Shopping in Havelock

At more than 1,000 Mattress Firm locations around the country, shoppers sink into plush mattresses, recline on firm beds, and belly-flop onto pillow tops. Knowledgeable staffers can help customers create an ideal bedtime environment by dispensing advice based on sleep preferences and illuminating the difference between the many kinds of mattresses. And to the delight of their customers, much of Mattress Firm's bedding wears the label of a premium brand, such as Sealy, Serta, Simmons Beautyrest, or Stearns & Foster.

Kids Exchange Consignment's biannual event, which has garnered attention from numerous media outlets, provides the general public a platform to sell gently used children's goods and receive up to two-thirds of the asking price. Shoppers, meanwhile, can purchase like-new consignment items for between a quarter and a third of their retail value. Typical items found at the event include baby products—highchairs, strollers, and infant swings—as well as products for older children—electronic toys, art supplies, and sporting goods. Items leftover after the event can be returned to the seller or donated on behalf of consignors to local organizations that support families in need.

After Dustin Canestorp returned home from his tour of duty in Iraq, he and his Marine Corps buddies would gather to play poker and sample the beer Canestorp brewed at home. His dream: to brew beer professionally by opening a microbrewery in eastern North Carolina, a beach-filled haven with a craft-beer desert. That dream came to fruition, though with one additional element: Beer Army would raise funds for local charities and communities. Now, Canestorp holds festivals that introduce revelers to local and regional craft beers while gathering money for those in need. He also runs the brewery, which currently pours four of its own brews, and manages the Beer Army Outpost, a 3,000-square-foot store with a plethora of craft brews for purchase.

We're a family owned and operated company with clear cut priorities and an ambitious mission statement. Each year we raise the bar in regards to risk management, training, improved curriculum and pure ocean fun. Our continued dedication to leading the pack is something we are very proud of and something you can count on.

In TrySports's perfect world, everyone would aspire to a higher level of fitness and healthiness. Whether they choose running, swimming, cycling, charging into triathlons, or sweating through a gym regimen, customers receive help from the staff in acquiring the supplies they need to reach an improved state of physical wellness. They custom-fit shoes by analyzing each patron's gait and help to select bicycles according to legs' length and mouths' ability to make motorcycle noises. The crew also curates a collection of water bottles, wristwatches, nutritional supplements, apparel, and cushy insoles to further ease athletic pursuits. The colorful array of products bears labels from brands including Under Armour, Mizuno, Asics, Brooks, Saucony, Hoka, Altra, and Colombia, which prepares patrons to sprint through races or catch up to the one guy who knows the rules for competitive hide-and-go-seek.

Wilmington Water Tours' owners decided to fulfill a lifelong dream, bought a boat, and took to the waters. The owners' passion for boating and local history soon garnered attention, and with the help of some friends, they founded Wilmington Water Tours to show off local history and sights.

Today, they own the Wilmington, a wake-canceling catamaran with a fully enclosed, heated cabin capable of seating up to 49 people. Groups board the vessel to explore the waters of Cape Fear. They cruise the coastline, watching the silhouettes of buildings transform into molten-colored spires in the sunset. They can also explore the history, wildlife, and mysterious channels of the Cape Fear River. Sometimes they just absorb the sounds of the state, inviting a musician to play on their Acoustic Spotlight tour as they drift down a river or pull loop-de-loops in the harbor.