Provision Company: The Return

Last October I blogged about this place called the Provision Company located in Holden Beach, NC that we just fell in love with.  This year when we made the trek back down there, we knew this was going to be one of our top three places to return to.

Every year we visit Myrtle, we always take a day to drive northward a little ways into North Carolina to visit Holden Beach, a more quiet family beach that holds a special place in our hearts and fond memories of past family vacations.  And every year on our way there, we make a shopping stop in Calabash.  Superking dreads it but he tolerates it for me.  There's one shop in particular called Callahan's.  Its huge, practically taking up an entire block of town, which is saying a lot considering the town of Calabash only consists of about two main streets, Callahan's being at the corner of both.

Callahan's at Calabash

Half the store is filled with your typical tourist beach gifts like T-shirts and mugs and home-made fudge.  But the other half is all about Christmas! Everything you can possibly imagine an ornament for, they most likely have it.  I like to do theme Christmas trees (this year its going to be candy) and this is where I start picking up my decorating ideas. Never too early to start planning! ;)

crossing the bridge over the canal from the mainland to Holden Beach

and there's the ocean

Anyway, enough about Christmas...how about a juicy shrimp burger on the beach??

beautiful serene Holden Beach

we saw like 2 people there

Thats one of the specialties at Provision Company.  Its completely awesome! I had it last year and couldn't resist getting it again.  Superking decided to go simple and get half a pound of steamed shrimp. This place is very down-to-earth...plastic forks, paper plates, styrofoam cups, even plastic chairs and wooden tables.  The food is great and the atmosphere so peaceful. Even though this time we came, the place was packed but everyone there was just relaxing, having fresh locally caught seafood, and enjoying the gorgeous beach weather.

they collect license plates on the wall

view of the canal and a shrimping boat from our table

full of people, all open-air, no windows

After we leave the Provision Company, we have to make a stop at The Scoop, the best little ice cream place there.  The ice cream is good but nothing special.  What makes this place great is the people, the location, and the memories.  Its not the beach, especially Holden Beach, without The Scoop.  We each get a scoop (peanut butter for Superking, spiced pumpkin for me) and a little bit of home-made fudge to take home for gifts. Ah, another perfect day at the beach!