If you haven’t figured it out already, this section of North Carolina’s southern coast is a fantastic place to live, work and play. Some of the area’s advantages include the availability of outdoor activities, easy access to unique islands, beaches and natural areas, and a mild climate in which to enjoy them all.
When I arrived in Brunswick County almost 20 years ago, the growth in this area was in its infancy. Fast forward to now, and this is one of hottest relocation areas in the country. One thing you’ll learn when reading this issue is that many of the area’s new residents come from near and far. For certain, they were drawn to the warm weather, laidback lifestyle and well-planned developments of coastal North Carolina. I can’t say I blame them!
This is our fifth issue of Brunswick New Homes & Real Estate. As in many other areas of the country, 2022 was one of the best years on the books in terms of real estate sales, as you will see on the following pages. We have worked hard over the last several months compiling statistics, writing stories and taking photos with the intention of providing useful information about the real estate market for buyers and sellers in Brunswick County. However, the real point of this publication is to shine a spotlight on the people who work hard every single day to help make this a great place to live. From the builders to the Realtors, many people are working behind the scenes, and we appreciate them very much.
I hope you like what you read and I welcome any feedback regarding this publication. You will see that the real estate market in this area is strong and that Brunswick County provides a wonderful place for you to retire, relocate or reinvent yourself.
2023-24 Edition
OWNER/PUBLISHER: Justin Williams
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Sandi Grigg
COPY EDITOR: Molly Harrison
CONTRIBUTING GRAPHICS:
Teresa Kramer Samantha Lowe
Elizabeth Dale Niemann
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES:
Megan Henry Brian Wilner
MARKETING INTERN: Sophie Lesanek
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Megan Deitz L aura Glantz
Glenn Guiao Kahuna Photo
Lighthouse Visuals Jo Ann Mathews
Matt McGraw Unique Media & Design
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Ed Beckley A shley Daniels
Molly Harrison Beth A. Klahre
Michelle Macken Jo Ann Mathews
Teresa A. McLamb Emory Rakestraw
Lori Shaw Melissa Slaven Warren
PO Box 1361, Leland, NC 28451
(910) 207-0156 • info@CarolinaMarketingCompany.com
Reproduction or use of the contents in this magazine is prohibited.
© 2023-24 Carolina Marketing Company, Inc.
Justin Williams Owner/Publisher Justin@CarolinaMarketingCompany.com
Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. strives to bring correct, accurate information that is published in the magazine. However, Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any consequences resulting from errors or absences. Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. also cannot be held responsible for the services provided by any and all advertisers in our publications. All material in this magazine is property of Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. and may not be reproduced without authorization from the publisher. Brunswick New Homes & Real Estate – A Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. publication is published one time per year and is distributed to residents and businesses in Brunswick County, NC, to subscribers outside of the area and to select areas of New Hanover County, NC and Horry County, SC. Information obtained in our statistics varied from data taken from press releases, public tax information, M.O.R.E. report and M.L.S. Brunswick New Homes & Real Estate is a new home source for potential buyers and sellers of Brunswick County, NC and is meant to serve as a positive resource for current and future residents.
Retired NYC Fireman Gerry Amitrano brings a much-needed bladesharpening service to Leland. By Theresa Ravencraft 24
NEIGHBORHOOD SHOWCASE
The Bluffs on the Cape Fear — Southern Charm on the Waterfront By Michelle Macken
27
REFRESH, RELOCATE & REINVENT: THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR
Famed NASCAR personality Chocolate Myers and television, radio and print journalist Caron Myers enjoy the simple life in Ocean Isle Beach.
By Jo Ann Mathews35
A VISION BECOMES REALITY
Sue Dalpe’s modern yet timeless home is a standout in Brunswick Forest.
By Ashley Daniels41
REFRESH, RELOCATE & REINVENT: UPPER CRUST
Crust N.C., a mobile wood-fired pizza truck, reinvents the traditional pizza party.
By Ashley Daniels47
TAKE A LOOK AROUND
Southport/Oak Island Area
By Teresa A. McLamb
49
BY THE NUMBERS
Most Expensive Home Sales in Bald Head Island, Oak Island/Caswell Beach, Boiling Spring Lakes and Southport in 2022
52
A SEASONAL GETAWAY
For a vacation that checks all the boxes, book a stay at SeaSons at the Point, an Oak Island oasis created by and for family.
By Anna Beth Adcock58
BUILDER SHOWCASE
Legacy Homes by Bill Clark — Your Community. Your Budget. Your Dream Home.
By Michelle Macken
60
TAKE A LOOK AROUND
Southern Brunswick County
By Teresa A. McLamb62
BY THE NUMBERS
Most Expensive Homes Sold in Holden Beach, Shallotte, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach and Calabash in 2022
66
BUILDER SHOWCASE
Bill Clark Homes — Building. Family. Traditions.
By
Michelle
68
MackenFULLY BOOKED
A vacation rental interior designer shares her top tips for standing out in the oversaturated short-term vacation rental market.
By
Lori Shaw
72
WAVE RIDING FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART
The women of Girls Gone Boogie
Boarding in Sunset Beach bond over their love of the ocean waves.
By Melissa Slaven Warren
78
BY THE NUMBERS
Top 20 Builders in Brunswick County in 2022
80
REFRESH, RELOCATE & REINVENT: DREAM ON Stephanie Bodmer has revived Boiling Spring Lakes Motel with a ’70s rock and roll vibe.
By Beth A. Klahre86
REFRESH, RELOCATE & REINVENT: PEDAL PUSHERS
A group of women in Southern Brunswick County are redefining the typical biker gang.
By Ed Beckley
90
CAPE FEAR AREA LOCAL MARKET UPDATE
A look at the 2023 sales and home price trends in the Cape Fear area.
91
RESIDENT SHOWCASE
Margie and Richard Dickey — The Sanctuary, Sunset Beach
92
REFRESH, RELOCATE & REINVENT: A SWEET DREAM
Sheila Hall offers up sips, sweets and s’mores with her mobile gourmet business Chocolate and S’more.
by Emory Rakestraw
97 ADVERTISER INDEX
98 LAST LOOK
FOCUS Broadband has proudly served Brunswick County for nearly 70 years, providing a full range of communications services including High-Speed Internet, Telephone, Video, and Home Security with Smart Home Solutions. What’s even better, unlike large national providers, our services are backed by local technicians and award-winning customer service representatives.
BELVILLE Once a tiny community in the northeastern section of the county, Belville is a rapidly growing town. Part of the town’s vision includes incorporation of its Brunswick River waterfront as a recreational and educational center. This development is set on 150 acres that were once part of the 280-acre Belville Plantation owned by the family of Daniel Lindsay Russell, who served as governor of North Carolina from 1897 to 1901. This riverfront area includes a public boat ramp, picnic facilities, walking trails, shoreline fishing and a playground. SeaView Crab Company sells fresh, local seafood at an open-air market location here Thursday through Sunday. Incorporated in 1977, the Town of Belville includes more than 3,000 acres. The town center includes several small businesses as well as shopping centers, real estate, golf courses and other businesses.
SANDY CREEK A small community approximately 12.5 miles west of Wilmington, Sandy Creek was incorporated in 1988. Situated on 1.3 square miles of land, the town supports approximately 400 people committed to retaining the small hometown feeling they enjoy.
LELAND Another of Brunswick County’s historically small communities, Leland has been bursting at the seams for several years. With the influx of newcomers to masterfully developed golf course communities, the accompanying commercial centers have followed. Incorporated in 1989, the town has large shopping centers with national and regional brand stores, professional offices and restaurants. Economic development
NORTHERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY AREA INCLUDES:
Leland, Belville, Winnabow, Navassa, Sandy Creek, Northwest, Town Creek
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Belville Elementary
continues to be at the forefront, and the town’s economic development group has embraced history, culture and the arts to move it forward. The Leland Cultural Arts Center is a showpiece. Nationally affiliated WWAY-TV (ABC) is headquartered in Leland.
NAVASSA Located on the west convergence of the Brunswick and Cape Fear rivers is Navassa, incorporated in 1977. Navassa first came to life in 1869 when a railroad was built across the Cape Fear from Wilmington from the town’s current site. The line helped to connect Wilmington to Charlotte and the interior of South Carolina. Industrious Wilmington merchants secured a deal to ship turpentine products to the West Indies and return with the rail cars loaded with guano (a natural fertilizer). They built the Navassa Guano Factory in 1869. The village that sprung up around the factory was named Navassa by the U.S. Postal Service in 1885. At its heyday, the business employed more than 4,000 workers. The village has seen hard economic times but is on the rebound with recent announcements of new industries moving to the area. The town has a well trained police department and volunteer fire/rescue department.
NORTHWEST Incorporated as Brunswick County’s 18th town in 1993, Northwest has about 750 residents and is managed by a mayor, city clerk and five council members, a fire station and police department. Its name is a simple reference to its location in northwestern Brunswick County. The primarily agricultural community adjoins Columbus County and measures 6.04 square miles.
erry Amitrano retired from the New York City Fire Department after working as a firefighter for 23 years. In 2015 he moved to Compass Pointe in Leland, where he lives with his wife, Jeannie, and operates a small business, CP Knife Sharpening.
Amitrano grew up in Queens, New York. After high school, he knew he wanted to be a firefighter.
“Everybody I graduated with were either cops, firemen or attorneys. Civil service was what I wanted to do,” he says.
