Owner: Johnnie Britt
By Ann Marie Byrd, Feature Writer
OysterBelle, the newest retail addition to downtown New Bern, is a breath of fresh air. Located at 502 Pollock Street in the Edward Stanly House, OysterBelle is the epitome of good taste, combining Southern chic with delightfully curated global treasures.
The style of the shop is a throw-back to a mercantile tradition with a playful yet sophisticated offering of home décor, furniture, clothing, jewelry, gourmet foods, kitchenware, candles, and body care.
Reminiscent of Le Bon Marche’, Paris’ famous department store, OysterBelle combines unconventionality and elegance in a beautifully unique architectural space.
“It’s soup to nuts here,” says owner Johnnie Britt. “We can work with clients to create custom-made furniture pieces, provide gourmet appetizers to prep for a dinner party, and refresh the style of your house or your wardrobe. We are not interested in carrying ordinary commodities. I travel the world to carefully select all of our merchandise from places such as France, Morocco, Turkey, and of course, North Carolina, because this is my home. Comprehensively, we are international buyers and purveyors of exceptional items.”
Johnnie, who holds a degree in History and Design from Meredith College, has worked extensively in retail, and embraces an entrepreneurial lifestyle.
At OysterBelle, the collection favorites include Bellocq teas, Portuguese sardines, champagne pickled strawberries, and Bloody Revolution bloody mary mix. The apothecary contains body products from Kai (try the lotion and body wash); the candles are created by Lafco and Linnea and have fresh, divine scents. The clothing is resort chic, flowing and comfortable, brought in from France, Belgium, and Japan, as well as American designers like Emerson Fry. Kitchenware features Moroccan Beldi glass in a gorgeous array of colors and intricately designed Japanese pottery. The artwork and the antiques are constantly refreshed and revolving.
These fine purveyors also have a flagship store in Morehead City.
Susan Cook, who manages the New Bern location, says “OysterBelle offers New Bern residents and tourists a wonderful shopping experience with a composite of exceptional products for all aspects of the home, sourced from around the world. It truly has something for everyone.”