Shopping In New Bern
North Carolina

SHOPPING, SHOPPING and more SHOPPING

New Bern has two things going for it shopping-wise. (Three, if you count the fact that this is a casual-dressing spot.)

First, and this is the area seen and raved about by the by tourists, the downtown/ waterfront/ historic district. Charming doesn't begin to describe it. Accessible, yes. Inviting? Of course! But the last century ambiance of New Bern's picturesque downtown is preserved and enhanced today by a  partnership between the historical preservation society and business development groups, the most visible of whom is Swiss Bear.   The small three or four block area is alive with specialty boutiques, designer clothing stores, service industry stores, restaurants, coffee and dessert emporiums...not to mention the outstanding arts and crafts shops that are booming. Our Civic Theater is being restored, as are many of the venerable old buildings. The Riverside Convention Center is the new roof on the waterfront skyline. It is open for business and gorgeous to boot!

Then we do have the malls, the Wal-Mart, Target,; K-Mart, J. C. Penney, Goody's and Belk's are the department store category choices. Head out US 17-S for most of the heavy-duty shopping action. You'll find Berne Square, one of the older shopping centers. Berne was recently updated and drew great shopping choices including newly re-located Dixon Shoes, the best choice for shoe shopping in town; Radio Shack and Big Lots. Twin Rivers Mall has several dozen shopping choices. Farther on, there's Lowe's hardware, Books a Million, Wal-Mart superstore, and Harris Teeter, the state-of-the-art grocery which is worth a visit, if only for sampling! Also check Glenburnie's strip mall action, where you'll find a bit of everything, from a pristine Baskin Robbins, to Mailboxes Plus and Cooks and Connoisseurs, Carolina Linens, Golf Etc. New construction starting next to Harris Teeter don't know what it is yet--, down the road is  Samantha's, an Atlanta style gorgeous gift and collectibles extravaganza, and Garden Delights nursery are farther out on 17, as is Ann Lynn's where New Bern business women  buy their clothes, Floors Unlimited,  and the city has gifted us with multi-choice trailer home sales further out of town.

There are , in effect, only three large commercial corridors in New Bern. Glenburnie Road is the  north/south route that is exploding with commercial development. It runs from Neuse Boulevard to Trent  Road, crossing US 17-S and 70. Picture New Bern as a triangle of land, bordered by two rivers, the Trent and the Neuse. These two rivers converge in downtown New Bern (at Union Point). Neuse Boulevard runs closest to the Neuse River. Trent Boulevard runs... well, you get the picture. US 17 is right in the middle of the other two.

Neuse Boulevard is the second largest commercial corridor with Craven Regional Medical Center, movie theaters, furniture stores, lots of fast food restaurants, (they're everywhere) muffler shops, lighting store, Social Security, banks......etc.

Trent Road is the third large commercial corridor. Runs parallel with US 17-S and Neuse Blvd. Like the others, lots of commercial stuff, not as much as Neuse, but another block of movie theaters and computer stores, hardware, groceries, and the lovely new Village Shopping Center with lots of shopping possibilities.  Travel agency, best bagel/sandwich place in town now-- Carolina Bagel, Merle Norman, dentists, gift shops, The Village Butcher-- a terrific store!  Nevada Bob's is the newest addition. Over the new spectacular bridge on US70East is the predicted explosion of new restaurants-Bojangles, KFC, Full Belly Deli- and businesses catering to Taberna and all the Brice's Creek subdivisions. Fast food galore, dry cleaners, car sales alley, on the way to the beach.

We are 35 minutes from several heavy duty malls in Jacksonville NC. We are 40 minutes from Greenville with unlimited shopping. And for luxury shopping, we are only 2 hours from famous Crabtree Valley Mall and the other fancy malls in Raleigh and the famous Research Triangle Park area.

OK Surfers, here's the latest on New
Bern's commercial development

Pier One just opened the doors in the up-scale spot next to Harris Teeter on Glenburnie.  What a great addition! Welcome, y'all!

Wal-Mart has opened  their "Superstore" format,  The Enchanted Frog, a blend of antique and new gifts  moved to a slick new spot on upper Middle-a gorgeous store!  Rosemary St.Clair is now is a double-size store on upper Middle--she can create anything with a needle and thread!

Venezia's is a haberdashery for men, on Trent Road's new shopping strip.  they will make a suit for you.  New Bern is now the "in" place for style?!

Beaucoup medical facilities are opening, the multi-million dollar out-patient surgery center on McCarthy Blvd. is open. 

Lots more medical bldgs. going up around them . . . one could honestly call them commercial I think . . .

Love that Carolina Linens. Lowe's new super store is open.   Paula's is open on US 17.   "The Strike Zone" bowling alley has an indoor putting course, and lots of indoor activities for those rainy days — much appreciated.