The Best that Brunswick County has to Offer: Shallotte, North Carolina

Big city business and small town style is why Shallotte is an alluring place to live. Well, just one of the reasons.

Shallotte (pronounced sh?-LOHT) is a quaint southern-town-meets-busy-Main Street-USA kind of place, where just the sound of the name evokes poetic intrigue—perhaps fueled by the folklore of the healing waters of Shallotte Inlet or the surrounding natural assets of its lush, undeveloped woodlands and intricately woven tidal marshes. Shallotte is that town where residents dole out a healthy dose of hospitality synonymous with the south, and the call of ocean breezes are just minutes away. But Shallotte’s strategic location just off Highway 17 and its business-friendly culture lures retirees, entrepreneurs, and families from all walks of life. 

Once a mere crossroads almost halfway between Wilmington and the South Carolina state line, this sleepy little town woke up and became the central business hub of southern Brunswick County. Of course, its roots were founded in business. Incorporated in 1899, Shallotte’s waterfront—where the Atlantic meets Shallotte River—enjoyed a thriving commerce of agriculture, fishing, and transportation. Today, Shallotte is home to more than 600 businesses, including independently owned restaurants and shops, as well as nationally recognized tenants.    

Opportunities abound in Shallotte for anyone seeking a relaxed, yet full coastal lifestyle: pristine riverfront, close-by beautiful beaches, thriving main street, up-and-coming craft brew scene, family-friendly locals, unlimited fresh and saltwater sports, and signature golf courses. As perfectly quaint and desirable as Shallotte already is, the future is poised to be even brighter with a proposed 20-acre riverfront revitalization project in the works complete with a river walk, restaurants, retailers, office and residential space as well as outdoor adventure activities.

Most visitors stumble upon Shallotte while vacationing in nearby Holden Beach. It’s a little piece of Mayberry from its flower-lined Main Street to its humble, helpful locals. That’s why many make Shallotte home. It’s managed to uphold its rural, small-town charm while progressing with just the right ‘enoughness.’ Shallotte boasts an affordable economy, a growing population, lower-than-average taxes, reasonable property prices, moderate climate, civic-minded citizens, and booming medial facilities, all of which make Shallotte a favorite retirement location. This postcard-esque community is home to over 4,300 residents in 28 square miles of idyllic coastal splendor.

Shallotte is far from a busy metropolis, but what it doesn’t have is easily found just a drive in either direction to Wilmington or Myrtle Beach where residents can enjoy entertainment, shopping outlets, tourist attractions, and performing arts centers. More than anything, Shallotte is a community that values itself as a river town, and is a haven of history, natural beauty, and southern sentiment.  

Much of the motivation for moving to Shallotte lies on the sun-drenched, white sand coastline of Brunswick County—all 50 beautiful miles of it. Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, and Sunset Beach are all within minutes of Shallotte. The abundant golf courses draw their fair share of residents too. There are over twenty courses in Brunswick County, including Shallotte’s River’s Edge Golf Club, an Arnold Golf Signature design nestled among the bluffs and tidal marshes of the Shallotte River.

Off the water and the greens, there’s still more to do. Cruise down Main Street and stop into the Wing and Fish Company for fresh caught local fish or scrumptious buffalo wings and stay for the trivia or televised sports. Saunter down the street to the soon-to-be-opened Red Hare Brewing Company in the 111-year-old former Coastal Drug Company building right on the Shallotte river for a taste and a tour of their barrel-aged and wild yeast experimental beers.

Once acclimated to the town of Shallotte, you’ll soon find yourself making new friends on a bowling league at the Brunswick County Bowling Center, or catching a new release at Coastal Cinemas. For those with a big kid heart, or looking for a place to take the family to, head to Planet Fun for a game of laser tag in a black lighted, two-story arena.

Call Shallotte comfort living: drift into the uplifting and secure memories of yesteryear. Call Shallotte no-frills living: sans the high-rises and commercial extravagancies of big city life. Call Shallotte permanent vacation living: enjoy the amenities and lifestyle the tourists experience year round. Whatever you call Shallotte, call it home.