But it wasn’t easy for him. Amitrano took the test to become a firefighter and failed. Until he could complete further training, he needed to find a job.
“It was kind of like Rocky. I started in the meat market on the west side of New York City. I was a delivery driver, and eventually a butcher, for Yankee Meat Company in Chinatown,” he says. “Most of my friends had passed the test and were working in the fire department. I knew I wasn’t going to be a butcher all my life.”
Determined to succeed, Amitrano trained to be a firefighter for three years while working as a butcher, ultimately passing the firefighting test in 1986 with a score of 98%. When he was not at the firehouse, he kept
working as a butcher. This allowed him to hone his skills cutting meat, and he learned how to sharpen knives that were used at the meat company. After retiring, he used those skills to start his own business, CP Knife Sharpening, serving Leland and Wilmington.
“I did not have a golf cart in the beginning, so I used my bicycle,” Amitrano says. “I would ride through the neighborhood with a laminated sign on my bicycle’s basket, and people would come out if they wanted me to sharpen their knives.”
Over time the business grew, and he bought a mobile knife-sharpening machine that fits in the back of his truck. Amitrano sharpens lawn mower blades, hedge trimmers, hand pruners and kitchen knives of all sizes.
He has a wide variety of customers, including neighbors, landscapers and some local restaurants.
“I also run a fishing club, and I sharpen filet knives for the captains of charter boats,” he says. “A lot of my business comes by word-of-mouth. It’s always the best way to get customers.”
But Amitrano doesn’t work full time.
“I took on knife sharpening as a hobby,” he says. “It helps to subsidize those things that I like to do, like boating, fishing and golfing.”
While he enjoys being retired, he stays active in his community in many ways. He is also an umpire two days per week for a local baseball league for kids.
Honoring the bravery of New York City firefighters and first responders is very important to him. Amitrano says he will always remember his colleagues and the work they did in the fire department in New York City. “We will never forget. Especially 9/11, we never forget that day or the firefighters who lost their lives. I always thought it was the worst we could ever live through.”
In April of 2020 Amitrano traveled to Ireland on a family vacation. Without his knowledge, his wife, Jeannie, made arrangements for him and his family to visit the Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance in Kinsale.
The garden is in southern Ireland and features 343 trees that were planted to honor each of the fallen firefighters who died in the line of duty on September 11. Kathleen Murphy, a nurse in New York City during the Twin Towers disaster, created the Ringfinnan Garden of Remembrance after retiring and returning to the family farm in
her home country of Ireland.
Amitrano remembers, “The first tree I walked up to in the garden was planted for a friend of mine, Vinny Halloran.” Vincent Halloran was from North Salem, New York, and was serving as a lieutenant with the FDNY. “I read his name and I couldn’t believe it. It was such a moving experience for me and my family.”
While visiting the garden in Kinsale, Amitrano felt there was something missing. “We wrote a letter and asked the NYC commissioner for a large piece of steel from the Twin Towers,” he says. “We have it now, and we’re making plans to place it in the garden in Ireland. There will be a plaque on it to recognize Kathleen Murphy, who has since died, and the work she did to honor these fallen heroes.”
The Amitranos are enjoying retirement and grateful to be living near family in Brunswick County.
“I love Leland and Wilmington,” Amitrano says. “It’s beautiful. We have been here for almost eight years and enjoy being a part of this community.”
By Michelle Macken
Steeped in rich maritime history, Wilmington, Brunswick County and the treacherous offshore shoals (dubbed the “Cape of Fear” by early mariners) have been vital to the fortunes of businessmen and buccaneers alike. This history drew the inspiration for The Bluffs on The Cape Fear, a private, 600-acre preserve just 15 minutes from downtown Wilmington. Situated at 32 feet above sea level, The Bluffs is elevated well above flood stage and can be found in a much sought-after location along the Cape Fear River.
Over 200 miles in length, the Cape Fear River once served as a key transportation route for those traveling into the interior backwoods of North Carolina, and today The Bluffs celebrates the river’s rich history and beauty as neighbors say “living on the water means more at The Bluffs!”
Doug Talbot created the lushly landscaped neighborhoods and natural preserves with privacy, tranquility and woodland beauty in mind, but he added the modern conveniences of natural gas and city water and sewer. Four quaint wooden bridges span meandering streams, and a half-dozen ponds beckon to migrating waterfowl.
The Bluffs has placed an emphasis on style and craftsmanship, privacy and nature. In fact, each homesite, offering quarter-acre to full-acre in size, backs up to a natural area, including ponds, mixed hardwood and pine forests and even the Cape Fear River.
Seven local builders are the featured builders here: AR Homes, Coastal Cypress Building, Hagood Homes, Horizon Homes, Legacy Homes by Bill Clark, Kent Homes and Southern Pines Homes offer elegant and luxurious custom home designs.
Marc Wilson is the director of sales & marketing at The Bluffs. “The popular low-country designs range from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet, with sweeping front porches and room for two- to three-car garages,” he says. “And the rolling topography lends itself to walkout basement designs in several locations.”
Amenities include a clubhouse with an indoor and outdoor kitchen and a resortstyle pool next to a 6-acre fishing and recreation lake with a small beach, pier and kayak launch. Kayaks are included. There is a children’s playground, a bocce ball court and a tennis court that converts to two pickleball courts. There are also several nature and walking trails throughout the development.
“The riverfront is a highlight of the development,” Wilson says. A 6-foot wide, 600-foot-long boardwalk stretches from a parking area through the stands of towering cypress, loblolly pines and dogwoods and down to the marina and boat ramp. “From here, residents can easily boat to downtown Wilmington,” he adds.
Development is underway for a 2-acre riverside park with an outdoor pavilion for cooking and entertainment, accessible by bicycle, car and walking trails. Clearly, The Bluffs has placed an emphasis on outdoor living and recreation.
“One of the favorite amenities is our private beach club,” Wilson says. “It is one of only three private clubs on Oak Island.” Located on the second row, the club offers spacious porches, a full-sized kitchen, a living and dining area and bathrooms with showers, all of it tailored to relaxation after a day at the beach.
The Bluffs offers a true waterfront experience from riverside to oceanside to pondside to poolside.
9700 Strawberry Hill Drive
Leland, NC 28451
Chocolate Myers and television, radio and print journalist Caron Myers enjoy the simple life in Ocean Isle Beach.
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO ANN MATHEWS
he isolation demanded by the pandemic in 2020 prompted Caron and Danny “Chocolate” Myers to consider where they wanted to spend their retirement years. They had enjoyed celebrity status for decades, Chocolate through NASCAR and Caron as a singer and television reporter, but the couple wanted a quieter, more subdued lifestyle.
“We came down here [to Brunswick County from Lexington] and weren’t sure what to do,” Chocolate says. As he speaks, he goes from relaxing in his recliner to sitting up and leaning forward to express a point, his face serious. Caron, whose smile and demeanor reflect her careers, inserts remarks and comments to expand the subject.
“Chocolate has a history in this area from his childhood,” Caron says and explains that Chocolate’s
Chocolate’s father and uncle, NASCAR racers Bobby and Bill
parents, Bobby and Lorene Myers, were frequent visitors to Holden Beach and Shallotte from Winston-Salem.
Chocolate is the son of famed NASCAR driver Bobby Myers, who died in the Southern 500 race in 1957 at Darlington Speedway in Darlington, South Carolina, when Chocolate was 8 years old. Less than a year later Chocolate’s uncle, Billy Myers, died of a heart attack while racing at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem.
Chocolate, the nickname that
owned by Richard Childress Racing. Chocolate retired as gas man in 2002 and took the reins as curator of the Richard Childress Racing Museum in Welcome, North Carolina. In 2007 he became commentator along with John Roberts on Tradin’ Paint on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“He’s perfect for it,” Caron says. “As many stories as he has, he’s the Garrison Keillor of NASCAR.”
Caron, a Florida native, is a television, radio and print journalist who covered hundreds of stories throughout Florida before she and Chocolate moved to Lexington, where she continued her career. After back surgery in 2017, she relinquished television and switched to WinstonSalem’s radio station WTOB 980am, where she not only reports the news but also continues to write as a freelancer. Both Caron and Chocolate are live on radio from their home in Ocean Isle Beach.
stuck after a Pop Warner football coach called him that because of the dark tone of his skin, is a NASCAR celebrity as well. At 6 feet, 4 inches, Chocolate developed proficiency carrying 100-gallon gas cans on his shoulder and filling race car tanks in seconds. The talent earned him the title of “gas man” on The Flying Aces crew for Dale Earnhardt, a team
“I’m just a regular guy,” Chocolate says. “I’m the guy next door. I don’t want to be treated special. I just want to be a good person.”
He recounts how a store cashier in Lexington said she couldn’t believe he buys his own groceries. Caron told her, “When he gets home, he’s going to empty his own trash.”
‘THE TALENT EARNED HIM THE TITLE OF “GAS MAN” ON THE FLYING ACES CREW FOR DALE EARNHARDT...’
2020
Moved to: Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Moved from: Lexington, NC
Bobby Williamson, owner of Bobby’s Auto Parts in Shallotte, recognized Chocolate when he came to the shop. “He is just very, very down to earth,” Williamson says. “He’s a regular guy.”
The couple wanted to find a suitable house for their family that includes 5-year-old Duke, their 115-pound standard poodle/Maremma Italian sheepdog mix. After several discouraging trips to the area, the pair was intrigued by a fixer upper.
