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Everything You Need For the Beach!

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! Of course, we have the best selection of Souvenirs anywhere on the Outer Banks. Enjoy your vacation!

Ben Franklin exterior in Nags Head

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. Owner Thomas Daniels said he opened the Nags Head location in 1977, but his family has been in the business on the Outer Banks for about 100 years.

Inside, there is 21,000 square feet of space filled with men, women and children's clothing, bathing suits, and foot wear. There are boogie boards, beach umbrellas, beach toys, hermit crabs, and even salt water taffy. There's also fishing gear and every souvenir a tourist could ask for. And of course, there's sunscreen, bug spray, and tanning oil. A visitor can't go wrong stopping in this charming store that harkens back to the Outer Banks' good ol' days.

Ben Franklin girls swimsuits section

Ben Franklin Hawaiian shirts

Ben Franklin boardshorts and apparel

Ben Franklin Hats, beach chairs and umbrellas

Ben Franklin fishing rods, tackle and sunscreen

 

SPECIAL PROFILE

Your First Stop in Nags Head

Ben Franklin in Nags Head is a One-Stop Shop Rooted in Local History
 
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. Daniel's 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.
 
"His 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 facade 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."
 
– Interview by Arielle Patterson
Nags Head
252-441-7571
Hours
*Off-season hours may vary*
Call 252-441-7571 for current hours.
  • Monday9:00am-07:00PM
  • Tuesday9:00am-07:00PM
  • Wednesday9:00am-07:00PM
  • Thursday9:00am-07:00PM
  • Friday9:00am-07:00PM
  • Saturday9:00am-07:00PM
  • Sunday9:00am-07:00PM
Categories
Shopping
Brew Thru

Brew Thru

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.

Drive-Through Beer & Gear

Brew Thru is Your One-Stop Shop at the Beach

The year was 1977, and Dana and Becky Lawrentz were chatting with friends over brews in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. They got to talking about a gas station convenience store in the area that had built a makeshift drive-through. Everyone agreed it would be pretty great if you could actually drive through a convenience store and pick up everything you needed without getting out of the car. But what would you call a place like that?

Well, you’d call it a Brew Thru.

It was an idea they couldn’t shake, so the Lawrentzes moved to the Outer Banks and built the first Brew Thru with the help of a partner. The idea was that people could come buy everything they would need for their trip to the beach—beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks, ice—without getting out of the car. That same year, a t-shirt salesman visiting the store and talked them into adding t-shirts to their product line—and 44 years later there are now more than five million Brew Thru t-shirts out in the wild.

The Lawrentzes’ daughter Brandy and her husband Philip Foreman purchased the business from them in 2002, and they now operate five locations across the Outer Banks.“We love being the one-stop shop for folks on the way to their beach house,” Foreman says. “Our car tenders are the friendliest people at the beach. We’re here to greet you, get you everything you need for your trip, load it up in the trunk for you, and have you leaving with a smile on your face.”

The store is quite expansive, featuring more than 100 brands of beer, dozens of wines and even a vast selection of cigars—not to mention all the snacks, t-shirts and other gear. To make ordering a little easier, customers in line get a menu—fondly known as the Summer-y—that outlines everything available at the store. These Summer-ies are also available in many of the beach rentals, which allows vacationers to decide what they want before driving through.

For customers who would like to get out and stretch their legs, there’s the Brew Thru Shop in Kill Devil Hills, where you can find their world famous t-shirts and other gifts. New t-shirt designs are created each year, making a yearly Brew Thru t-shirt a favorite of locals and annual visitors to the Outer Banks.

The Foremans both grew up in the Outer Banks, and they love that Brandy’s parents’ vision for a friendly and convenient place for people to grab their brews and other beach stay essentials is continuing to flourish.

“Our family has been welcoming people to the Outer Banks since 1977,” Foreman says. “We love this beautiful place, and we want everybody to get to enjoy it.”

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