Fair Bluff took a hard hit from Hurricane Matthew in 2016, with floods that reached rooftops and gutted Main Street. But like a lot of small Southern towns, it’s showing a dogged resilience that’s equal parts stubborn and inspiring. New businesses have trickled in, including a rustic coffee shop and an antique store that smells of old wood and possibility.
Locals will tell you the town is “getting there”—a phrase that perfectly captures the slow, loving pace of recovery. It’s not about being finished; it’s about being on the journey. And that journey involves a lot of potluck dinners and river clean-ups.
Eat, Shop, and Sip Like a Local
For lunch, swing by Fair Bluff Seafood for a fried shrimp basket that’s unapologetically crispy. Or grab a plate at Brenda’s Kitchen, where the sweet tea is served with an extra side of conversation. The menu changes with what’s fresh, so expect collards in winter and tomatoes in July—as it should be.
Don’t skip the Fair Bluff Trading Post, a cluttered wonderland of local honey, handmade soaps, and vintage tools. It’s the kind of store where you walk in for a spool of twine and leave with a cast-iron skillet and a new friend. Pro tip: ask the owner about the town’s ghost stories—they’re worth the purchase of a jar of pepper jelly.
Would you visit or move to Fair Bluff, NC? | Town Center Walk Through
