>>> REMEMBER WHEN EVERY BEACH TOWN USED TO HAVE A BOARDWALK?
WELL, THEY MAY BE HARD TO FIND THESE DAYS, BUT RICK SULLIVAN
FOUND A NEW AND IMPROVED BOARDWALK AT CAROLINA BEACH.
>> IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY, THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY FOR MOST
FOLKS TO GET TO CAROLINA BEACH --
BY BOAT.
BACK THEN THE ISLAND WAS NOTHING BUT A RESORT.
>> AND THERE WERE VERY FEW RESIDENTS HERE, AND THE RESORT,
BY THE WAY, STARTED -- IT OPENED IN JUNE, AND IT PRETTY MUCH
CLOSED UP THE DOORS AT LABOR DAY.
>> THE PRIMARY METHOD OF ARRIVAL WAS BY STEAMSHIP FROM
WILMINGTON.
IT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR'S CRUISE.
ONCE YOU GOT TO CAROLINA BEACH, THERE WAS ONE MORE ADVENTURE TO
GET TO THE ACTION.
>> AND THEN YOU STOPPED AT A DOCK OUT ON THE RIVER, AND YOU
BOARDED A LITTLE TRAIN CALLED THE SHOO FLY TRAIN.
AND THE SHOO FLY TRAIN BROUGHT YOU RIGHT OVER TO THE SEA BEACH.
>> OVER THE YEARS, IT GOT EASIER TO REACH THE BEACH, AND THE
ATTRACTIONS BECAME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE MASSES, NOT
JUST THE ELITE.
WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY IS THE WOODEN
PATHWAY THAT BY NOW HAS BECOME MORE FAMOUS THAN FUNCTIONAL.
IN 2015, THE BOARDWALK RECEIVED A MAJOR RENOVATION.
IT'S FRIENDLIER THAN EVER TO ALL COMERS AND A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR
THE MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS WHO'VE MADE SUMMER FUN A WAY OF
LIFE.
>> WE WENT THROUGH A NUMBER OF YEARS AWHILE BACK, DEVELOPERS
COMING HERE AND SAYING THEY WANTED TO TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN
AND BUILD IT ALL NEW.
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE DECIDED THAT WASN'T GONNA
HAPPEN, THAT WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BOARDWALK HERE WITH OLD,
QUAINT BUILDINGS.
OUR GOAL WAS TO BRING FAMILIES BACK TO THE BEACH AND GIVE IT
THE ENERGY AND MAKE IT A -- MAKE IT A VIABLE VACATION DESTINATION
ONCE AGAIN LIKE IT USED TO BE IN THE EARLIER DAYS.
>> THE FUDGEBOAT IS ONE OF THE MANY POPULAR STOPS WITHIN THE
BUSINESS DISTRICT ADJACENT TO THE BOARDWALK.
DUKE HAGESTROM'S FAMILY USED TO VACATION HERE, BUT MORE THAN A
DECADE AGO, THEY SET UP SHOP AND STAYED PUT, NOW MAKING MORE THAN
50 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FUDGE.
>> JUST A BEAUTIFUL AREA.
WE FOUND THAT IT HAD THIS STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
IT'S REALLY JUST A SMALL ISLAND.
OF COURSE, IT BLOSSOMS IN THE SUMMER WHEN ALL THE TOURISTS
COME AND VISIT IN THE FALL AND THE SPRING WHEN THE WEATHER GETS
NICE, BUT IT'S JUST THIS GREAT HIDDEN LITTLE TREASURE WITH THIS
GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
>> JUST A FEW DOORS DOWN FROM THE FUDGEBOAT IS THE MOST FAMOUS
AND LONGEST STANDING BUSINESS IN THE BOARDWALK AREA.
IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE AND YOU'VE TASTED THEIR PRODUCT, YOU KNOW
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
BRITT'S DONUTS.
SINCE 1939, THEY'VE BEEN MAKING THEM ONLY ONE WAY --
GLAZED.
>> I CAN MAKE CHOCOLATE DONUTS AND I CAN MAKE FRITTERS AND
DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, BUT -- AND I HAVE MADE THEM AND
JUST EXPERIMENTING, AND I GAVE THEM TO THE CUSTOMERS, BUT I
NEVER SOLD THEM.
AND, OF COURSE, I NEVER FOLLOWED UP WITH IT.
>> NO WORRIES.
THE ORIGINAL RECIPE FOR SUCCESS IS STILL WORKING JUST FINE.
IT KEEPS RUSSELL AND LINDA WRENN OF RALEIGH COMING BACK.
THEY'VE BEEN MARRIED TO EACH OTHER FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
>> WE'VE SEEN IT -- WE'VE SEEN IT ALL THESE YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN MARRIED 51 YEARS.
I CAUGHT HER AND I KEPT HER SO -- FOR 51 YEARS, SO --
>> MY DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND BRINGS HER THREE CHILDREN DOWN
HERE TO BRITT'S WHEN THEY COME ON VACATION.
>> THEY ONLY MAKE ONE DONUT.
>> I KNOW, BUT IT'S GOOD.
>> THAT'S ALL YOU NEED.
I MEAN, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A BRITT'S, YOU JUST HAVEN'T HAD A
DONUT.
>> AND IF YOU COME FOR THE DONUTS OR THE FUDGE OR THE
BEACH, BY ALL MEANS, DO STAY FOR THE NIGHTTIME ATTRACTIONS.
>> THE TOWN OF CAROLINA BEACH REALLY GOT BEHIND THIS MAKEOVER,
AND THE BOARDWALK MAKEOVER GROUP, WHICH STARTED IN 2008,
AND THEY HAVE REALLY CHANGED IT AND TRANSFORMED IT, AND IT'S
JUST A WONDERFUL PLACE TO VISIT AND BRING YOUR FAMILY.
>> AT THE CAROLINA BEACH BOARDWALK, THERE ARE NEW
MEMORIES BEING MADE EVERY DAY.
I'M RICK SULLIVAN FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."