A History of the Ocracoke Variety Store by Philip Howard, with various historical details provided by Kenny Ballance, & Tommy Hutcherson

The topography of Ocracoke Island has changed dramatically in the last seventy-five years. Islander Al Scarborough suggests using mental imagery to envision the changes since the mid-twentieth century. “Imagine staying at the Wahab Village Hotel (now called Blackbeard’s Lodge) in 1945,” he says. “You walk out the front door, and in front of you stretches a wide, undeveloped tidal flat devoid of dunes and vegetation continuing all the way to the surf.”

“Fifteen years later,” he continues, “and you return to the island. Again, you rent a room at the Wahab Village Hotel. This time, when you step out the front door you can’t help but notice the new Ocracoke Restaurant (since, renamed the Pony Island Restaurant). The empty tidal flat extends beyond the restaurant, but already vegetation is gaining a foothold between your hotel and the restaurant.”

“In 1965 you are back on the island, and you enjoy breakfast at the Ocracoke Restaurant. When you step out of the restaurant, you look to the south. Less than a quarter of a mile away you spy the new Oceanview Ballroom (now, the Ocracoke Variety Store) perched on the edge of the retreating tidal flat.”

Before 1957, when NC Highway 12 was paved and extended the length of Ocracoke Island, the area between Old Beach Road (the current location of Wheelie Fun golf cart rentals) and the National Park Service campground was three miles of virtually barren tidal flats…sand, shells, driftwood, and hardly a blade of beach grass. Numerous tern nests (simple depressions in the sand with one to five eggs) dotted the flats from mid-May to mid-June. During autumnal high tides, ocean over-wash inundated the flats.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s the North Carolina Department of Transportation in cooperation with the National Park Service opted to protect the new highway by building a continuous row of artificial dunes between NC12 and the Atlantic Ocean. The dunes were stabilized with sea oats. Almost immediately vegetation took root between the new dunes and the highway, and the original tidal flat, dubbed “The Plains” by islanders, gave way to coastal grasslands. Then came yaupons and myrtles, and later cedars. Today, even pines and a few live oaks have taken root alongside the road between the dunes and Pamlico Sound.

Where at one time the “bald beach” (the area devoid of plants and dunes) extended from the National Park Service campground to Ocracoke Inlet, from the Atlantic Ocean to Pamlico Sound, and once as far into the village as the Thurston House Bed and Breakfast[1] the beach was now confined to the ocean-side of the dunes. The names of two village roads, Ocean View Road and Old Beach Road, harken back to the days before the continuous row of artificial dunes was erected, when the Atlantic Ocean was clearly visible from the edge of the village, and when a simple sand track would take you from the village and across the Plains directly to the surf.

As the former barren tidal flat dried out and yielded to encroaching vegetation, and recognizing the potential for increased development on the eastern edge of the village, island native Robert Stanley Wahab (1888-1967) purchased tracts of former beach land. Wahab had worked as an oysterman, sailor, accountant, and public-school teacher, but is best remembered as an early island developer who was described as a citizen “prominent in the political and economic life of the coastal region.” He later built the Wahab Village Hotel (now Blackbeard’s Lodge), and converted the old Odd Fellows Lodge to the Silver Lake Inn & Coffee Shoppe (later re-named the Island Inn).

In about 1961 Stanley Wahab sold a sizable portion of the former beach land to islanders, Maurice and Maude Ellen Ballance. Maurice, an avid reader, accomplished musician (he was an original member of the island “Graveyard Band”) and master carpenter, built a large building on his land for use as a dance hall. Several nights a week Ballance and other island musicians entertained customers, playing guitar, fiddle, and banjo for traditional square dances and the more recently popular jitterbug swing dances. Maurice (pronounced “Morris”) was known for enthusiastically stomping his foot to keep time with the music. A juke box was available for music on other nights. The business was always called Maurice’s Place, but on paper it was listed as Oceanview Ballroom. Out front was a snack bar where Maude Ellen, an accomplished island cook, sold hot dogs and hamburgers.

Maurice Ballance was more than a successful businessman, accomplished carpenter and talented musician. He was also a waterman, spending many days in his wooden skiff mullet fishing, clamming, and oystering.

In the 1960s Maurice (1927-2014) began working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division. He eventually became the port captain supervisor at the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry terminal on the north end of the island, a position he held for 32 years.

