If you mean just before the paved road ends then it's about a 10-15 minute drive to Food Lion and closer to 30 minutes for Harris Teeter, but for things like ice there is a convenience store less than 5 minutes away. The beach on that end is pretty much the same as the beach in the middle of Corolla.
No real downsides to staying at that end. Except you just cant "run out" to the store if you need something, plan on being gone for at least an hour.
If you are staying on the sound side there is some parking closer to the beach, but really it's not a bad walk, and traffic crossing N.C.12 isn't all that bad since the only thing past you is sand.
Go to the bagel place in the same shopping area as Food Lion early in the morning and get warm French Toast Bagels