“His parents used to come to this area in the 40s and 50s, right here, like right down the street,” Caron says.
Since Chocolate has handyman skills and Caron is a proficient interior designer, they tackled the challenge and have remodeled the home to their specifications.
Although they’ve been together for 38 years, when they first crossed paths in Daytona Beach, Caron wanted to keep
her distance.
“When we first met, Caron didn’t like me,” Chocolate says. Caron confirms the fact and says he drank too much for her taste. “Besides, he didn’t have a stellar reputation,” she adds. “He was a biker boy. He was tough.”
But when Chocolate asked her to a cook-out at Richard Childress’ home in a gated community, she accepted because Chocolate added, “[John] Travolta lives there.”
She never met Travolta at the cook-out but accepted Chocolate’s invitation to dinner the next night.
He came to her place on a motorcycle.
“She had a skirt on,” he says.
Caron nods. “It wasn’t easy getting on the cycle.”
The third night Chocolate invited her to a party. “The problem was he had another date that night,” Caron says, but she told him, “Fine. We’re friends. We’re not dating.” By the time the other woman showed up, Chocolate “had way too much Jack Daniels,” Caron says. “He told the other girl she needed to leave because he loved me and was going to marry me.”
“HE TOLD THE OTHER GIRL SHE NEEDED TO LEAVE
BECAUSE HE LOVED ME AND WAS GOING TO MARRY ME.”
Caron and Chocolate hold their two grandchildren, Greyson, right, and Tatum.
Caron was kind but firm. She told Chocolate his lifestyle didn’t fit hers. He asked what he could do. “I don’t drink like that, and I’m not going to put up with it,” she told him.
He responded with, “That’s the last drink I’ll ever have.”
“And it was,” they say in unison.
“I think we were both in a place in our lives that we needed each other,” Chocolate says.
“We had both been married before,” Caron adds. “We both had our hearts broken before.” She pauses. “Chocolate brings joy to my life. He finds the lighter side of life while I find the more serious side.”
Chocolate and Caron admit they have had exceptional life experiences. Chocolate continues to be a member of the NASCAR elite.
Caron was instrumental, with the assistance of Representative C.W. “Bill” Young of Florida, in getting the
National Bone Marrow Registry Reauthorization Act of 1998 passed. That started in 1986 when her daughter Brandy was sick with leukemia. Young was a personal friend and asked how he could help Brandy. “I told him she needed a bone marrow transplant, but had no match,” Caron says. “And there was not a registry or clearinghouse. So, he had me go to Washington and give my testimony and tell my story, Brandy’s story. I met the movers and shakers and in no time, money that was appropriated to the Navy for nuclear reactors onboard ships in case they had a crisis and needed a bone marrow registry, that money was reappropriated to something called Lifesavers, which eventually became BeTheMatch. The Bill Young reauthorization Act is all part of this. It reauthorizes every so often in Congress.” Sadly, Brandy died in 1987, before that bill passed, and would have lived if a bone marrow transplant had been available. Today Caron is on the national board of bethematch.com, which assists people with information and helps find a bone marrow match. She is the author of Captain Steven: The Little Pirate who fought the Big “C” to Rule the Big Sea about a boy who is diagnosed with cancer.
The couple have a daughter, Alexi, who recently moved to Pender County with her husband, Seth Miller, and their two children, Greyson, 3, and Tatum, five months.
In his spare time, Chocolate says, “I’m kind of a country cook. My latest thing is making cakes.”
Caron, an accomplished musician, is learning to play the violin. They are pleased with their new residence and happy they moved to Brunswick County.
“We have so many wonderful friends here,” Caron says. “It’s become home.”
“It seems like every week we find another reason we should be here,” Chocolate says.
You can hear Caron Myers on WTOB 980 Radio Monday through Friday from 6 to 9 am.
You can hear Chocolate Myers on Sirius NASCAR Radio, Channel 90, Monday through Friday from 1 to 3 pm.
BY ASHLEY DANIELS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN DEITZ
A
he curb appeal of Sue Dalpe’s home is the talk of the neighborhood in Brunswick Forest in Leland. That’s because her threebedroom, three-and-a-half-bath modern façade stunningly stands out from the rest of the crowd and makes quite a statement. The black-and-white exterior is sleek and contemporary, a big contrast to the other stately coastal new builds in the community.
Dalpe’s homebuilding journey first began a few years ago, when she spotted her dream place for her retirement home in Brunswick Forest, a lot that borders the third hole of Cape Fear National Golf Course. As with any homebuilding process, however, there were highs and lows for hers, along with bumps in the road.
From the time the foundation was poured in 2021 to move-in day in 2022, it was a challenging timeframe. Dalpe credits her architect’s impressive eye and Bell Custom Homes, known for constructing award-winning luxury
homes along the coast of California and here in North Carolina, for bringing her vision to life.
She came to her team knowing exactly what she wanted in her home, with a checklist in hand: high, vaulted ceilings, ceiling beams, tall windows, a butler’s pantry, a den to house a bar and
space for playing games, and an outdoor kitchen.
As for interior design, “I wanted something grander than I had in the north,” the Rhode Island native says. “I thank Instagram for all of my inspiration.”
After a failed attempt to work with a professional designer, she
instead relied on her daughter’s stylish taste if she could not make up her mind on a final decision on something. She also trusted the opinion of her friend and neighbor, an artist who created a couple of the paintings that hang in Dalpe’s home today.
The interior results are stunning, with metal accents, edgy lighting, durable hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows,
The home was constructed by Bell Custom Homes, and for interior design, Dalpe relied on her instincts, Instagram and her daughter’s stylish taste.
fire features and an expansive coastal-themed outdoor kitchen that wows.
“I love that I have views of the golf course no matter where I am,” says Dalpe, who also has a fairway porch for viewing. “I love the warmth that a modern house offers. I feel simple is best. And I love to entertain.”
Unfortunately, Dalpe is not able to share the joy of living in the home with her husband. He died from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, five years ago.
“He owned his own heating and air conditioning business and worked so hard,” she says. “When he was diagnosed, it was like a death sentence and he died 22 months later. I am so very thankful that my husband took care of me so that I was able to build this home.”
Dalpe says that a cane they picked out for him when traveling to St. Marten is propped up beside the front door as a heartfelt reminder of that.
Crust N.C., a mobile wood-fired pizza truck, reinvents the traditional pizza party.
BY ASHLEY DANIELS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GLENN GUIAO
f you’re from in and around the New Haven, Connecticut, area, pizza is what you live, eat and breathe. In a town nationally recognized for its pies, you never settle for less than the best.
Jeff Verderame and his wife, Sheree, went to a party about seven years ago in New Haven, where they were introduced to another level of pizza (even for New Havenites): a mobile wood-fired pizza truck.
“I was just overwhelmed and I was so taken with it,” Verderame says. “I think I spent the whole party hanging around next to where they were preparing the pizzas and watching the process. I talked about it for about a year and a half to the point that my wife simply said, ‘Either do something or just shut up about it,’ so I went out and researched it.”
The 60-year-old retired marketing entrepreneur reinvented the next chapter of his career by starting his own mobile wood-fired pizza truck business, Crust. He imported a wood-fired pizza oven from Italy, had a trailer for it custom-built and dove right into business.
“I thought, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’” Verderame says. “I have this beautiful brick Italian oven. If the business doesn’t take off, I’ll always have it for my own personal use. I started out as a hobby to see if I could make a go of it, and it turned into a full-fledged business.”
Crust took off with a bang for the next five years, as they were fully booked for private and corporate events in the New Haven area.
“We were very fortunate,” he says.
Verderame grew up in an Italian family with a mother and grandmother who were phenomenal cooks.
“What I did was try to employ some of the things that they taught me on how to cook,” he says. “I always loved cooking. I always loved feeding people, so it was sort of a natural progression for me to go into and make a business out of it.”
Crust launched into such a fullfledged business that it was renowned across the state, and Verderame was catering mobile pizza parties for up to 350 people or more.
But in 2020 when the Verderames decided to move south to Wilmington, North Carolina — away from the cold temperatures and high taxes of Connecticut — he sold Crust to a local restaurateur, who today carries on the legacy in Connecticut.
While Verderame was waiting for their home to be built in The Bluffs on The Cape Fear, he began planning the Southern version of his former business: Crust N.C. - Wood Fired Pizza Events.
“I wanted to build a smaller version of what I had up in Connecticut,” he says. “I promised my wife that I would accept only catering jobs that were of a particular size, so we scaled that back and our sweet spot is anywhere from 50 to 100 people, with our parties starting at 25 guests.”
What can you expect from an event catered by Crust? Each one is a fun, delicious experience showcasing pizza that’s not your traditional pizza, but instead loaded with fresh ingredients and refreshing twists. For instance, Verderame created a lobster mac and cheese pizza, one with a marinated tenderloin with crispy potatoes, pizza topped with barbecued baby back ribs soaked in a sweet sauce that’s spiked with a pop of hot cherry peppers, brisket pizza, white oyster pizza and more. Crust offers a lengthy list of options, including the standard toppings of fresh meats and vegetables, like local heirloom tomatoes.
“I typically offer to my hosts whatever they’d like or they can trust that I’m going to show up with the
right ingredients for their guests after I talk to them and get a sense of what they want,” Verderame says. “We’ll make anywhere from 10 and 12 different pies, not just one or two.”