In the late 1960’s Ballance sold the Oceanview Ballroom to Robert Lloyd Harcum (1900-1971), a retired real estate investor and developer from Norfolk, Virginia. Harcum had previously purchased property along a portion of the US Navy’s original 1942 one-lane concrete road which he named Sunset Drive,[2] and divided it into small lots. Harcum closed the Oceanview Ballroom and converted the space to a furniture store. Island native, Delores Tillett, operated a beauty parlor in a portion of the building.

Several years later, when Harcum decided to move back to Norfolk, he sold the former Oceanview Ballroom/Ocracoke Furniture Store to Henry and Ruby Rogers, also from Norfolk. The Rogers closed the furniture store and converted the building to a grocery/general merchandise store which they named the Ocracoke Variety Store. There were already four small general stores on the island…the Community Store on the harbor, Jack Willis’ store on a nearby dock, Albert Styron’s store a short distance from the lighthouse, and Corky’s store on Creek Road. With a larger building, a more adequate stockroom, and ample and convenient parking, the Variety Store soon attracted a dedicated clientele.

Henry and Ruby Rogers operated the Variety Store until 1983, at which time they sold their property and business to Cecil and Julia Hutcherson. In Virginia Julia had worked as a bookkeeper and office manager, and Cecil had worked for The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P. The Hutcherson’s long-term dream was to have their own grocery store. At their new Ocracoke venture, Cecil and Julia, along with their two grown children, Sharon and Tommy, often worked long hours, from early in the morning until late into the night.

The Variety Store continued to expand its inventory, and over the years a portion of the building was even set aside for an arts and crafts co-op, and later a hardware store. Another section was converted to an ABC store.

By the mid-2000s all of the smaller general merchandise stores had yielded to the larger Variety Store and had closed their doors. The Community Store is now a thrift shop, Jack Willis’ building on the dock has been repurposed as a small museum for working watermen, Albert Styron’s store is now a rental cottage, and Corky’s store has been remodeled as a year-round residence.

The Hutchersons also immersed themselves in the community. Cecil, better known as “Hutch,” served on the Tideland Electric Membership Corporation board for 14 years and was a past master of the Ocracoke Masonic Lodge.

When Cecil, a kind and generous man, died in 2006, Julia, Tommy, and Sharon continued to operate the store. Julia’s expertise in bookkeeping came in handy on a daily basis while Tommy took full control of the store’s management, with many duties taken over by Sharon. Of course, many faithful employees continued to function as the backbone of their daily operation.

 

Continuing with Ocracoke’s best interests at heart, the Hutchersons donated land for the new Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department building on Irvin Garrish Highway. The new building, with room for a much-needed ladder truck, was completed in 2014.

After a seven-foot storm surge from Hurricane Dorian in 2019 resulted in catastrophic flooding and significant property damage throughout the village, Julia and Tommy remained open and vowed to refurbish the store.

Julia Hutcherson died in early 2024. Her obituary captured the essence of her spirit: “Julia was a familiar and friendly face to so many who visited her at the Variety Store. When you walked into the office her beautiful smile always greeted you coupled with a quick wit and a sincere interest in those she spoke with. She held the hand and the heart of nearly everyone that entered into her life and those that met her walked away with a full heart and a warm hug.”

Today the fully-repaired Ocracoke Variety Store is well stocked with fresh produce and a variety of standard grocery items, including frozen vegetables, dairy products, ice cream, wine, and various brands of beer. In testament to their motto, “Your One Stop Shop,” the Variety Store also stocks patent medicines, greeting cards, books, beach supplies, T-shirts, and pet supplies.

The Variety Store no longer sits at the edge of the bald beach. Vegetation has colonized the former Plains all the way to the National Park Service campground. Since 1970 almost two dozen other businesses and homes have been built to the east of the Variety Store.

The Variety Store has been serving the Ocracoke community admirably for more than half a century. Customers might even be motivated to “cut a rug” in the former Oceanview Ballroom to celebrate Ocracoke Island’s much-loved family grocery store.

[1] In the 1920s islanders thought Thurston Gaskill was crazy to build his house “on the edge of the beach.”

[2] Islanders still refer to this road unofficially as Ammunition Dump Road.