Outer Banks' Island Gallery and Christmas Shop Reopens

For almost four decades visitors made the Island Gallery and Christmas Shop a priority on their list of stops. Located on the Outer Banks in Manteo, North Carolina, the shop was more than just a store. When owners Edward Greene and Richard Laceree announced its closing in 2005, customers were heartbroken.

But they weren't heartbroken for long. In May 2008 Greene and Laceree reopened the Island Gallery and Christmas Shop much to the delight of its long time visitors. It was the dismay of customers that, in part, convinced Greene to open the doors once again, according to a recent interview in the Outer Bank's Sentinel.

My own visit to the shop about one year before its closing is a memory I still think of often to this day. The walls of the Christmas shop are covered in dark holiday colors, with little to no windows, which enhances the feeling of being taken to place outside the norm. There are rooms of every kind of ornament, tree, and any other Christmas decorations you could imagine. Shelves are filled on every wall and there are even ornaments hanging from the ceiling. Music plays in the background of course, doing nothing more than adding to the sparkling holiday atmosphere.

Upstairs, there is a small area that is quite different than the Christmas rooms. Spooky sounds and voices fill the air as you make your way through the decorations. This is the Halloween room, and the owners have filled it with all kinds of ghastly items. Again, what is so amazing is how much effort Greene and Laceree have put into making the space into something more than just a room with products on a shelf, but rather a way of transporting you to a different world.

Back downstairs and connected to the Christmas shop is the Island Gallery. Beautiful artwork, posters, and prints are featured here. Beyond this is a large area that is set up like an old General Store. There are all kinds of items for the home, such as kitchen plate sets and gorgeous pottery. The kids (and adults) will enjoy all the varieties of candy and fudge that can be bought here, like products from the Outer Banks Fudge Company.

It may be obvious that children would enjoy a place like this, but many adults can't help but be caught up in its magical atmosphere. There is so much to see and experience within this one building, and most people have never seen anything like it. Anyone making a trip to the North Carolina coast should make the drive to Manteo's Island Gallery and Christmas Shop.