The only publication dedicated to business in Onslow County onslowbusiness.com
June 3, 2026 Vol. 3 Issue 6
Artisan Market Launches in NTB A passion for the artisan community and a desire to provide North Topsail Beach with more retail opportunities came together in the launch of the NTB Artisan Market this spring. The market, located on the former tennis court at Villa Capriani, is “the perfect opportunity to serve the community and tourists alike,” says founder Melanie Birkholz. She emphasizes that there is a “vibrant vendor community in the area, a lot of talented artisans.” Birkholz is one of those artists, saying she has “always dabbled in art.” She’s done watercolor painting and sculpture work, mostly “as a side thing.” Her business, Melanie Birkholz Art, is now integral to the artisan market as she also gives others a place to showcase their work. Working with partners Kasey Sawyer and Kim Nelson, Birkholz launched the NTB Artisan Market in March. It is scheduled to run every Tuesday, from 9am to 1pm, through the last Tuesday in October. There are between 30 and 34 vendors signed up for the market, which puts it at capacity for this year. After several months of planning, they launched the vendor application and received a number of responses. However, Birkholz emphasizes, “we're very curated, so we make sure we only have so
many candle people, so many potters, so many this, so many that. And the quality of the work has to be a certain level in order to be accepted.” Birkholz worked with Villa Capriani on the use of the space, which had not been a functioning tennis court in several years. She explains, “we noticed it was an underutilized space.” She adds that she thought “it was a great opportunity for both the land owner of Villa Capriani and the artists and Above: Kim Nelson, Kasey Sawyer, and Melanie Birkholz community to have (Photo by Tammy Proctor) something there.” The Artisan Market could not have been possible without her partners, Birkholz says, adding that Sawyer provides technical skills and social media skills that “are unparalleled.” She credits Nelson as being “a great planner.” She plans out the map for the vendor layout and “does a lot of logistics for the market.” Both also have vendor booths at the market. Birkholz says that “as a team, this would not be what it is without them.” She adds that “we're concentrating our efforts on making it the best market with the space that we have currently. And we like it there. It's perfect for what we need.”
Below: The North Topsail Beach Artisan Market at Villa Capriani, 790 New River Inlet Road, NTB
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Effective Communications Month ............... 2 Common Financial Mistakes ............. 3 The Vital Role of Communications ... 4 Networking Opportunities ....... 5 Business Movements .......... 6 Turning “No” Into “Not Yet” ........... 7 OMH Named Top Workplace ........... 8 Exporting in NC .... 8 SACC Business Women’s Group .... 9 Being Competitive . 10 Grit Over Doubt .... 11 Startup Showdown Finalists.............. 12 Stories Build Loyalty .............. 13 Find Something Fantastic ............ 14 Training Opportunities ....... 15 Business Over Breakfast ............ 16