The interior of Buxton Village Books, located on North Carolina's Outer Banks, underwent a complete transformation last winter during the pandemic. In Island Free Press, owner Gee Gee Roswell wrote that she had been planning the projects for years. When she opened the bookshop in 1984, "the original 1860 building was two rooms, two porches and a galley kitchen. Over the years, I've added several rooms until today we have eight rooms and a front porch.
"But long before I occupied the building, many layers of remodeling had taken place. As we began the process of planning the revitalization of the building, we aimed to peel back all the layers to reveal any of the original, 1860 structure that remained. Our goal was to not create a museum, but to preserve and showcase whatever history we found, and also make the building functional and comfortable for contemporary use. We were astounded to find so much original material intact."
Roswell shared details of the building's history "as we know it," noting: "As in many building projects, the big, expensive work is not visible. Our overall plan, which we hope was achieved, was to honor this history of this beautiful and important building, and strengthen it to work for many more years as a welcoming, comfortable retail space."
Several aspects of the renovation were explained, including the fact that the original ceiling beams, which are now exposed, were made from shipwreck timbers. When the building was constructed, "the easiest way to get lumber was to drag the remains of a wrecked ship off the beach. The entire original building was framed with this flotsam," Roswell wrote.
She also noted that once the structural pieces were completed, "we refurbished the shelving and reinstalled it. Everything had been customized to fit the space, and over the years, our customers let us know which subjects they wanted to find where. We did not change the basic layout, because it already worked quite well.... We do hope you like what we've done. Our building is still the vintage treasure it always was, but now it's light, bright, and airy, and we are looking forward to another 37 years of bookselling!"