Related: Click here to read about historic Main Street in Rutherfordton.
Enjoy local events at Main Street Market. photograph by Tim Robison
Featuring the original tin ceiling from the building’s Keeter Hardware days, this market serves up subs on rolls from a New York bakery; homemade soups; pimento cheese; potato and quinoa salads; green salads made with as much local produce as possible; craft beers; and wines. And with events five to six nights a week — karaoke, trivia, performances by local musicians — the shop is the heart of the community.
(828) 748-0845
localroco.com
With entrées like filet mignon and grilled mahi-mahi and a selection of creative cocktails, Parcel 191 offers an elevated yet casual dining experience. The exposed brick walls from when the building was the site of a Belk department store — from the 1930s to the early ’70s — add to its charm.
(828) 220-4905
theparcelexchange.com
Shop for artisan-made gifts at Mill Hill General Store. photograph by Tim Robison
Stocking mostly U.S.- and North Carolina-made products, owner Christy Houser focuses on items that serve a purpose, from socks to pet treats.
(828) 351-7001
millhillgeneralstore.com
Local tinsmith Harvey Carrier built his home in uptown Rutherfordton in 1835 and added a boardinghouse next door in 1879. Now, both homes are open to guests of this bed and breakfast. Russell Knight, who owns the business with Jim Masek, likes to tell guests the story of a former owner, Judge Matt McBrayer, who moved the original house back when the town widened Main Street in the early 1920s. His wife, Louisa, who was recovering from a broken hip, refused to leave the house during the move. She stayed inside in her wicker wheelchair, which now sits in the parlor. “It doesn’t have a braking mechanism on it,” Knight says. “So we’re not sure if she rolled around the house while they moved it.”
(828) 287-4222
carrierhouses.com
This children’s museum features more than 15 interactive exhibits. Kids can don lab coats in the pet hospital, hop onto a restored fire truck, and serve up Mexican food in the bilingual Pueblito Restaurant exhibit.
(828) 286-2120
kidsenses.org
This store has been a family business for four generations. Shoppers might spot Leo and Reese’s Cup, the resident felines, wandering among the hardware supplies and home and garden items, or Brandy, owner Shellie Heaton’s chocolate Lab, hanging out near the register.
(828) 287-4105
Shop for china, classic board games, furniture, and records in this two-story shop that’s filled to the brim with interesting vintage finds.
(828) 287-2820
At Clary’s, you might dig into (clockwise from top left) brisket with collards and carrots; a Lucky Duck Burger and fries; or chicken with mac ’n’ cheese and green beans. photograph by Tim Robison
When the building that would become Clary’s was renovated, owner Caleb Clary discovered recessed arches in the ceiling and had local artist Joshua Humphries paint designs on them. Now, they perfectly complement the creative and seasonally rotating menu, featuring dishes like osso buco and lollipop chicken drumsticks. “[The arches] are just gorgeous,” Barrick says, “and the food is just as beautiful.”
Just a bit farther up Main Street, north of the shops and restaurants, sits the town’s historic cemetery. It’s believed that many of the oldest stones that lack visible inscriptions date to before and just after the town’s founding in 1787. A walk through the cemetery’s 25 acres reveals several notable graves, including Dr. Charles L.H. Scheffelin (d. 1839), Napoleon Bonaparte’s household physician; Col. Franklin Coxe (d. 1903), president of the Western North Carolina Railroad; and Lee Greenway (d. 1989), chief makeup artist for The Andy Griffith Show and The Lucy Show.
Pay a visit to the exhibits at The Bechtler House on W. 6th Street. photograph by Tim Robison
Walk by the former home of Christopher Bechtler, and make an appointment to see the artifacts inside — including the minter’s original gold coin press.
Call (828) 287-3520 or stop into Town Hall.
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