"It may not seem like big changes, but I feel like there's gonna be a lot of small changes that come together and really make some of our events feel a lot more community based," Parks and Recreation Director Jill Sellers told the Salisbury Post in March 2025. Work on Main Street was about to begin at the time.
This Saturday, October 24, the Hometown Horsepower cruise-in runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Main Street. It is the last date on the Town's 2026 cruise-in schedule, after March 28, May 30 and August 29. The event fills Main Street from Ketchie Street to Patterson Street. That is the same stretch the Town spent last year rebuilding, and the businesses that kept their doors open through the construction are the ones sponsoring the cars.
The Event Boundary Was Drawn by the Streetscape Plan
The Ketchie-to-Patterson limits weren't picked for the car show. In 2022, China Grove finished a planning study of the Main Street corridor that called for new crosswalks, sidewalk improvements, landscaping and placemaking. The Town and its consultants then drew construction plans for Main Street "from Ketchie Street to Patterson Street, including Hanna Park," according to the Salisbury Post.
The case for the project was about events. Sellers said about 90 percent of the events China Grove hosts take place downtown, and that before the project there were no crosswalks there at all. The plan added bulb-outs to shorten crossing distances and slow traffic, crosswalks at intersections, under-story trees and native plantings, wayfinding signs, and new seating in Hanna Park. Benches along the street were to be turned away from traffic so they face each other. Town Manager Franklin Gover said the Town received two N.C. Department of Commerce Rural Transformation grants: $49,999 for planning and $775,000 for downtown revitalization.
The Town's Downtown Revitalization page now says downtown has new crosswalks, planters, tables and chairs, and that "some construction is still ongoing." The page links the full streetscape plans and offers text and email updates for anyone who wants to keep track.
Last Summer, the Same Blocks Were a Work Zone
The cruise-in started before the street was finished. The first Hometown Horsepower was held on Main Street on March 8, 2025, and was promoted as a way to show off cars, enjoy downtown and support local businesses, the Yadkin Watchman reported.
By that summer the construction had fallen behind. At a packed special-called council meeting in late June 2025, Gover said the Town was "a little behind schedule" and pushing to finish before Farmers Day, the Salisbury Post reported. The contractor's project manager described concrete work slowed by heat, with sod, trees and plants due on July 7 and traffic signal and striping crews scheduled for the following week. Downtown business owners came to that meeting, and council members said those businesses had been raising parking concerns during construction.
Jason Overcash, who owns Meadows and Grove Cartel Brewing Co., was one of the owners in the room. His businesses are among the sponsors of Saturday's cruise-in, and his next restaurant is being built a few doors down. The street now has its crosswalks and planters, and the people who lived with the cones are using it to draw a crowd.
Who Is Putting On Saturday
The Town lists five sponsors for Hometown Horsepower:
- Grove Cartel Brewing Co. and Meadow's at Grove Cartel, which share 211 N. Main St.
- Brian's Grill, 111 N. Main St.
- Winola J & Co., a boutique at 101 N. Main St.
- Speedology
Anyone bringing a vehicle doesn't need to register. The Town's cruise-in page says to just cruise in, and it welcomes classic cars, trucks and muscle cars.
Planning Lunch Around the Three-Hour Window
During the cruise-in, one lane of Main Street closes to regular traffic between Ketchie and Patterson, and through traffic shares the lane that stays open. The Town's event page and its parking page name different lanes, so follow the barricades and posted signs on the day. Public parking is spread across downtown, and the Town's parking information page suggests arriving early and allowing extra time at peak hours.
The event runs 11 to 2, which lines up with lunch, and Saturday hours on Main Street vary more than you might expect. These are the Town's downtown food directory listings:
| Spot | Address | Saturday hours |
|---|---|---|
| Brian's Grill | 111 N. Main St. | 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. |
| JJ's Deli & Sweet Shop | 121 N. Main St. | 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Sweet Swirls | 113 S. Main St. | 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| China Grove Family House | 216 S. Main St. | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| Ari's Pizza | 107 N. Main St. | 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
| Thai Tair | 117 N. Main St. | 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. |
| Meadow's at Grove Cartel & Grove Cartel Brewing Co. | 211 N. Main St. | 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. |
| No Way Jose's Mexican Restaurant | 303 S. Main St. | 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
Brian's Grill closes 45 minutes after the last cars pull out, so it is the tightest window on the list. Thai Tair stops lunch service at 3 p.m. and reopens for dinner at 4. Meadow's and Grove Cartel stay open until 10, the latest on the street, for anyone who wants to stay into the evening.
The Corner at Main and Swink Is Next
The biggest change on Main Street isn't open yet. Overcash and chef Dustin Neely, who both graduated from South Rowan High School, are converting the former Wells Fargo bank at Main and Swink streets into Barrio Taco Company, the Salisbury Post reported on September 20.
The 4,600-square-foot building will have indoor and bar seating on the main floor and outdoor seating with a bar on the roof. The full food and drink menu will be served on both levels. "We are keeping the vault inside as a showpiece," Overcash told the Post. He described the menu as "culinary-inspired Tex-Mex." Neely, who trained at the French Culinary Institute and Johnson & Wales and spent the past decade as corporate chef for Best Bars Charlotte, told the paper he plans to "stretch this menu and go as wild as I can for the area."
The restaurant is planned for 280 occupants, split about evenly between the main floor and the roof. Overcash told the Post the rooftop could host events, live music and weekend brunches, and the partners are aiming to open in early 2027. When the Post visited in September, crews were demolishing interior walls.
Farther south, the Town directory lists Little Flower Matcha at 114 S. Main St. as coming soon, right across from Sweet Swirls.
Main Street's Calendar After the Cars Leave
The Town now has someone working on downtown full time. Landrie Hess took the newly created job of downtown business development manager in September 2025 and is planning events with Sellers, the Salisbury Post reported. After Saturday, the Town's 2026 schedule keeps Main Street and Hanna Park busy through early December:
- Friday, October 30, 4 to 5 p.m. Downtown Trick-or-Treating. Children in costume visit participating downtown businesses for treats.
- Tuesday, November 24. The 48th Annual Southern Rowan Christmas Parade leaves Landis at 3 p.m. and should reach downtown China Grove around 4 p.m.
- Saturday, November 28. Small Business Saturday downtown, then the tree lighting ceremony at Hanna Park at 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 5, 5 to 8 p.m. Christmas in the Grove at Hanna Park.
Saturday's cruise-in ends at 2 p.m., and Brian's Grill serves until 2:45.
Thinking about how downtown China Grove's changes, from new crosswalks to the planned rooftop at Main and Swink, could affect what your home is worth? The local team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Landmark Properties watches Rowan County street by street. Ask us "What's My Home Worth?" and get a valuation that accounts for the block you're on.
