Our Story

It all began with an impulsive decision that changed our family's story forever.

In May 1972, Bonnie and LeRoy were driving home from a week-long vacation on the Outer Banks with Bonnie's sister and her family in an RV. Bonnie had spent part of her childhood in Hawaii while her father was stationed on Oahu, and she had always loved its beautiful beaches. The Outer Banks reminded her more of Hawaii than anywhere else on the East Coast.

As they drove north on Hatteras Island, they spotted a large sign advertising oceanfront lots for sale: $1,000 down and just a few hundred dollars a month. Oceanfront property was selling for around $15,000.

They couldn't resist.

They pulled over, looked at a map of the available lots, and picked one almost on a whim. At the time, Bonnie and LeRoy lived in an apartment, both worked full-time, and didn't have children yet. To say their parents were shocked when they shared the news would be an understatement.

Life moved quickly after that. Within a year they had purchased their first home, and in 1975 their twin sons, Brian and Jeff, were born. Like many young families, they wondered whether they could afford to keep the oceanfront lot while managing the expenses of raising children and buying a home.

Thankfully, they held on.

In 1980 they secured financing to build a beach cottage on that same lot, and by the summer of 1981 the first guests were checking in for their vacations. Rental income helped make the dream sustainable, allowing the family to improve the home little by little over the years.

The biggest transformation came after a powerful hurricane in 2011. Rather than simply repairing the damage, the family took the opportunity to renovate extensively, including creating private en-suite bathrooms for each of the home's four bedrooms.

The Outer Banks has changed a lot since that first visit in 1972. Back then there wasn't a traffic light on the whole island, and not a single chain store — just a general store owned by Charles Williams that sold groceries and hardware alike. The chain groceries, restaurants, and shops came later. But the things that mattered most to Bonnie remain the same today: quiet beaches, breathtaking sunrises over the Atlantic, and a place where family memories are made year after year.

More than 50 years later, we're grateful that one spontaneous stop along the side of the road became a place our family has cherished for generations—and one we're honored to share with yours.

— The Oettinger Family