How rural is Shallotte? (Wilmington, Welcome: transplants, to buy, community college)

[Carol53]

My husband and I are considering retiring to Shallotte or Calabash NC.

I read a post about Shallotte that said that it was rural - but, how rural is it? Are there street lights? Are there paved roads?

We will be relocating from Whitestone, New York. My husband loves boating and fishing - more than me. I would love to take classes at a nearby college and would also enjoy evening concerts and plays? Can you have the best of both worlds in Shallotte?

If there are any New Yorkers out there, can Shallotte be compared to any towns up here - Hampton Bays or upstate New York perhaps?

How is the shopping? Are there department stores or shopping malls? Artist communities and galleries?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. TKS.

[southernlady5464]

Are there street lights? Are there paved roads?

LOL, yes, and yes.

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce - Welcome to North Carolina's Brunswick Islands! More Beach fo
Town of Shallotte, NC -- Welcome to the Town's Official Website
Shallotte, North Carolina, Official Town Travel and Real State Website, nc, north carolina, outer banks, myrtle beach, sc, south carolina, Golf
http://www.city-data.com/city/Shallo...-Carolina.html
Shallotte, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brunswick County, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, it's rural, as to how it compares to those towns you've mentioned...I don't know since I am not familiar with them.

How is the shopping? Are there department stores or shopping malls? Artist communities and galleries?

Closest LARGE ones are Wilmington and Myrtle Beach. Smaller ones are closer to there. Artist communities, who knows. Galleries...probably all over. Liz

[Carol53]

Thank you for your response! And those great links too.

I am glad to hear that it is NOT as rural as I thought.

From a map it appears that Wilmington and Myrtle Beach are not too far away from Shallotte.

We will be visiting in the Fall, and we have narrowed this trip down to the areas of Little River SC, Calabash and Shallotte.

We also are considering the 55+ communities as well. I would like to have up to an acre of land - I enjoy gardening, and the retirement communities sometimes do not have large lot sizes.

Do you live there yourself? If so, are you happy there?

[southernlady5464]

We live in Belville (just below Leland and it shares the Leland zip code) right outside of Wilmington. My husband works for GE and commutes to Castle Hayne every day. So further out into Brunswick is too far for us. We DO like that area, just could not live that far out due to his job.

With Little River, SC, and Calabash, you get more of the real touristy area. Shallotte avoids that. Anything from Myrtle Beach all the way up to Calabash in the summer is just overrun with tourists. Commonly known as the Grand Strand. Liz

[NCSC]

Originally Posted by Carol53

My husband and I are considering retiring to Shallotte or Calabash NC.

I read a post about Shallotte that said that it was rural - but, how rural is it? Are there street lights? Are there paved roads?

We will be relocating from Whitestone, New York. My husband loves boating and fishing - more than me. I would love to take classes at a nearby college and would also enjoy evening concerts and plays? Can you have the best of both worlds in Shallotte?

If there are any New Yorkers out there, can Shallotte be compared to any towns up here - Hampton Bays or upstate New York perhaps?

How is the shopping? Are there department stores or shopping malls? Artist communities and galleries?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. TKS.

Shallotte is a small town --- most businesses are on Business 17. There is no traditional town center. Couple of strip malls (Super WalMart, Belks, etc.), and some other shops. Not aware of any galleries or artists communities. Not a lot of "upscale" shopping or restaurants, you'd need to go to Wilmington or Myrtle Beach for that (45 min. drive - 30 min. maybe, to NMB). Neat little place for lunch and dinner - The Purple Onion.

The closest college is a 2 year community college in Bolivia - 20 minute drive. They do have a performing artists series. Lots of fishing nearby.

The area around Shallotte was mainly made up of rural citizens - farmers -- before development got into the picture. So, now you have a mix of that culture with transplants, along with nearby beachcombers.

You'll have to visit it to see for yourself if it fits your needs. If you want a "cosmopolitan" feel small town, it's probably not for you. It's a small, rural town within 10 minutes of Ocean Isle Beach, and is rapidly growing due to development -- with that comes pluses and minuses.

Good luck!

[Carol53]

Thank you Liz - your info is very helpful. We're looking forward to living near the ocean - New York today is extremely humid, and they are saying that we will hit 100 degrees by noon.

We are off to the beach! We travel about 1-1/2 hours to the beach - the bay area actually in a town called Shinnecock (named after the Amer. Indians that resided, and still reside, there).

Keep cool!

Carol

[Carol53]

TO NCSC - I didn't see your post until now! Thank you too - very helpful.

I am liking the area more and more - I can't wait to get down there to actually see the area - we will be taking a 2 week vacation. We will be going back again often I guess until we are certain.

I saw on a website that Calabash has an Octoberfest in the fall - hopefully we can get down there for that.

TKS again.

Carol

[cooperwx]

Fantastic take on Shallote, NCSC! I took my wife to the hospital in Shallotte after she got stung by a stingray at Holden Beach. The nurse said he commutes from Wilmington and it's a 45 minute drive on US-17.

We've been going to Holden for almost ten years now, and that's a great description of little Shallotte.

[jerseyj]

Carol53- We hope to retire to the area too, Sunset Beach, so travel there a couple of times a year.
I found a lovely art gallery in Calabash called Sunset River Marketplace at 10283 Beach Dr. SW. Heading south on Beach Dr out of Calabash it is on the right hand side of the street just before the curve up to Hwy 17. It is a small appearing building but huge inside. They carry art from many local artisans, pottery, glass, wood, oils etc. really nice stuff.

North Myrtle is about 30 minutes away and there is a Tangers Outlet Mall there along with a Super Walmart. The Colonial mall is a little further south on 17.
Hope you have a great trip, I'm soooo jealous
Check out that gallery!

[southernlady5464]

there is a Tangers Outlet Mall

There is actually TWO in Myrtle Beach. We were there on Wed when my daughter tried to buy out the place. Good thing she has her own income.

Tanger Outlets Centers
Tanger Outlets Centers

Liz