In the heart of the village of Buxton, a haven for readers awaits. The bookshop — an 1860s kitchen house built from shipwreck timbers — is a dream conjured by its caretaker, Gee Gee Rosell.
When she landed on Hatteras Island in the 1970s, the then 22-year-old with a forestry degree found the idea of committing to a career path daunting. Rosell got a job at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where she helped to prepare for seasonal visitors. During the long, quiet winters, she read every book she could find about the Outer Banks. In 1984, when the cottage that’s now her shop became vacant, Rosell signed a lease and put in her notice.
Her quaint shop — all 900 square feet of it — is now celebrating its 40th year as Hatteras Island’s sole independent bookstore. Its rooms are packed with Pulitzer Prize-winning best-sellers, adrenaline-fueled thrillers, and summer romance beach reads. But it’s the painstakingly curated collection of books on Outer Banks and Hatteras Island heritage, history, folklore, and food traditions that anchors the store. It’s just the kind of place that a young Rosell, fresh to Hatteras, would have loved.
Buxton Village Books
47918 NC Highway 12
Buxton, NC 27920
(252) 995-4240
buxtonvillagebooks.com
Hatteras Island: Keeper of the Outer Banks
by Ray McAllister (2009, 2020)
This is a terrific overview of Hatteras Island, past and present, for newcomers and repeat visitors alike. According to Rosell, Ray McAllister’s voice makes you feel like you know the folks he’s interviewed.
Early From the Dance
by David Payne (1996, 2023)
David Payne has reissued all three of his North Carolina beach books, including this literary visit to the good old days of lazy summers. Rosell says that no one writes about family vacation drama better than Payne.
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