A Place for Gathering

Part cafe, part artisan market and part community living room, Crossroads Gathering Place on Oak Island invites locals and visitors alike to linger.

On any given day at Crossroads Gathering Place on Oak Island, you might find a group of friends gathered around a kitchen table, a book club settling into the living room or a remote worker typing away over coffee. That sense of connection is exactly what owners Katie Clegg and Breanna Jones hoped to create when they opened the welcoming community hub.

Jones, a native of Brunswick County and a mother of four children ages 7 to less than a year, and Clegg, originally from New Jersey and a mother of three children ages 4 to 8, are devout Christian women who see Crossroads Gathering Place as the culmination of a faith journey that began with prayer.

Jones met Clegg after prayerfully seeking other Christian mom-friends. In January of 2022, they, along with a third friend who is currently a vendor at Crossroads, began a 40-day prayer fast during which they were gifted with both the inspiration for their business and the opportunity to make it a reality. Its name is derived from blending the definition of crossroads — a point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching consequences — with a Bible verse — “This is what the Lord says, ‘Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.'” – Jeremiah 6:16.

The result is a family-friendly place along the Intracoastal Waterway to sip a coffee, tea, beer, wine or mocktail, shop among local vendors and gather with community.

One of the most important attributes of Crossroads Gathering Place, and a significant part of its purpose, is its ability to bring people together. Although the casual visitor might not realize it at first, the overriding aesthetic of Crossroads is developed through its layout, one that mimics that of a typical home by dividing the vast space into rooms such as a dining room, kitchen, living room and den.

As in a typical home, much of the activity at Crossroads Gathering Place is centered around The Kitchen and its various tables that provide communal seating.

Other areas provide seating options consistent with the rooms they represent. All meeting spaces may be reserved via email for gatherings such as book clubs, Bible study groups, corporate events or birthday parties. The rooms are free to use unless the attendees are charged.

Smaller spaces such as The Gathering Table and two Living Rooms (furnished with sofas and chairs) are located downstairs. The local, app-based Cape Fear Radio station and two larger meeting spaces, The Gathering Room and The Upper Room, are located upstairs. Unreserved spaces are always open to the public, making it a popular spot for locals and visitors to meet and socialize. Quiet and beautiful with free WiFi, Crossroads has also become a popular spot for people who work remotely.

Already a popular spot with locals, Crossroads is fast becoming a favorite and oft-repeated destination for visitors as well.

Jones and Clegg note that, visitors often leave with special items or souvenirs. A favorite activity for many of their guests is enjoying a coffee, beverage or snack while relaxing on the porch and catching spectacular views of the marsh and the Intracoastal Waterway.

Food service is health-department-certified and offers a coffee, beer and wine bar as well as food and catering, all prepared in their recently upgraded kitchen. Clegg and Jones praise their kitchen staff and their ever-evolving menu of popular options such as wraps, smoothies, hot pretzels, acai bowls and beautiful charcuterie boards.

Additionally, Crossroads offers a variety of popular events such as mahjong on Wednesdays and Trivia Night, currently offered on the second Thursday of each month. Events and schedules occasionally change, so patrons are encouraged to follow their Facebook page for current and upcoming events.

A primary purpose of Crossroads Gathering Place is to provide talented vendors with both the opportunity and space to display and market their merchandise.

Clegg and Jones carefully vet each prospective vendor to ensure that the items they represent are unique, new and unavailable elsewhere locally. This discourages overlap, encourages variety and minimizes direct competition between sellers.

The owners also like providing opportunities for small businesses to grow. More than 90 ever-evolving vendors (many of them local artists, photographers and artisans) market a wide variety of merchandise at Crossroads. Examples include apparel, permanent jewelry, vintage items, vinyl records, souvenirs, children’s items, packaged food, sourdough bread and handmade candy.

One vendor, a nonprofit called Birthday Wishes, sells gently used women’s jewelry and accessories with all proceeds used to purchase birthday presents for children in need.

Clegg and Jones emphasize that they try to offer items and price points for everyone. They are currently seeking vendors of small furniture pieces.
Clegg explains that their business is divided into two parts, the vendor experience and the customer experience.

Regarding vendors, she says, “Crossroads is a place where dreams and passions can be birthed and grown.”

As for the customer experience, Clegg adds, “It is designed to be a place where people can gather and not feel rushed to leave; a place where relationships can be built and important conversations can be had.”

COME TOGETHER
Crossroads Gathering Place
128 Country Club Drive, Oak Island
(910) 250-1037
Crossroads Gathering Place
Monday and Tuesday: 9 am to 6 pm
Wednesday through Saturday: 9 am to 8 pm