THE ROURK HOUSE CIRCA 1927 SHALLOTTE
For Sale – The Historic Rourk House
2,944 SF on 2.4 Acres | Prime Village Rd Location in Shallotte, NC
Step into timeless Southern charm with The Rourk House, a stately and historic property dating back to circa 1926, now available for sale in the heart of Shallotte. Situated on 2.4 acres with over 2,944 square feet of beautifully preserved interior space, this iconic home offers a rare opportunity for adaptive reuse in one of Brunswick County’s most visible and growing corridors
Adaptive Reuse Opportunity
Zoned for flexible commercial use, this property is ideally suited for:
Professional Offices
Retail or Boutique Concepts
Restaurant or Event Venue
Brewery, Winery, or Distillery
Creative Studios or Wellness Spaces
HISTORICAL CHARM WITH ROOM TO GROW
Classic architectural features include original hardwood floors, custom millwork, large sun-filled windows, a grand staircase, multiple fireplaces, and built-in shelving in the library. The multiple spacious rooms, welcoming foyer, and charming front porch with original brick offer flexible layout potential for a wide variety of business uses.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or organization seeking a distinctive space to elevate your brand, The Rourk House offers exceptional visibility, unique charm, and room to grow in one of Coastal North Carolina’s fastest-growing markets.
WIRED OUTBUILDING
A large detached garage (added in 2000 with new roof 2023) with an upper-level loft provides abundant storage or the opportunity for workshop, studio, or flex space. Adjacent utility areas and the property's layout offer a natural path for expanding the kitchen or developing a full commercial-grade prep and service area—ideal for restaurant, catering, or event-based uses.
A SPECIAL PLACE IN HISOTRY
This property was owned by the Rourk family for over a century and holds a special place in the history of Shallotte. The current home was completed in 1926 by William Asbury Rourk and Sarah Stone Rourk after the original house was lost to fire in 1925. Dr. Malcolm Henderson Rourk and his wife, Marie Fosue Rourk, later made it their residence and were known for their philanthropic contributions to Brunswick County, particularly within the Shallotte community. The home underwent a full renovation in 1996–97, preserving its historic character while updating it for modern use.
Property Highlights
UPSIDES & UPGRADES
Prominent Village Road frontage with strong traffic counts at 16,500 VPD.
Expansive 2.4-acre lot with opportunity for additional outdoor seating, entertainment or parking use.
Central location with easy access to Ocean Isle Beach and Shallotte's Main Street.
Elegant historic character blended with functional commercial potential.
Public utilities and updated HVAC (2020).
Kitchen Expansion Potential via adjacent breakfast nook and enclosed porch for full commercial-grade prep and service area—ideal for restaurant, catering, or event-based uses.
Crawl space is encapsulated; center beams were re-enforced; new roof on home in 2021.
Location, Location, Location
Area Growth and Development
Brunswick County ranked as the fastest-growing county in NC with a growth rate of 12% from 2020-2022, and increase in income into the area of 13.25%. It was the only county in NC to rank in the top 10 in percentage growth in the US, ranking seventh. The Brunswick County Planning Department experienced a 572% increase in residential unit approvals among major subdivisions and planned developments between fiscal years 2020 and 2021, not including recently approved 2,132 acres for higher density zoning south of Highway 17 in Calabash. The Brunswick Pines project proposes building 570 housing units on 311 acres just north of Bricklanding Road and Hale Swamp Road in Shallotte. It's the second largest of nearly two dozen residential and commercial developments that are expected to double the town's population in the next few years. Solserra, annexed into the Town of Shallotte in May 2025, will add an additional 804 single-family homes, 300 multi-family units and 174 townhomes to be built in three phases.
Brunswick’s tourism figures of high net worth second homeowners and visitors to the South Brunswick Islands for 2020 and 2021 were so strong that they eclipsed visitor spending in New Hanover (Wilmington), typically the highest in the tri-county region, according to an annual Visit North Carolina report that draws from a variety of data to calculate the money spent on food, lodging, recreation, retail and transportation in each of the state’s counties.
27,000 UNITS APPROVED FROM HWY 211 TO THE STATE LINE WITH HUNDREDS OF ACRES ON THE WAY
- In 2022, Brunswick County had a population of 153,064, a remarkable 41.6% increase from 2010
By comparison, the U.S. population grew by 7.7%, and North Carolina saw an 11.7% rise - 4,643 single family permits were issued in Brunswick County in 2023, an increase of 13.9% from 2022, representing 69% of the Wilmington MSA total permits
- Brunswick County processes 145 building permits per day
- Five of the top 10 Wealthiest Zip Codes in the Greater Wilmington Region are in southern Brunswick County: Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Southport and Calabash
- Sunset Beach is ranked number 4 on National Geographic’s “21 Best Beaches in the World”
- Ocean Isle Beach was voted ‘The South’s Best Tiny Town’ by Southern Living Magazine
- Golf Advisor declared Brunswick County one of the undiscovered gems of the Grand Strand and truly North Carolina’s “Golf Coast.”
Adjacent Growth Opportunities
The 18.5 acres surrounding this property is under contract for future retail development. The 33 acres across Village Rd is marketed as future residential or mixed-use development. Nearby businesses are Shallotte Commons Shopping Center, home to Planet Fitness, Dollar Tree, Brunswick County Association of Realtors, Restaurants and Retail. Nearby Novant Health & Novant Rehabilitation, Tractor Supply, Shallotte Middle School and Main Street Shopping & Dining drive steady traffic along this corridor. Bring your vision and create something truly special.
