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Featuring classic candy and chocolates, the shop has maintained its old-school candy shop vibe. Danielle Puleo photo

Mom’s Sweet Shop is located at 3213 N Croatan Hwy. in Kill Devil Hills. Danielle Puleo photo

Mom’s has a place out back for customers to hangout while enjoying some sweets. Danielle Puleo photo

Derik Wineland has always wanted to open up a concept shop, hence what led to Mom’s Sweet Shop. Danielle Puleo photo

Inside Mom’s Sweet Shop, you’ll find places to sit back and take in the vintage attire and classic treats. Danielle Puleo photo

Mom’s Sweet Shop offers handmade milkshakes, smoothies and fresh açaí bowls. Danielle Puleo photo

Derik and Jessica Wineland have reimagined what was once a small ice cream shop located in one of the oldest shopping centers on the Outer Banks. After mixing their music, merchandising and design backgrounds, the couple has created a unique shop that contains much more than sweets.

“I did a lot of music stuff growing up,” Derik told The Coastland Times during an interview about his eclectic shop in Kill Devil Hills. Derik said he grew up engineering/producing music in studios and running merchandise for hip-hop groups before he started Mom’s. “That’s where a lot of my DNA lies.”

Derik and Jessica spent most if not all of their lives growing up in the Outer Banks. They were familiar with the area when they came across a space available in the Seagate North Shopping Center in KDH back in 2011.

“Mom’s Sweet Shop was actually a place in the 80s and early 90s that sold ice cream and it was like a beach shop,” Derik explained. When they stumbled on the location, Jess remembered the ice cream shop and wanted to bring it back somehow. “For her, it was a nostalgic thing to reboot it, but with our own vision,” Derik said.

The new and improved Mom’s Sweet Shop was then born. Starting off as an urban retail shop that sold merchandise like vintage clothing, skate gear and home goods, Mom’s brought a new feel to this beach town.

Derik said he had always wanted to open a concept shop, especially after traveling to places like New York City. “One was in meat packing district in New York and it was called Dave’s Quality Meats,” Derik said. This concept shop was anything but traditional. “They sold sneakers and skateboards, but the T-shirts were on meat hooks.”

Derik took the notion that a store could be much more than a place to shop and ran with it. “[I thought] let’s make an actual environment and theme and make people feel a certain way when they come in.” Derik believed that with online shopping taking over the market, it was important that customers have a unique shopping experience.

When you visit Mom’s, you’re immediately hit with an old-school candy shop feel. Derik and Jessica decided to bring some sweet treats to the shop, including handmade milkshakes and chocolates. They also serve smoothies and açaí bowls, made fresh with high quality ingredients.

In July of 2019, the couple chose to move from their original location at Seagate North to their current location, 3213 N Croatan Hwy. in KDH. “The last twelve months has been a lot,” Derik admitted.

From purchasing the building to renovating the lot and designing the entire store, Derik, Jessica and their crew worked endless hours last summer to bring Mom’s Sweet Shop to a new standard.

The Town of Kill Devil Hills recognized the shop in their February commissioners meeting, where Mom’s won the title of “Most Improved” store in the town.

Derik said that since the shop opened in 2011, Mom’s has had a great local following. However, he loves when new customers come in and are awed by the fact that their shop is not just an ice cream parlor. “I think what’s cool is that when people discover us, they come in think it’s just a sweet shop and then they realize we have Nikes and skateboards and all this other stuff . . . it’s like the allure of discovering it when you come in.”

From clothing for kids to vinyls for grown ups, Mom’s has something for everyone. Not in the mood to shop? Derik said he loves when people come in and hang out. The shop has tables set up inside as well as a beautiful backyard that offers seating perfect for ice cream eating.

To learn more about Mom’s Sweet Shop, visit their website at www.sweetstuffinside.com.

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