The pizza crust itself, he says, is unique and one of the things folks enjoy most. The dough has a high water content, and Verderame ferments it for two or three days prior to each event. The thin crust is baked in an oven that climbs close to 900 degrees, resulting in a crust texture that’s light, airy and crispy-chewy.
Also, complete with every Crust catered event comes one of Sheree’s fresh seasonal salads featuring mesclun greens, candied pecans, feta, apples or pears (depending on the season) and a house-made balsamic dressing. Each meal is finished off with either Italian ice or gelato for dessert.
“It’s my therapy in a lot of ways,” Verderame says. “I love the cooking and the prep, but the parties are my favorite part because I get to interact with people. … The oven is right there, and I love the guests coming up and talking to me while we’re stretching the pizza dough and making the pies and putting them in the oven only a couple of feet away. If there are children around, they’re always fascinated, and if I have the opportunity, I throw a little apron on them and they come back and help me make a pizza or two.”
Depending on the size of the event, the Verderames staff most Crust parties themselves. If needed, they will call on more staff to help out, but, regardless, you can count on Verderame to be at every event, from birthdays to anniversaries to surprise parties and anything in between.
Word-of-mouth marketing from guests who have experienced their pizza parties seems to be a successful generator for business, as they’re booked out through October, but it’s
nothing like the back-to-back party days of Connecticut.
“We’re taking a little bit more of a slow roll,” Verderame says. “I became a grandfather a few months ago, and my daughter moved from the West Coast to the Raleigh area, so I’ve spent a lot of time seeing her and my grandson.”
BY TERESA A. MCLAMB
ST. JAMES Begun in the 1980s as a private subdivision off N.C. Highway 211, the town of St. James was incorporated in 1999. Built along the Intracoastal Waterway and near Lockwood Folly River, the town has welcomed more than 7,000 residents from around the country. Their dedication to their community is visible in their award-winning service club and several other organizations that provide many hours of volunteer service to the community and to causes dear to residents. St. James features four golf courses, a full-service marina, tennis courts, swimming pools and a beach club on Oak Island.
SOUTHPORT Southport’s position at the mouth of the Cape Fear River where it flows into the Atlantic made it a logical choice for
pre-colonial settlers. A few miles upriver, Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson were founded in 1726 and burned by the British in 1776. These ruins are vital to the state’s archeological history. Long ago, the town of Southport became a favored stop for steamboat and schooner captains ferrying goods between Wilmington and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as for wealthy Wilmingtonians seeking a rest from city life. Today, the riverfront boasts Victorianera homes along with antiques shops, art galleries, restaurants, ancient oak trees and more modern structures such as Dosher Memorial Hospital, a four-bay fire station and numerous commercial centers. A stop at the Whittler’s Bench on the Southport riverfront allows visitors to view Bald Head Island, the Atlantic merging with the Cape Fear and the
Intracoastal Waterway. The region’s maritime history is explained at the Southport Maritime Museum on Howe Street; visitors should also stop by the Old Brunswick County Jail and Old Smithville Burying Ground. A short ferry ride from here is Fort Fisher State Park, the last stronghold of the Confederacy. The fort was instrumental in protecting the port of Wilmington. It was the largest earthwork fort in the South active during the Civil War. At the ferry landing, you’ll see Price Lighthouse, the last of a string of squat brick sentinels constructed between 1845 and 1851 from Wilmington to the mouth of the Cape Fear River. During the Civil War, Confederate troops used the lighthouse to communicate with officers at Fort Fisher. It was closed in 1867. Southport’s notable charms have made it the backdrop for
Bald Head Island, Boiling Spring Lakes, Bolivia, Caswell Beach, Oak Island, Southport, St. James
Bolivia Elementary, Virginia Williamson Elementary, Southport Elementary, South Brunswick Middle, South Brunswick High, Brunswick County Academy, Brunwick County Early College High School
many film projects, including Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven. Tours of local film locations are available. Southport hosts the state’s official Fourth of July Celebration and parade each year. Displaying their sense of humor, residents string together the name of four prominent streets, three named for Colonial figures — Lord, Howe, Dry, I Am. We’ll likely never know the origin, but it’s fun to speculate.
BALD HEAD ISLAND The state’s oldest remaining lighthouse, Old Baldy, is open for tours on Bald Head Island. Built in 1817, the 90-foot brick structure helped guide ships safely to the mouth of the Cape Fear River until 1935, when it was replaced by a new light at Caswell Beach. Some 100 steps and a wooden ladder lead to the top and a spectacular view of the island, Atlantic Ocean and Cape Fear River. Bald Head Island sits at the mouth of the Cape Fear River where it joins the Atlantic Ocean. Accessible by private ferry from Southport, the village was incorporated in 1985. Its pristine beaches, maritime forest, dune ridge and marsh make it a desirable year-round home for about 200 people and respite for visitors who often fly in to Cape Fear Regional Airport on Oak Island to stay on the island. Amenities include a golf course, a marina, restaurants and shops. Accommodations include cottages as well as bed and breakfast inns. The 12,000-acre island, which includes an 800-acre maritime forest with freshwater lagoons, is being developed with a 15 percent maximum capacity. You can explore the island by bike or golf cart; no cars are allowed.
CASWELL BEACH Across the Cape Fear River from Bald Head is Caswell Beach, a quiet town of about 300 year-round residents situated on the eastern tip of the island. A wide selection of condos and single-family homes are available to vacationers. Its intentionally limited commercial district includes Oak Island Golf and Country Club. Incorporated in 1975, the town takes its name from Fort Caswell, which was built in 1826
and seized in 1861 by Confederate troops, who held it until 1865. The fort was used in the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. It now belongs to the N.C. Baptist Assembly, which uses the site as a conference and retreat center. Another attraction of the town is the Oak Island Lighthouse. Activated on May 15, 1958, it is the most brilliant in the nation and second in the world with standard candle-power of 1,400,000 and the capacity of 14,000,000 to 20,000,000 candle-power when needed.
OAK ISLAND Boasting 70-plus public beach accesses, Oak Island also offers access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Davis Canal for fishing, kayaking and birding. The town has a municipal golf course and several parks and ballfields. Its thriving commercial district includes restaurants, service businesses, real estate sales and rentals and marinas. The town of Oak Island was created with the 1999 merger of Yaupon Beach (named for the native yaupon tree) and Long Beach (named for its expansive beach strand). Like others in the county, its south-facing orientation allows spectacular sunsets over the ocean. The town limits include a commercial district on the mainland approach to the Oak Island Bridge. Some 8,000 year-round residents welcome about 35,000 summertime visitors.
BOLIVIA The seat of government in Brunswick County, Bolivia is believed to have been named for the South American country from which crates of guano were shipped through this town to other towns. A post office has been in operation here since 1892. Settlement by immigrants of European ancestry, mostly farmers and timber men, began here in the early 19th century. Incorporated in 1911, the town became home to the county government complex in 1977. Just outside the incorporated area is the campus of Brunswick Community College and Brunswick Early College High School.
For a vacation that checks all the boxes, book a stay at SeaSons at the Point, an Oak Island oasis created by and for family.
BY ANNA BETH ADCOCK
BY LAURA GLANTZ AND LIGHTHOUSE VISUALS
PHOTOGRAPHY
lose your eyes and envision your happy place. For Emily Demarest, that place has always been Oak Island. The memories of her youthful summers on the island have come full circle as she and her husband just completed building a beach home there.
“When I started working, one of my goals was to build a beach house,” Demarest says. “I started saving as soon as I started working to be able to do that. My goal was to be able to do it by the time I turned 40 — and I celebrated my 40th birthday last year.”
SeaSons at the Point opened for booking in November 2022. Demarest and her husband, Chris, named it for their two young boys and for its location. By booking this house for others to enjoy, Demarest wants to help others create the same experiences and memories when on a coastal respite from their everyday lives.
“We built the house to share those formative memories for
and the ocean, one of the most coveted locales on the island. This location allows guests to truly take in the tranquility of being by the water during their time on Oak Island.
Demarest thoughtfully designed the house over the course of about three years — before the property was even found. She sourced furniture and furnishings from 25 towns throughout North Carolina, and many regional vendors contributing to its building process and maintenance, from architects and builders to the property manager and handymen.
other families just miles from where I made my own,” Demarest says.
What makes this home stand out from the hundreds of other rentals on Oak Island are the spectacular views, the comfortable design and the concierge services.
The home touts 360-degree views of the water. It’s nestled right in the sweet spot by both the Intracoastal Waterway
SeaSons at the Point sleeps up to 19 adults, with each bedroom decorated with a unique theme in mind, and it is stacked with all the amenities you can imagine, including a pool and hot tub and private beach access. The open floor plan promotes a flowing, breathable feel throughout the house (also boasting those terrific views!), and the house has six decks for outdoor enjoyment.
“Our interior design goes well beyond the bare bones of most rentals,” Demarest says. “There are ample spaces for
children to play, adults to connect and everyone to find togetherness in experiencing Oak Island from SeaSons at the Point. We built our home to really center our guests’ experience on what we value from quality time together.”
The home displays an array of intentionally chosen artwork and features pieces from local artist Karen Olah, who created custom work specifically for SeaSons, and a family friend, Laura Lobdell from Printed Hues.
“Laura owns a local oyster farm and also does amazing watercolor prints of coastal maps and wildlife,” Demarest says, adding that guests receive an Oak Island watercolor ornament from Printed Hues as part of their welcome basket.
