OBX Connection Home > OBX Connection Forum > Looking for photos of the 'Railroad Junction' shop
Looking for photos of the 'Railroad Junction' shop

By: AvalonGirl
4/11/2012 3:02 PM

Hi to all! New around here. Quite impressed with the board in general as well as the old pics sprinkled throughout. Thanks to all for sharing!

I've vacationed in Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills since the mid 60s and remember an old cottage that'd been turned into a shop by the name of Railroad Junction (late 60s to very early 70s) with an assortment of 'hippie' crafts from leather goods and silver jewelry to colored sand aquariums and macrame hangers for the potteryware. It was on the beach road and was painted yellow at least for one season (that's what I remember?) and had the huge RXR crossing symbol painted on the roof. Kinda looked a bit like the older tiny Island Dyes shop but wasn't multicolored at that time. Curious as to whether anyone else around here remembers the shop???

I've been told that it might have been originally owned by George Crocker but not sure that's true. Saw a reference in one thread to "George's Junction" and figured it could be... I read somewhere that there was once a geodesic dome attached to the Galleon at one point but I seem to remember that being outback of RXR as an extension cuz the shop was so small and that's where they had the plants, pottery, and macrame but maybe I'm off on that one. Also, given that there were many little shops within the Galleon Esplanade that had similar crafts as RXR including a glassblower, I'm wondering if the idea of the Galleon Esplanade was actually an extension of the earlier Railroad Junction. Any thoughts, memories, corrections or pics would be greatly appreciated. smiley

ps... I still own a handcrafted ring and necklace from Railroad Junction as well as a handblown windchime from the upstairs glassblower's shop at the Galleon Esplanade. Wonderful crafts! Wish those shops were still around... Last I saw of the Galleon Esplanade, it had a chainlink fence surrounding it as it crumbled down. :(

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By: EveT
4/11/2012 6:05 PM

I'm sooo glad you asked this question and I sure hope some folks have pics. I remember it being called R&R Junction. It was a "must-stop" every summer when we vacationed here, late '60s til I moved here permanently in 1976. I don't even recall when it closed. Rich somebody-or-other was owner, I believe. I am hoping somebody like Melody can help out our memories and that someone has pics! I bought my niftiest leather belt there... and I still have a ring that was my Mom's that she picked out with my Dad for their anniversary when we vacationed in August... now that I think back, it could have been 1971, which would have been their 30th... good times, good memories...

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By: hoi toide
4/11/2012 6:36 PM

there was a pic of it, one of the first pics in the facebook group "Outer Banks Vintage Scrapbook." You sorta have to go through them all to find it, but i think they're switching to albums now. Welcome! smiley with shades

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By: hoi toide
4/12/2012 8:23 AM

ahhhh, R&R pic is still there. Banana

www.facebook.com/groups/2...

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By: EveT
4/13/2012 8:27 PM

Yes...follow that link!!! Thanks, Hoi... there are pics of the Galleon if you scroll down far enough... and I know Avalon Girl was wishing for those too... AG, it was great meeting you today. Small & serendipitous world! smiley

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By: AvalonGirl
4/22/2012 8:01 PM

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for responding... and yes, most definitely it was very nice meeting you, Eve, as well.

So... apparently I wasn't imagining this place after all. Seemed weird to me that I couldn't find anything about it out on the web til I posted here. I just noticed a few additions on the Facebook page that show the inside of the geodesic dome, complete with the old piano... so I was right about that part! And apparently it was named for Rich and Rise.. the owners. My mother told me that the 'R&R' stood for 'RailRoad' so it's always been RailRoad Junction in my head... but I happily stand corrected... though it's gonna be hard to fix the the name in my brain at this point in my life. Wink smiley

And yes, the Galleon shots are great to see. I really wish I'd had the presence of mind to photograph all the places that I loved back then but I was busy having fun in the sand and sun and wasn't thinking of holding on to any of the memories in photo form.... so thankful that there are so many vintage photos available now and much thanks for pointing me in the Facebook direction... quite a lot to wander through.

I'll be sure to drop by again, Eve, when I get back down there... hopefully soon! Theeth smiley

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By: Elizabeth Reed
4/7/2013 10:42 PM

I started going to OBX in '73 and remember R & R Junction well.I have several pieces of jewelry from there and what I remember most is that there was a local artisan who did silver work and you could watch him hand craft the jewelry. I loved that place! I wish there were more places down there where you could buy authentic hand made Outer Banks items. The cheesy chain gift shops with all the imported junk is just so depressing.

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By: JJM1
12/23/2020 10:25 AM

I'm not sure if this is of any interest to you. I have a Catalogue Edition of the R&R Junction Journal I got it from our 1st visit to Nags Head 1970 something.

John Malazich
Jeannette Pa

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By: AvalonGirl
12/23/2020 1:19 PM

Most definitely of interest! Can you post pics from it? Would love to see it! Theeth smiley

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By: JJM1
12/24/2020 9:54 AM

Most definitely of interest! Can you post pics from it? Would love to see it! Theeth smiley

AvalonGirl

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By: JJM1
12/24/2020 10:05 AM

more than happy to mail it need address

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By: johnbt
1/2/2021 11:11 PM

Was this the place that had a variety of things to do such as string your own beads for a necklace and do a photo stand-in / have your picture taken with your face sticking through the cutout looking like you're wearing old timey clothes?

My girlfriend worked at a place in the early '70s and I'd drive down from Richmond when I could and camp at Oregon Inlet or Sandpiper's Trace on Manteo. I'd see her after work. I didn't hang out at the store. ;)

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