Sugar Island — Restaurant in Surf City

I love this shop and visit it every year when the family goes to Topsail for vacation. Good coffee and baked goods (try the jam bars!), but the real treasure is the labyrinthine mix of used books, art, and local goods in the space. You will definitely find texts here you can't get anywhere else.

Why only 4 stars? Some of the book pricing feels a bit too much of a cash grab. Of course this is a business, making money is the point, but charging $10 a pop for vintage scifi less than half an inch thick that's moldering away leaves a bit of a sour taste. These generally aren't well-known authors, and collector value in my (perhaps uninformed) opinion is pretty low.

The bookshelves are overflowing, which may add to the treasure-hunt feel, but it would be easier to shop it if everything fit on their shelves in the normal fashion rather than being piled everywhere. The piles of books have also cut into the very limited seating. I think if they're going to continue being a café as well as a used bookstore they should make sure their tables and chairs remain usable.

Unfortunately, some of the book inventory is simply not priced to move; it gives the implication that someone would rather store it indefinitely vs selling it for less than they think it's worth. I actually found one with what seemed to be old mouse droppings between some pages; it's clear that whoever acquires/curates the used books needs to pay more attention to what goes on the sale floor.

While I agree that haggling at a small local business is in tasteless, the sign against it doesn't give the friendliest of vibes when you walk in the store. Some sort of bulk discount for used books might be nice, and would help them clear more space, but asking would almost certainly run afoul of the no haggling rule...

My Dad's 89th Birthday was February 12,2015 and he loves chocolate pie. My Brother,sister in law,wife and I planned on getting him one for his birthday. Brother lives in South Carolina couldn't come up so I was going to handle the pie delivery. I got Sick couldn't make the trip so I go online for help. Tried Bakery's in Onslow,Johnson, Pender, and New Hanover County. I could get the pie, but no delivery. Then Luck was with me, I found Sugar Island Bakery,206 N. Topsail Dr.,Surf City N. C. They baked the pie, delivered it (AT NO CHARGE) they only make large wholesale deliver's and I feel their is a charge for that. Sugar Island wouldn't take a dime for their trouble, pie was delivered on time, best dad has ever had, leaving John Rich (MY DAD) asking how did you do that? Simple answer, Sugar Island Bakery going the extra mile to help to Sons make their Dad's Birthday. THANK YOU FROM CRAIG & DWIGHT RICH. ( YES HE ATE...

So if you're obsessed with bakeries and baked goods in general like I am, you'll get really excited when this place pops up on your Google search. You'll also get excited when you arrive and see the sign saying "Sugar Island Bakery and Supplies"....Don't be. As I learned from the person running the business today, they no longer are an actual bakery and stopped calling themselves such "years ago". Which was really news to me because not only is the actual word "bakery" on their signage out front. Also, they come up with menus for baked goods and advertise them for every holiday...? Anyway, great baked goods when you can get them, but don't expect consistency. I acknowledge that I am from a more structured area and my biggest problem since moving down here is that I expect too much from the small businesses and owners. I'm...