While staying in a home so beautiful and bursting with amenities is already a dream getaway, Demarest has taken it a step further with concierge services.
“It’s been really fun to partner with local vendors to put together options and itineraries,” Demarest says. “We want our guests to be able to take
advantage of as many things as possible.”
Their concierge model is designed for families and built around relaxation.
It makes it easy to plan everything from grocery delivery and beach chairs to family photo sessions and private chefs in advance.
“We’re parents and also busy professionals with limited time off — so we fully understand that time off is precious,” Demarest says. “We designed our services so generations can gather together and actually relax in a house designed for them.”
Demarest appreciates that SeaSons at the Point contributes to the local
economy. Approximately every dollar invested in the tourism industry brings back $8.25 to the local economy, with the average VRBO guest spending about $1,045 at local businesses during a five-and-a-half-day getaway. That makes SeaSons at the Point’s partnerships with local vendors all the more valuable.
A few of the businesses bolstering the home’s impressive concierge service — and allowing guests to have all the activity options they want at their fingertips without the hassle of planning — include everything from
Quicksand Beach Concierge, OKI Bike and Paddle Co., The Booze Buggy and Black Sails Adventure Company to a slew of activities to choose from such as picnics on the beach, mini golf and visits to local museums and restaurants.
“We are big fans of SeaSons at the Point and their owners as we share a similar mission of helping guests create memorable moments,” says Dixon Wright, co-owner of OKI Bike and Paddle Co. “They provide the wonderful accommodations and partner with us to get the guests cruising the island on an e-bike or in the water paddleboarding.”
Aside from the obvious beauty of the beach, the draw to Oak Island lies in the luster of its local restaurants, businesses and people — and finding those favorite spots to keep frequenting each visit.
“We steer visitors to local establishments because it drives positive tourism impact on the economy,” Demarest says. “And it just makes Oak Island feel more like a home away from home when you go back to the same places for breakfast
or dinner. For example, our family loves Pepperoni Grill, and we probably eat there four times during a weeklong stay.”
Residing in Raleigh, Demarest and
her husband both work very demanding full-time jobs and balance activities for their two kids — making vacations a much anticipated respite. As it always has
since her childhood, heading to Oak Island offers Demarest a much-needed breath of fresh air each time she visits.
“Life in Raleigh is very fast-paced,” Demarest says. “When we get to go to
Demarest says a great joy in the home-building process was and continues to be forming relationships and partnerships with local experts to provide guests with a truly local experience.
“We have phenomenal talent in the surrounding area, and there is no reason to outsource any element,” she says.
Here are the vendors they worked with:
ARCHITECT: Coastal Designs, Dennis Mercer
BUILDER: Coleman Builders
SIGNS: Green Cottage Designs
POOL: Seaside Pool and Spa
ART:
Karin Olah, Printed Hues; Ketsol
MARKETING:
Lillian Graning
the beach, the moment that we get in the car and start heading in that direction, we can just feel our blood pressure drop.”
Demarest hopes that the happy place she shared with her family growing up can continue to be passed down through her own family for generations to come as well as be enjoyed by those who choose to stay at SeaSons at the Point.
“My sons are little now and they love coming to the beach with me,” Demarest says. “But I still get together with my sisters and our parents at the beach, and I want that for our family, too. I want this house to be a place where I can see them, where they will come spend time with us and also have that happy place — and when you’re a mom you’re always trying to create happy places for your kids.”
If you’re ready to channel that seaside serenity, snag your booking slot at SeaSons at the Point.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT:
Jen Moran
LINENS: Brunswick Linens
PHOTO AND VIDEO: Lighthouse Visuals
CONCIERGE ACTIVITIES:
OKI Bike and Paddle
Blacksails Adventure Company
Quicksand Beach
Concierge
The Event Guide NC
RESTAURANT PARTNERS:
Ruby’s Coffeehouse
Koko Cabana
Haag & Sons
Lonerider
Drifters
Pepperoni Grill
When you’re a mom you’re always trying to create happy places for your kids.
By Michelle Macken
Legacy Homes by Bill Clark is Bill Clark Homes’ custom brand. Created by Bill Clark Homes, an award-winning home builder in the Carolinas since 1977, Legacy Homes focuses on building homes of extreme quality tailored for each client’s individual needs.
Currently building in Wilmington, Hampstead, Holly Ridge, Leland, Southport, Oak Island and surrounding areas, Legacy Homes is your path to the Carolina coast
This premier homebuilder capitalizes on luxury craftsmanship, distinguished design and superior service to make the building process enjoyable. The Legacy team of professionals works together to take their clients from visualizing their ideal home to seamlessly designing and building it. This experience should be exciting, and the Legacy team of experts keeps it that way with an established process and a genuine love for home design.
“Our dedicated team of sales representatives, project coordinators and designers will help you build the home of your dreams, whatever your dreams may be,” says Heath Clark, president and owner of Legacy Homes by Bill Clark.
There are three ways to get started with acquiring your new home. Buyers can purchase a completed Legacy Home, choose a home plan from the vast portfolio or customize one of the Legacy Home plans to make it one-of-a-kind.
Legacy Homes recognizes that building a custom home can be overwhelming, so they simplify the method while still assisting each homeowner in establishing their custom plan distinctive to their lifestyle and family.
The entire journey is planned out in systematic steps. The first thing a customer starting the process will expect is the Initial Consultation. This is where the homebuyers meet with one of the Legacy New Home Consultants to map out a plan tailored to fit their needs and expectations.
If the client already owns a home site, care will be taken to ensure that the plans fit properly on the site and that it abides by the guidelines of the community.
Then, one of the Legacy plan design professionals will meet the
customer to begin drawing their new home. If the client has already purchased or designed a plan, Legacy will continue with the following steps: home estimation, design consultation, final home pricing, steps to construction, guidance during construction and continued communication until the client is successfully moved into their brand-new home.
The Legacy Homes by Bill Clark Design Studio is inspiration central. Inspired by their favorite downtown Wilmington boutiques, the designers of the studio created it to spark their customers’ imaginations! The Design Studio is organized to make home-selection decisions easy. Legacy Homes Design Consultants help navigate decisions every step of the way. Legacy Homes is currently building in Summerhouse on Everett Bay, Salters Haven, The Bluffs on the Cape Fear, Compass Pointe, Brunswick Forest, River Lights, St. James Plantation, Pine Forest and Pine Forest.
SHALLOTTE The commercial hub of the region, and one of the earliest areas settled, Shallotte grew on the banks of the Shallotte River and incorporated in 1899. River pilots navigated the winding river from the ocean into the center of town in the early 1800s, bringing food and supplies to settlers from miles around. Strategically located on U.S. Highway 17, which runs from Maine to Florida, Shallotte serves as the trade center for surrounding communities and beaches. Shallotte has a variety of fine shops, supermarkets, shopping centers, a microbrewery, professional offices and restaurants. National hotel chains have facilities along Highway 17 bypass in Shallotte. The town also has aggressive plans to develop its waterfront. Free concerts are held on Thursdays in downtown’s Mulberry Park, which also hosts a farmer’s market on Saturdays in the summer.
CALABASH The southernmost river town is Calabash, originally part of the 48,000acre grant to Proprietor Landgrave Thomas Smith dated May 13, 1691. Its position on the river and near the Atlantic made it a natural site for Clinton Morris’s oyster roast, the first Calabash restaurant, which opened in a crude shed with a sawdust floor in 1935. Today Calabash is a tourist area, with an abundance of fine restaurants, shops and nearby golf courses. It is home to about 1,800 residents. Summer brings concerts to the town park on Tuesday evenings. Now known as the Seafood Capital of the World, Calabash has an auspicious history of Revolutionary War involvement and presidential
SOUTHERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY INCLUDES:
Holden Beach, Supply, Shallotte, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash, Carolina Shores, Ash
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary, Supply Elementary, Union Elementary, Cedar Grove Middle, Shallotte Middle, Waccamaw School (K-8), West Brunswick High
visits. During the Revolution, Isaac Marion, older brother of legendary General Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion, lived in the 1760s-era Boundary House, so known because it sat on what is now the North Carolina-South Carolina state line. George Washington is said to have spent the night nearby at the Vereen family home. General Benjamin Smith, tenth governor of North Carolina, was wounded in a gentlemen’s duel with his cousin in Calabash.
CAROLINA SHORES Adjoining Calabash, Carolina Shores began as a retirement subdivision but incorporated as a separate town in 1998. This golf community combines an 18-hole golf course, one of the early ones in the area, with patio homes and condominiums. The residents, primarily retirees, are very active in the community.
HOLDEN BEACH Trailing west across the Lockwood Folly Inlet is Holden Beach, where development began in the 1930s by the Holden family. The Holden family ownership dates to 1756, when Benjamin Holden acquired 100 acres extending from Lockwood Folly Inlet to Bacon Inlet for 50 shillings. The area was a commercial fishing center in the 1920s. The first subdivision map identifying it as Holden Beach Resort was drawn in 1924 by John Holden Jr., the fourth generation to hold the entire property. Today, the Holden family remains prominent in development and government of this family-oriented beach. An elevated two-lane bridge was completed in 1988. Visitors can rent beach cottages, condominiums or motel rooms. The beach’s permanent residents share their celebration of living on the sea through two festivals, A Day at the Docks in March and Festival by the Sea in October. Boat building continues on the mainland side, where shrimping and fishing boats bring their catch to the docks. A fishing pier, fish houses and several charter boats operate in the town. Numerous beach access points are available, including those designated for older and disabled people.
