Hunky Dory opened in summer 2010 to bring more culture to the edgy Ninth Street in Durham, NC. Duke University and the surrounding community needed its own retail shop for premium smokeware, but Hunky Dory is more than that…much more.

The store offers the finest local, hand-blown glass from many artists across North Carolina – Durham, Chapel Hill, Wilmington, Asheville and more. Hunky Dory prides itself on selling only American-made spoons, bubblers, tubes, rigs, ash catchers and more. (No cheap import glass here). It also is Durham’s main source for quality, high-end vaporizers, both portable and at-home units.

Hunky Dory, named after the popular David Bowie album, strives to also have the best used selection of vinyl records around. While many stores reserve their goodies for eBay, Hunky Dory saves its gems for its customers. Shop owner Michael Bell, a Raleigh native and vinyl geek, drives thousands of miles each year hunting vinyl. If he’s not in the shop, Bell is likely in someone’s dusty shed, dank basement or dirty garage hunting LPs.   The shop sells funny T-shirts, including the ever-popular “Keep it Dirty, Durham,” donned by thousands of the Bull City’s faithful.

Bell is a former award-winning journalist for various newspapers across the Southeast. He enjoyed the work, which included covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and economic despair in Alabama. But he wanted to move he, his wife and dog back to his native state to become a small business owner. What a great decision it has been. Hunky Dory has been well-received since Day One.

You and your friends are welcome to stop by Hunky Dory anytime to see first-hand what all the talk is about. It’s also a dog-friendly business, so feel free to bring along your friend. There’s a strong chance you will meet Bell’s dog, Brew, a quirky yellow lab who also welcomes you, open paw.