Boone’s King Street isn’t an ordinary street.  It’s lined with stores and restaurants that have made history and new ones that are beginning a history of their own.  

There are several stores on King Street that are quite popular with the college students at Appalachian State University.  If a person walks down College Street, the first place they see is Beanstalk. 

This is a coffee shop where one can see college students talking over cups of coffee, or chatting with the person at the counter.  The prices are very reasonable as well.

Old Skool Threads is beside  Beanstalk, where alterations and clothing are made to order.  Katie’s Soft Pretzels sells several different kinds of soft pretzels, such as parmesean and plain, and freshly squeezed fruitades.  

Lily of the Valley, a clothing store, has been on King Street for seven years.  Upon entering the shop, an aroma of lilies fills the air.  The customers are generally local community women and tourists.  Dresses and skirts are sold here.

Ferrara’s Pizzeria, Subs and Salads has been on King Street for almost a year and a half.  

They have live music four or five nights a week and offer pizza by the slice.  Some other restaurants close by are Angelica’s, which is a vegetarian restaurant, and  Boone Bagelry.  

On the opposite side of King Street, a person can find anything from books to antiques to Appalachian State clothing and gifts. 
There are two stores that sell Appalachian paraphernalia, Mountaineer Mania and Appalachian Tees.  

Both offer tee-shirts, sweatshirts, flags, stickers and a variety of other accessories.  Purveyor’s offers student discounts and a wide selection of art supplies.  They also offer friendly advice for struggling art students, and they have a dog that will follow people around, helping to look for supplies.

 Caribbean Cafe and Macados are popular hangouts for ASU college students.  

Caribbean Cafe offers exotic types of food, like blackened chicken, different types of seafood and their famous wings.  Macados provides different types of sandwiches and desserts.  

The Hands Gallery sells local art.  There are 20 or 30 artists who are on consignment, which means each artist will sell their crafts at the store and will give a percentage of the sale to the store.  The Hands Gallery is one of the oldest galleries in Boone and has been in business for over 30 years.  The artists themselves take turns running the store.

Another popular King Street hangout is the Appalachian Cinema.  This theater shows movies that have finished running in regular theaters at the cost of $1.50.  This is something every college student can afford.  

Two ASU students, Randy and Deanna Shelor, run Kindworks Gallery.  They acquire their merchandise from local artists, imports from China and students.  They offer a wide variety of tapestries, stickers and clothing.  

Boone Drug Store is a convenience store where you can eat and shop at the same time.  Many locals and students hang out here for lunch while talking over ice cream sodas and burgers.  There is an assortment of cards and objects available as well.  

The Curiosity Shop offers a wide variety of books and stuffed animals. Upstairs, a room with bookcases of used books is found.  Special orders for books can be made. 

Old Boone Antiques runs on consignment like the Hands Gallery.  There are antique collectors from all over the area. Three stories worth of antique items are sold here. Old Boone Antiques is a store with a wide variety of knick-knacks.

Next to the antique store, there is a mini-mall where several stores can be discovered. Brass Buckle of Boone, Inc. sells leather goods, swords and other crafts.  The Bead Box and Row by Row Bookstore are also found here.  The Bead Box has been in existence for almost four years.  Beads from all over the world are sold here.  Row by Row sells all secondhand books that are found at auctions.  They have been on King Street for about a year now.  

There is also a Farmer’s Market.  People will find a wide variety of tools, nuts and bolts and other tools.  Most of the customers are tourists and college students. 

Mast General Store, in existence since 1913, sells a wide variety of winter wear and clothing, along with old-time housewares.  Mast is a  popular place for people with a sweet tooth.  The Mast Candy Barrel and Soda Shop are located here.  

Dragon’s Den is a comic book store selling comic books, role-playing games, used books, T-shirts, swords and even Japanimation. 

Wednesday nights feature Dungeons and Dragons role playing games, and other role playing games, such as Fantasy, happen every other Saturday.  Requests for other games are also available.

Did Somebody Say Party sells an assortment of formal wear, including bridal gowns, tuxedos, bridesmaid dresses and prom dresses.  

Next to Did Somebody Say Party is Watsonatta Western Wear Riding Equipment.  This is the 13th year that the store has been open.  
They sell regular wear, showing, work and riding clothing.   

Ram’s Rack is a thrift shop that sells secondhand clothing and other objects, like books, stuffed animals and used sporting equipment.  

Local churches own this store, and the money goes to ministry programs, summer ministry projects and low-income residents of Watauga County and worship services.  Volunteer work is also available at Ram’s Rack. 

There are many stores on King Street that are renowned among the local people of Boone, ASU students and tourists.  A person can find almost anything they want in the shops on King Street.  

These stores define what Boone is—a friendly place that shows respect to the old and the new.