OCEAN ISLE BEACH Ocean Isle Beach came to life in the early 1950s when a local youth freshly returned from World War II purchased the island. From the beginning, Odell Williamson’s plans were for Ocean Isle to be a quiet family beach. He identified a centralized commercial district that would serve the residents and visitors and planned the remaining portion of the 8-mile-long island to be strictly residential. From its early fish-camp days with access by ferry, the island has grown to incorporate public tennis courts, miniature golf, boat docks,
a children’s playground, specialty shops, the Museum of Coastal Carolina, an interdenominational chapel and full-service fishing pier. The island’s annual Fourth of July parade and party is a favorite for residents and visitors. It is also home to the North Carolina Oyster Festival each October. An airport town park and shopping are on the mainland. Access is by a modern elevated bridge named in honor of Williamson, who served several terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Each summer, the town presents free concerts on Friday evenings beside town hall. Bring a chair and your dancing shoes.
Plus, when you bundle your home and auto policies, you can save even more. Call me or stop by my office for a free quote.
help
SUNSET BEACH Like other Brunswick County beaches, Sunset Beach was developed over several decades by local residents with a long history in the area. Father and son Mannon and Ed Gore laid out the first lots on the beach. Their influence is still felt in the beauty of the small island community accessible by high-rise bridge from the mainland near Sea Trail golf community, which is also part of the incorporated town. Residents and visitors enjoy a public boat ramp, programs at the Ingram Planetarium, a variety
of restaurants and shops. The southernmost inhabited island in North Carolina, 3-mile-long Sunset Beach was incorporated in 1963. Government offices and more residents are situated on the mainland side, which includes golf courses, restaurants and additional accommodations. Perhaps one of Sunset’s greatest charms is that it provides the only land access (at extreme low tide) to North Carolina’s southernmost undeveloped barrier island, Bird Island.
Bill Clark Homes is a family-owned and operated home builder with more than 40 years of local experience and named as one of the nation’s “Top 100 Builders” for over a decade. Best known for their coastal home styles and top of the line finishes, they focus on maximizing spaces to not only accommodate any lifestyle but also combine options to personalize each home.
Since 1977 Bill Clark Homes has been committed to being an innovator in the building industry and providing homes with details that set them apart from the competition. Bill Clark’s team achieves customer care with unparalleled integrity, making the home-building experience seamless, personalized and enjoyable.
Bill Clark Homes of Wilmington works across four counties in southeastern North Carolina: Onslow, Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick. The communities in which Bill Clark Homes develops are exclusive to their home building. This allows them to set the tone of a community even before they break ground and gives clients the opportunity to envision their new neighborhood.
Bill Clark Homes has several model homes that are open seven days a week. From open floor plans to extensive energy efficiency, Bill Clark is ready to meet your home-buying needs.
Bill Clark also has a custom brand, Legacy Homes by Bill Clark, which allows their clients to customize and build a home with their lifestyle in mind. Legacy Homes by Bill Clark builds in master-planned communities and has a custom on-your-lot program as well. The Bill Clark name is something to be proud of, and the craftsmanship between both Bill Clark Homes and Legacy Homes by Bill Clark shows for itself. Their ability to change with the times but also remain a stable and steadfast company should reassure anyone buying a Bill Clark home that they have made the right decision.
Bill Clark Homes is excited to announce its newest community, The Sanctuary at Sunset Beach, which is currently under development. This community is going to be the epitome of beach living with the added convenience and low maintenance of a planned community. Resort-inspired amenities will make a weekend at home feel like a vacation getaway. Located just steps away from local shops and restaurants, The Sanctuary at Sunset Beach will offer the laid-back coastal lifestyle that Sunset Beach is known for. For more information go to TheSanctuaryAtSunsetBeach.com.
The team at Bill Clark Homes believes that a house does not become a home until a family breathes life into it. Each community, home and design detail is created with the homeowner in mind, and they take great pride in building each home as if they were building it for themselves.
A vacation rental interior designer shares her top tips for standing out in the oversaturated short-term vacation rental market.
fter building our first short-term vacation rental (STVR) property in Banner Elk pre-pandemic, my husband and I turned our attention to the beach. We wanted a short drive from our home in South Charlotte, and friends recommended we check out the Sunset/Holden/Ocean Isle Beach area.
When we got to OIB, we made a left-hand turn and drove until the road ended. We got out and walked out onto the sand on the far east side of OIB, and that’s where I, a vacation rental interior designer, fell in love with Ocean Isle Beach. This is our second summer here, and our entire family is in love with the
beauty, the pace, the hospitality and the sunsets that this place shows us and our guests with every visit.
If you are familiar with the vacation rental market, you will have heard the word “oversaturation.” Is there an oversaturation in the STVR market? Yes. Is that necessarily a bad thing? No. I like to look at it more as a “right sizing” of the market.
During the pandemic, rentals were in such high demand that huge numbers of hosts jumped on board for the quick buck – without designing the property, the experience and certainly not the service in such a way as to be sustainable. An intelligently designed property that offers a truly remarkable experience will always be in high demand.
If you are in the process of or are considering investing in a STVR, here are my top tips for today’s market: 1
KNOW YOUR IDEAL GUEST. As the saying goes, “If you are for everyone, then you are for no one.” It really pays to know who your ideal guest is; then you can cater everything about the property, and the experience, to that guest. 2
KNOW YOUR COMPARABLE PROPERTIES. You always want to stand out. Take the time to do your research and know what properties like yours are offering – and what they don’t offer. For example, if you have a 5BR / 5BA house, check out the other houses that size (and located a similar proximity from the beach) and see what amenities they have. Do they have a really cool kids/gaming area? If you aren’t seeing one, add it to your property; if you are seeing them, find a way to make yours more attractive to potential guests. 3
CONSIDER ACCESSIBILITY. Properties that are wheelchair accessible have an advantage over those that are not. This is going to become more and more of a selling point for guests in the coming years, so think about it now. 4
ABAA = ALWAYS BE ADDING AMENITIES. As I look around my clients’ properties, I look at every nook and cranny as an opportunity to add an amenity. Due to so many people working remotely, you have to offer workspace. If kids are a part of your ideal guest scenario, you have to offer things to keep them busy! The list goes on and on. 5
DON’T SKIMP ON PHOTOGRAPHY!
There is a HUGE difference between real estate photography and STVR photography. Find a great photographer and review their work before hiring them. You only get a second to capture the attention of a potential guest, so top-notch photography is everything.
You can find out more about Lori Shaw Interiors at lorishawinteriors.com.
Comfortable spaces and extra-touch amenities that make your guests feel immediately at home are extremely important in today’s short-term vacation rental market.
BY MELISSA SLAVEN WARREN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA GLANTZ
Just like anyone looking to ride the waves, Pam Parisian and Rae Matthews spend time every day analyzing surf and tide charts to get a feel for the ocean’s mood before gathering their gear and the rest of their girls and heading for Sunset Beach.
The Girls Gone Boogie Boarding Club (GGBB), as they call themselves, is a group of young-at-heart women living in Ocean Ridge ranging in ages from 50 to 70-plus. They get together several times a week when the conditions are right for some boogie boarding. They meet at the Third Street access from April through November (and even December for a couple of the diehard boogies).
It all started in 2019 when Parisians’s granddaughter, Elena Cook, who was seven at the time, was visiting and urged her grandmother to come out and boogieboard with her. Elena has been boarding since she was four.
“For years, she would say come out with me Grandma, and I was like nah,” Parisian says. “But this time, I went out and I loved it. After she went home, I kept boarding.”
Parisian knew Matthews had a mutual passion for boogie boarding, so they would go out together. And then one day, the two decided to see if anyone else in their community was interested. They found their tribe. The group grew from two members to more than 20. On average, depending on
schedules, there will be anywhere from four to 12 boogie boarding at a time.
Boogie boarding, also called body boarding, compared to surfing is much more accessible to people of all ages and levels of athleticism. Unlike surfing where the rider stands on the board, boogie boarding is done lying on the board. Boogie boards also offer more stability than a surfboard. But don’t discount boogie boarding for a lesser sport. It offers thrilling speeds, opportunities for riding tricky waves, and it’s a great way to stay active. For Amy Brozena, it keeps her out of the gym.
“This is the best workout you can get without going to the gym,” she says. “I liken it to sleigh riding as a kid. You
get that big rush going down, and then you have to drag it back up the hill. That’s like fighting the waves to get back out.”
Janet Getz dittos Brozena’s sentiment about staying active. “I love the ocean, but I don’t like to sit still. In fact, I’m ready to go out now!”
Boogie boarding also requires some important gear to make it safe and a more rewarding experience.
Obviously, there is the board. The group doesn’t favor one board over another. Sue Guarino rides her inexpensive but optimal Walmart board, and Diane Miles is still using her board from 1986. What does matter
is the height. According to Matthews, “Typically what I’ve read and gone with is that you should use your belly button as the height (for the board).”
GGBB members never leave home without some other essential gear like fins, goggles, shark-repellent bracelets, wet suits for cold weather and stinger
suits to protect against jellyfish and man-o-war, something member Pamela Mayer knows all about.
“I got stung by a man-o-war out there,” she says. “It had to have had 15’ tentacles. My entire body was covered in hives for two weeks. Don’t go without a stinger suit.”
