JOSE PAOLO, OWNER OF DANIELSAN IN CORNELIUS

Owner Jose Paolo ran JJ Wasabi in Mooresville for 10 years.

Feb. 11. By Dave Vieser. Mooresville’s loss will be Cornelius’ gain. JJ Wasabi’s Sushi Bar and Asian Grill, a staple on Main Street in downtown Mooresville for more than a decade, will close at the end of April, relocating to 20822 N. Main St. in Cornelius. The eatery will boast a new name—DanielSan—and a new menu.

For owner/chef Jose Paolo, it was all about the rent, a great location and the chance to control his destiny. “A new landlord took over our Mooresville building and sought to impose rent increases of up to 30 percent. I really want to work for myself, not the landlord, so we had no choice but to find a new location.”

Just a few miles to the south, he found it: A vacant free-standing building which once housed Salon Cafe. An LLC that includes Paolo purchased the building for $565,000 in December according to Mecklenburg County records.

“We had a great loyal following in Mooresville,” Paolo said.  “Moving out is really bittersweet. However, our plans for the future are exciting, too, as we will have our very own building nestled in between Davidson and Cornelius.”

DanielSan will focus on modern, original, and reimagined Asian-inspired cuisine and a creative Sushi bar with original sushi rolls and dishes. Paolo plans to be open daily from 11 am to 10 pm.