104 S. Main St., Mooresville
704/660-9106
www.soireeonmain.com

HOURS: Tues.–Thurs. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–9 p.m.,
Fri. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–10 p.m., Sat. 5–10 p.m.

There is a lot of history in this downtown building. The former saloon was turned into a dry goods store called the Rankin Store in 1888.

The store was divided into different departments, and these divisions were maintained in the current layout of the restaurant: The bar used to be the men’s department, the main dining room housed the former women’s and children’s departments, the main dining room used to be filled with cloth and notions, and feed and seed was sold out of the area that is now the kitchen. The building also houses three centuries of elevators within a 30-foot span.

The eclectic menu includes everything from osso bucco and muscadine duck to rack of lamb and Chilean sea bass ($16–28). The house salad, the W. W. Rankin, is named after the owner of the original dry goods store.