The ladies have a couple of other rules too. One, no one ever boards alone.
“We have great respect for Mother Atlantic,” Matthews says. “Even as shallow as it is at Sunset Beach, things can happen.”
The second rule is don’t bother going out if the wave intervals are less than seven seconds.
“If they’re less than that, you don’t have a chance to catch them, and you end up just getting pushed around,” Parisian says.
For the women of GGBB, their group is about much more than just riding waves.
Jeanine Blumenfeld, who grew up body surfing at the Jersey Shore, has been a lifelong boogie boarder, riding with her children, nieces and nephews. “When these ladies invited me to be part of GGBB, it just brought me back to my childhood. There’s such great energy in this group.”
Nancy Godbey grew up boogie boarding in California, and says, “These gals are the greatest.”
Corrine Eisenstein, a member who had shoulder surgery, hasn’t been able to boogie board, but she still enjoys hanging out with the group and is “hoping she can get back to it soon.”
For Wendy Carney, joining GGBB helped her overcome her fear of the ocean. “I got caught in an undertow once, and I said would never go back out there. But when I was invited to join, I challenged myself to get over that fear.”
Ellen Jones was recovering from a broken ankle when she was invited to join the GGBB. “I was scared to death to go in the ocean, but I was also
“I got caught in an undertow once, and I said would never go back out there. But when I was invited to join, I challenged myself to get over that fear.” ≈
scared of falling again,” she says “Once I got out there, it was so much fun, and these ladies have really welcomed me into this group.”
Between waves, you’ll find the ladies sitting on their boards, floating and talking, waiting for the next wave. This brings up a third rule: It is perfectly ok to leave in mid-conversation to ride a wave.
So, what do other beachgoers think when they see this group of mature women riding waves like they mean it?
“I was showing my seven-year-old grandson how to boogie board last summer,” Eisenstein says. “I rode in a really good wave and stopped right in front of a group of 20 -to-30somethings who were tossing a volleyball. They looked impressed and
asked me if I wanted to play volleyball. I told them, ‘No thanks, we have a bunch of old ladies who boogie board here.’ One of the young men said, ‘I wouldn’t call you old ladies. I’d call you badasses.’”
The women of Girls Gone Boogie Boarding have embraced that title and have it stenciled on the bottoms of their boards.
BY PERMITS
t first glance, Boiling Spring Lakes Motel appears to be just a quaint, unassuming roadside inn. But there is much more to this motel than first meets the eye.
Without doubt, Boiling Spring Lakes Motel is a very special place, and that starts with making a reservation. Sole owner and proprietor Stephanie Bodmer says, “I am the only one who answers the phone. It’s just me! You can’t book online, so I personally speak to every guest. It’s my way of making sure my motel is a good fit.”
Bodmer moved to Boiling Spring Lakes in 2015 from
Maryland, where she worked in nursing administration for more than 20 years. While she enjoyed nursing work and made many friends, the area’s congestion got to be too much. For Bodmer, who was born in peaceful suburban Sanford, North Carolina, moving to Boiling Spring Lakes was coming back to her roots.
Bodmer’s father, Darrell Gunter, often visited her in Boiling Spring Lakes. He always talked about buying the motel.
“I would ask him what he would do with a motel in Boiling Spring Lakes when he lived in Sanford! And he
2015
Moved to: Boiling Spring Lakes, NC
Moved from: Maryland
After two years of renovations, Boiling Spring Lakes Motel owner Stephanie Bodmer personally welcomes each guest.
After two years of renovations, Boiling Spring Lakes Motel owner Stephanie Bodmer personally welcomes each guest.
always replied that it would be very lucrative,” says Bodmer. Bodmer never got the thought of buying the motel out of her mind, especially after her father passed. In December 2018, she purchased the motel despite significant damage caused by Hurricane Florence in September. It took her two years to renovate the motel.
“I basically tore it down and rebuilt everything,” she says. “I discovered that it was very well made, the framing was excellent and it was a very sturdy building. Besides the framing, the only thing that remains from the original building is some brick veneer and little copper lamps that are in the back of the motel.”
The motel reopened in November 2020.
Some of the allure of the motel
is its history. According to Bodmer, it was built to provide housing for people who were building new homes in Boiling Spring Lakes when the town was being developed, and it was one of the first businesses in town.
“I have newsletters under glass on the front desk from Reeves Communications, who owned the land,” Bodmer says. “The newsletters were marketed to people in New York and New Jersey, enticing them to come to the sunny South, away from the snow and close to the beach. Reeves Communications sold hundreds of lots and developed Boiling Spring Lakes.”
The first owners of the motel, which was built in 1962, were Doc and Velma Stevenson, who to this day are a bit of a mystery. “They just disappeared,” Bodmer says.
Bill Stevenson, no relation to Doc and Velma, was the second owner from 1980 until the early 1990s, when his daughter, Dale Siegfreid, inherited it at his death. Back then, most guests were weekly renters. Siegfried almost sold the
hotel prior to Hurricane Florence, but when the lake drained due to breached dams during the hurricane, the buyer who was planning to make the motel into offices pulled out of the contract. The motel also had a damaged roof and other problems from flooding. Siegfreid sold it to Bodmer, saying she liked Bodmer’s vision to bring the motel back to life.
And Bodmer did just that.
Bodmer describes the ambiance in her six-room motel as “kind of a cool, groovy, retro ’60s and ’70s vibe with a splash of rock and roll.” She researched millennials’ preferences as inspiration for the decor.
“This generation likes different, not corporate, not cookie cutter,” she says.
Each rock and roll-themed room has a lava lamp and phones replicating those from the ’70s. One room has posters of John Fogerty. Cream is on the wall in another, and Aerosmith in another. Bodmer’s research paid off.
“Millennials love it,” she says. “They think it’s the coolest
place because they hear their parents talk about the era.”
In-room amenities include a mini fridge with freezer, microwave and coffee pot with complimentary coffee.
The furnishings in the rooms, including the floating dressers and nightstands, were custom made by local craftsman Eric Helton. All the beds have Beautyrest mattresses.
“No hard mattresses in my motel,” Bodmer says. “Even though hard mattresses last longer, I chose comfortable beds for my guests.”
She also notes that one room has a wheelchair-accessible
shower and a handicap-compliant sink.
Bodmer wants everyone to feel like they are at home when staying in her motel for a night or a week or even longer.
“I wanted the rooms to feel as homey as possible, not corporate,” she says. “There are no signs anywhere. I don’t want to bog down a vacation with rules.”
Other than a note about how to use the TV and Internet passwords, the only written rule is to respect fellow guests.
“I have a nice, quiet little place,” she adds.
The motel sits on one and one-half acres. There is wicker furniture out back for lounging nestled among fun, kid-
friendly statues of Bigfoot and a dinosaur, soon to be painted lime green with pink polka dots, and an alligator. There are grills and a picnic table and a fire pit.
Bodmer said that the most fun day at the motel is every day.
“The most fun is meeting awesome people,” she says. “I have this bench and red and white metal gliders from the ‘60s out front. Guests come and sit and chit chat. Or we visit on the back porch. We just sit and talk.”
For one person running all facets of the motel, there are some challenges. “Keeping up with laundry,” Bodmer says, laughing. She sends out linens to be laundered and has some housekeeping help.
“I wash each and every blanket between every guest myself,” she says. “It’s one thing that sets my motel apart.” And it’s noticed. Most frequent guest comments include “spacious and very clean.”
In the fall of 2020 Bodmer had planned to host a grand-opening celebration for the motel. But COVID-19 changed those plans.
Instead, Bodmer used the money earmarked for the event to purchase toys for disadvantaged kids in Boiling Spring Lakes.
“It’s now a tradition and I do it every year at Christmas,” she says. She makes connections through local churches and school guidance counselors. “The community of Boiling Spring Lakes is the nicest little community. It’s been so good to me and my business, so now I give back.”
Bodmer dreams big about the future of her motel. In fact, she will soon be offering golf stay-and-play packages with the Lakes Country Club in Boiling Spring Lakes. She would eventually like to build a couple of cabins with a few bedrooms and little porches. “I’m not into bigger or better. And it’s not even so much about money,” she says. “It’s really about treating every guest like family.”
For now, Bodmer’s hope for her guests is that they leave the motel with an experience that makes them want to return.
“I just want my guests to have remarkable, happy memories of their vacation,” she says.
But when the girls move here from faraway places during a worldwide pandemic and mandated social distancing — missing family and old friends and not being able to get out to make new ones — well, that ain’t fun.
Now that the Corona bug and variants have subsided, 19 Ocean Isle Beach women who used to be girls decided they’re over the cloistered life. They’ve banded together for “all they really want” — and that’s a whole lot of FUN together.
It begins in a typical subdivision behind Lowes supermarket, with a leader, a bicycle and a love for coffee,
then takes to the roads from there. Jane Fallis and her hubby came to OIB from the Charlotte area during COVID.
“I was lonely and others were, too,” she confesses. “I am very social. I just wanted a group of women for fellowship and to be social.”
The obligatory Thirsty Thursday ritual in the community hadn’t started up yet, but neighbors were slowly starting to invite a few folks into their homes. Then some began short walks together, and Jane suggested a bike club, which got mixed reviews. But being the outgoing former teacher she is, she got all excited about the idea. She bought herself a fire
engine red Trike and neighbor Pat Garnier got a new bike and asked her to organize a group. Pat suggested naming it the Pedal Pushers.
