmet market, or shop our beautiful linens for your bedroom and bath. We also feature coastal books and fine art, or just a whimsical fun gift to bring home to family and friends. Stop by soon and don’t forget to try our estate grown wines in our stores or visit our vineyard and winery, Sanctuary Vineyards, located adjacent to the original Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg.

 

Most know The Cotton Gin as a must-stop shop for fine gifts, beachwear, souvenirs and so much more, but this retailer has a long-standing history within the Outer Banks. A local landmark that holds almost a century of memories, The Cotton Gin started from humble beginnings and continues to adapt to the times and tourists. Tommy Wright’s family has been in the Outer Banks for nearly 200 years. His great-great grandfather, Jacob Francis Wright, shipwrecked in Duck back in the early 1800s. Calling these barrier islands his new home, Wright and his family acclimated to their new environment.

 

Adaptation is a common theme for the Wright family. Tommy and his wife Candace, who continue to steer The Cotton Gin, have seen not only their business change with the times, but the Outer Banks as a vacation destination as well. A farm market in Jarvisburg eventually transformed and flourished into several retail locations dotting the Outer Banks.

 

“As the area changed and tourism took off in the 1960s, the family saw people coming for vacations, so they began to grow vegetables and things developed from there,” says Tommy Wright. The Wright family expanded upon the farm market and began to remodel a working cotton gin, later transforming the gin into The Cotton Gin general store in the late 1960s. While the additions to the farm store drew visitors, it was their encounters with the Wright family that kept people coming back year after year, which is something that remains true today.

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