Raise a Glass to the Leaders in Elizabeth City, NC

This charming town in North Carolina has great people who are willing to help each other succeed.

By Brook Bolen on April 17, 2024

Amanda Kielar

Elizabeth City has long been regarded by its residents as a thriving community. And thanks to local leaders in Elizabeth City, this gem of the “Inner Banks” region of North Carolina has become a bona fide destination renowned by locals and tourists alike. 

Brews Clues 

Around 2008, Thomas Reese, owner and brewer at Ghost Harbor Brewing Co., found himself priced out of the increasingly expensive Virginia Beach area. After visiting nearby Elizabeth City, the Virginia native discovered life was cheaper there. 

“That’s basically what brought us to the area,” he recalls. 

An enthusiastic home brewer in his spare time, Reese hadn’t considered the beer industry to be a viable career opportunity until after he moved to Elizabeth City and visited its downtown. 

“There wasn’t much going on down there,” he says. “That’s actually how we came up with the name Ghost Harbor because it’s the slogan for the city, the Harbor of Hospitality. We opened in December 2017 in this kind of old, abandoned alley that’s in between a bunch of buildings that were all kind of lost in time.” 

Ghost Harbor Brewing became a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Elizabeth City. “We just took off meeting everybody, collaborating with other businesses, hosting events, just doing everything we could to get to know folks and to drive business,” Reese says. “As new businesses opened, we welcomed them and collaborated with them to do things to try to get our little city busy again. It’s really a mentality that has stuck.” 

School Is Cool 

Knowledge is fundamental. And since coming on board in the summer of 2022 as the superintendent of Elizabeth City- Pasquotank Public Schools, Dr. Keith Parker has seen great improvement. 

“We have 13 schools in the county and city,” Parker says. “A lot of my work is focused on how we as a school system can think differently about what school can be for students of the 21st century, and how school needs to evolve and change.” 

But it’s not all about book learning. 

“One of the things that sets us apart is the importance of community in our schools,” Parker says. “We’re a small community, so it’s not uncommon for a parent or grandmother to work in the school or be a friend of somebody or go to church with somebody.” 

The result is a tight-knit community both in and outside of school. 

“It’s definitely a place where people care about their neighbors and their community,” he says. “I’ve really tried to encourage all of our schools and leaders to become active in community events, festivals and opportunities.” 

Muddy Waters Coffeehouse

Coffee Connection 

Audra Marx, owner of Muddy Waters Coffeehouse, has fond childhood memories of Elizabeth City’s downtown. 

“It was the happening place to go,” she remembers. “When I was looking for a location for the coffee shop, it was always downtown. We always intended to be the locals’ living room – a space to just chat with your neighbor, even if you’d never met them before.” 

Marx has seen a lot of changes come to her hometown in her lifetime, including her own perceptions of the community where she grew up. 

“Growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave,” she says. “But as an adult, living here is perfect – we are so close to the beach and anything ‘big city’ in Virginia, yet we don’t have to deal with traffic or commuting.” 

The city’s balance of small-town living and access to metropolitan amenities creates a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. 

“We’re small enough that we can greet our neighbors and big enough that we see new people every day,” she says. “We see growth and new restaurants. We have new folks who work online and live here for the same reasons we do. I’ve seen our business community work together to better Elizabeth City and downtown and move it forward.”