Jane and Becky Simmons started out riding in the neighborhood in yellow T-shirts, like town criers, seeking recruits.
“We were begging women to join and asking everybody we saw,” Jane says. No woman was safe from their friendly invitation. If they were on their porches, grabbing groceries from their cars or pinching the heads off flowers in their gardens, they were fair game.
“All of a sudden, we were up to 19,” Jane says. “Once a week we meet at the community pool in our bright sunny yellow club shirts. We flow in and we flow out. Then we meet at Surf and Java for Board meetings as I call it, and they all
laugh about that.”
Susan Payne could not escape their clutches.
“Jane would come by on her Trike and say hello, then the conversations would get a little longer. You should join our group. Of course, now I go as often as I can.”
Susan says the women range in age from the 50s to 70s. The bicycles range from Trikes to multi-speed hybrids, one-speed beach cruisers to mountain wheels.
“Collectively it’s the social aspect that brought us together,” she says.
An army brat who has moved all her life, Susan extols meeting new people and developing relationships as a must-do. And while the Pedal Pushers isn’t designed to be an exercise or weight-loss program, she declares her motto is “movement of any kind is good, as is being out in nature,” whether at a slow or quicker pace. The group
rides 60 to 90 minutes in and around the neighborhood and around three to five miles. She recalls a fun morning ride.
“We got over to the Saltwater community, and a gentleman opens his garage door and sees a sea of yellow shirts. His eyes open wide, and he says, ‘I’ve just died and gone to heaven. If you ladies come around again, I will have cocktails for you.’”
Pedal-pushing Suzette Negaard moved to OIB last winter. Her husband was ill, and they were not getting out much. She wanted to answer the call, but a meniscus repair had to heal enough, first. She joined in the spring knowing it would be good rehab for her knee and a nice starting place to get back into exercising. But even more, she says she has made some “fantastic friendships.” Besides the weekly bike ride and coffee, “We now do birthday celebrations, holiday gettogethers, go to concerts and just call on each other to go do something else fun.”
She said she won’t ever forget one morning ride. “It was
super-hot and humid, and this guy is out sprinkling his lawn, and he asks us, do you want some? So, he holds up the sprinkler and we all ride under it like kids. So cute.”
Paige Spurbeck, who moved here from Ohio, is one of the youngest riders. She recalls how she got involved. “Jane is one of the most energetic, outgoing and caring people I’ve ever met. She has a good heart and wants everybody to enjoy life as much as she does. She said to me, ‘Paige, you’ve got to get a bike.’ I rode as a kid, but this is my first bike in a long time. It’s a little pink Walmart special. Nothing fancy. A little basket up front.” That reminded her that the club’s mascot is the tiny Toto-like dog, Rita, who sits in Beverly Bagley’s handlebar basket, as the group rides safely and slowly here and there. “And then coffee. Always coffee.”
The club has accomplished Jane’s goal of bringing people together in many ways, and now they are planning on adopting a family in need for Christmas and giving more of themselves for the blessings they’ve reaped in this beautiful place and the lifetime friendships they’ve recently forged.
“I did it to save myself,” Jane discloses, but it has become so much more. “Bringing all these wonderful women together is one of the most enjoyable things I have done in life. I never dreamed it would start this way — with a bicycle.”
These girls just wanna have fun — and they are!
Bringing all these wonderful women together is one of the most enjoyable things I have done in life.
A Research Tool Provided by Cape Fear REALTORS®
* Does not account for sale concessions and/or downpayment assistance. | Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures and can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
* Does not account for sale concessions and/or downpayment assistance. | Percent changes are calculated using rounded figures and can sometimes look extreme due to small
A Research Tool Provided by Cape Fear REALTORS®Where did you live before relocating to Brunswick County?
We moved here from Hickory, North Carolina.
Why did you choose to move here and did you previously have friends or family here?
We have vacationed here for 20 years and love the area. We have friends here.
What community did you decide to move to and why?
We moved to Sunset Beach because the beach is beautiful.
What is your job or hobbies here?
We are retired. We like to golf and play bridge.
How long have you lived here?
We have only lived here a few months.
Who built your home and why did you decide to build with them?
We chose Bill Clark Homes. We loved the floor plan and the quality of workmanship plus the beautiful amenities that are planned.
What is your favorite thing about southeastern North Carolina?
The beach!
slightly crisp, toasted marshmallow and a slowly melting chocolate square are securely smushed between two graham crackers — add in a roaring campfire cracking in the crisp autumn air and you have the quintessential s’more experience.
Many of us associate s’mores as a camping-only treat or just for backyard gatherings with friends around the fire pit.
But for Sheila Hall, owning Chocolate and S’more, a mobile gourmet s’more and beverage business, has been a dream since college.
“I went to college at East Carolina University and dabbled in sweet and savory s’mores,” Hall says. “This is how this love started.”
Growing up in Lumberton, she helped her mom bake
traditional Southern recipes and says she has always loved the kitchen.
“When I went to school for parks, recreation and leisure studies, I was in the camp world around fires and tents, so my love for gourmet s’mores just made sense.”
It took more than two decades and a few career changes for Hall to finally make the jump to small business ownership. Prior to starting Chocolate and S’more, she worked as a park supervisor for Raleigh Parks and Recreation then at the Governor’s Office as a program officer. Her last role was the entrepreneurship director for Cary Academy. Serendipitously, this included overseeing the development of an on-site café and coffee shop to help train budding entrepreneurs.
“As I approached 50, I was like, if I’m going to do
Moved from: Cary, NC
Moved to: Leland, NC
this, I need to start thinking about what it’s going to look like,” she says. “I knew I wanted a slower pace of life.”
When she and her husband decided to move back to southeastern North Carolina, Hall gave her school a one-year notice and they sold their house.
“We moved here in April 2020,” Hall says. “With the timing, I was scared to start anything. Last December my husband said, ‘If you’re going to do it, you need to go ahead and do it.’ Two weeks later he found a trailer for the business.”
In February of 2022, Hall’s sweet dreams finally manifested with the grand opening of her food truck, Chocolate and S’more. Hall used her s’mores recipe book to set the foundation for sweet and savory options, including bacon on s’mores, which she’s been doing for more than 15 years.
Her selections range from the traditional s’more to The Elvis, which features banana and peanut butter. For those curious about a savory combination, the Blueberry Bacon features blueberry jam and bacon atop a traditional s’more or the Fig and Pig with sliced prosciutto and fig jam.
Although Hall can’t bring the campfire with her, she’s perfected the art of toasting
s’mores with a specific torch utilizing direct and indirect heat. The result is a perfectly toasted outer marshmallow that’s just gooey enough on the inside.
Of course, patrons need something to wash it all down with, which is where the robust beverage selection of coffees, teas, chocolate drinks and Italian sodas come into play.
“For the drinks, I wanted to incorporate North Carolina-based options,” Hall says. “I knew my coffee would be from 321 Coffee, based out of Raleigh. The owner is a former student of mine and employs people with developmental disabilities.”
Hall says she has a mentor who makes a proprietary blend of cocoa and frappe mixes he sells to her.
“I call myself a drink mixologist, not like a bartender but pairing different things to fit together based on what people like,” Hall says. “Some people like fruit and some love chocolate on top of chocolate. There’s a chemistry behind the mix of what flavor goes in first, second
or third based on what you taste and what lingers.”
Hall, who says she is not a big coffee drinker, also adds tea options from Tin Roof Teas out of Raleigh. The true superstar, though, is the frozen hot chocolate, which she calls an intergenerational drink. The non-caffeinated beverage has
a milkshake-like texture wrapped in a frappe package, making it an easy crowd-pleaser.
“The first thing I ask customers is, ‘Caffeine or no caffeine?’ then ‘Chocolate or no chocolate?’ That narrows it down,” she says.
Her favorite beverage is the chocolate and toasted marshmallow iced or in a frappe. She also loves the red velvet hot chocolate with a white chocolate drizzle. For the nonchocolate drinkers, she recommends the white chocolate blueberry iced coffee.
The flexibility of a food truck is a huge perk. Six days a week Chocolate and S’more is on the move, some days at Brunswick Community College and others at local events in Brunswick, Pender and New Hanover counties.
Fall of 2022 saw Chocolate and S’more at North Brunswick High School and Leland Middle School for football games.
“I do special menus for certain events,” Hall says. “North Brunswick High School’s mascot is the scorpion, and for the game I did a Sweet and Sour Scorpion Italian soda with a crushed candy rim and the Scorpion Stinger with Habanero,” Hall says. “When I work with schools, I give a portion of my earnings back to the school. I really value education and try to help in any way I can as a small business.”
Although Chocolate and S’more is just shy of its one-year mark, Hall
says the welcome from the community has been nothing but supportive. When it comes time to reflect on achieving a dream (almost) a lifetime in the making, Hall is simply speechless.
“When you dream about something for so long you can’t help but feel grateful,” she says. “There are not a lot of words right now, but I feel accomplished, and I’ve never worked harder in my life. My father was a small business owner, and he’d always tell me, ‘I know you want this business, but it’s a different kind of work,’” she says. “To me, owning this small business has always been about building relationships.”
As the chill of winter sets in, Chocolate and S’more is here to warm up patrons with sweet and savory treats.
On Sunday evenings, Hall posts Chocolate and S’more’s weekly schedule on Instagram and Facebook @chocolateandsmore.
You can reach Hall at (910) 444-8305.
