If you can't make it to Ocracoke this year, there are plenty of ways for you to find your own adventure.

For example, in the pages of a great book.

And we found a charming bookstore that's celebrating its 35th birthday this year.

We sent Rick Sullivan to join the party at McIntyre's Books.

[gentle music] - [Rick] The Fearrington Village neighborhood grew from centuries old farmland that had once been cotton fields, then tobacco.

In 1974, Keebe Fitch's family purchased the land and started growing the community - In trying to create a village where people felt they had a a place to call home.

And even though Chapel Hill is seven miles up the road, back then it was a big deal to go into town.

We opened up a restaurant, we opened up a market, we had a couple of things, just try and provide amenities for people so he didn't have to drive down the road.

And one of the things dad always said was he always wanted to have a bookstore.

He always felt comfortable when he was traveling, going into a bookstore.

- [Rick] So in 1989, RB Fitch convinced his daughter Phoebe to open McIntyre's books.

One of the store's early and most devoted customers, Peter Mock was in the book business himself.

- I worked in a good bookstore.

This was a great bookstore.

And they had the best collection of books.

You know, it was small, but it was tight.

This is where I found Walter Mosley for the first time, "Devil in a Blue Dress".

I'm supposed to be the mystery guy.

We didn't carry it.

It was here.

- [Rick] And very soon after, so was Peter.

He came to work with Phoebe in 1995 and he's been the store's mystery man, the book buyer and the jack of all trades ever since.

- And I'm so happy I'm still here.

- I'm so happy you're still here too.

- Yeah.

- [Rick] This store is obviously the happy place for these two.

And that trickles down to the regular customers who trust the opinions on, and curation of books at McIntyre's.

- [Peter] And we're gonna have books that everybody has.

But as the buyer for the store, I'm looking for all those little hidden gems that takes looking through these catalogs, really pouring through 'em and finding 'em to the point where people come in and go, "I come here because I find things I can't find any place else."

- Well, and also, when you're buying, you know your customers, so you've like gotten really excited and said, "Oh, well, this would be great for," and you name me four people you wanna buy this book for.

So we already have things set aside for people before they even come in.

Because you just, you know who you're buying for and it's really fun to watch.

And we're a welcoming, fun group of people.

We like to laugh a lot.

- Yeah.

- [Rick] And read a lot.

Phoebe remembers growing up with a book in her hands constantly.

- I started reading early on, you know, I was probably 12, 13 when "The Shining" came out and I read that and it totally messed me up because I'd look out the window and see the shrubbery moving in the middle of the night.

- [Rick] Peter estimates that he reads 200 books a year.

- I live in my head, always have.

You know, I love books.

I love to imagine the worlds that a book can give me.

You know, whether it's I'm reading a piece of history, whether it's a mystery, whether it's literary fiction, anything.

Reading is the best education a person can get.

You know, you don't have to really, you can graduate from college and still learn all your life.

I'm always learning, I'm always thinking, and this is the best school you can have.

- McIntyre's keeps a robust schedule of events that includes readings with authors on most Saturday mornings at 11:00am.

On this Saturday, the visitor was a local favorite, Lee Smith.

But the readings and Q&A sessions are commemorated on the top shelves in the store and it resembles a who's who in literature for the past 35 years.

- We bring in people from across the country.

We've got Jasper Ford coming.

He's doing four spots in the United States on his tour and we're one of them.

He's coming over from Wales.

Craig Johnson, I think it's gonna be Craig's 14th or 15th time coming here with his "Longmire Mysteries" and... - [Rick] Meeting with authors, finding good books and gaining greater perspective.

That's McIntyre's Books.

- Yeah, that is our goal here.

Take the blinders off, look around you.

You're gonna find so many good things.

You're gonna learn so many good things, and you're gonna take home so many good things.

- McIntyre's Books is at 220 Market Street in Fearrington Village, just outside of Pittsboro.

And they're open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

To find out more, give them a call at 919 452-3030, or go online to mcintyresbooks.com.