Local Shops You Need to Visit in Boone NC
Boone, North Carolina is known for many things: being home to Appalachian State University, the perfect weekend getaway surrounded by hiking trails and waterfalls, flowing with local breweries, minutes from The Blue Ridge Parkway, and the perfect town to visit on your way to one of the High Country’s ski resorts.
Whether you’re a High Country local or just passing through, you can’t deny this university town has some of the best local shops. From antiques to boutiques to record stores and general stores, King Street in Boone is home to some of our favorites.
Mast General Store
A trove of Americana, there are over nine locations of the Mast General Store including spots in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Mast Store in downtown Boone is made up of two buildings that were constructed in the early 20th century belonging to a long history of residents – People’s Bank, Belk-White Department Store, and Hunt’s Department Store. Now it sits on its own corner of King Street filled with outdoor gear, clothing, apothecary, candy, snacks, toys, unusual merchandise, and everything you might need in the mountains plus more. One minute you’re shopping for hiking shoes and clothes, the next minute you’re perusing the barrels of candy.
Peabody’s Wine & Beer Merchants
Peabody’s offers the High Country the finest collection of wine, beer, cheese, gourmet chocolates, cellar stocking, and event planning. Whether you’re a beer nerd, want to learn about beer, or just looking to try something new, Peabody’s staff is helpful and eager to show you different styles or specific beers you might like. You can either peruse the aisles of bottled beer and wine, stock up on draft beer at The Growler Station, or attend one of their free beer tastings that happen every Tuesday from 5-7 pm. Be sure to check their website for prices and updated taps since they change frequently.
We recommend following them Facebook where they share updates on new stock and events on tasting.
Lucky Penny
Lucky Penny is one the most popular women’s clothing boutique located right on King Street. This locally owned establishment is filled with little charms: exposed brick walls, vinyl records on rotation, and the perfect selection of jewelry, women’s clothing, and shoes that are both trendy and unique. For a sneak peek of their collection, follow them on Instagram for recently added inventory, styling tips, and prices. They are some of the friendliest shop owners around and they urge you to call or email them to hold items you like or ship them if you don’t live in the area.
641 RPM
Next door to Lucky Penny is the independent record shop, 641 RPM. If you’re looking to get lost in a collection of brand new or used vinyls, cassettes, and some CDs, this is one of the two places in Boone to find your next favorite album. The shop owner and employees are very friendly and will offer to play any used record you are considering purchasing to make sure the quality is up to par. This King Street store opened in 2009 and has since been an integral piece of the university and town’s culture.
Appalachian Antique Mall
Located across the street from the Mast General Store on King Street, this is the largest antique store in the High Country, with three floors and over 15,000 sq ft of antiques and collectibles. It may look small on the outside, but once you walk through those doors, be ready to spend a good bit of time in here. You will get lost in a sea of items hidden in every nook and cranny of this mall. Although it does feel jumbled together and disorganized, it is part of the experience to find a hidden treasure.
Boone Bike & Touring
Boone Bike & Touring is Boone’s original bike shop, celebrating 35 years as a locally owned and operated business. They offer anything and everything from repairing bikes, bike rentals, selling bikes and all the necessary equipment to leading group rides. They have also created organizations such as Boone Area Cyclists Club and Watauga Leisure Biking Club to bring all the High Country cyclists together for workshops and events. If you’re here for the weekend or new to the area, the employees can give you great trail recommendations based on your experience level.