Flat Iron Crossroads owners Brent Heath and Becky Heath and managers Denise Hutchins and Jay Hutchins in front of the Gloucester County music venue. Courtesy of Kameron Beach.

GLOUCESTER — Three years ago, Jay Hutchins watched a dilapidated old gas station near his family’s flower shop transform into a performing arts venue.

Hutchins, a drummer back in high school and a theater major in college, soon came to enjoy Sunday afternoon jam sessions with the building’s owner, Ray Friend, a guitarist. He eventually joined the board of Friend’s fledgling arts nonprofit, Flat Iron Crossroads, and embraced its mission of offering culturally diverse shows and educational workshops.

When Friend decided to retire this year for family reasons, he offered to sell the two-acre property to Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, a nearby flower bulb company and garden store in Gloucester County. Hutchins is general manager at the longtime local business.

A band plays at the outdoor stage at Flat Iron Crossroads in Gloucester County. Courtesy of Dia Lawless

“We started thinking, ‘What if whoever buys it doesn’t have the same vision?’” Hutchins recalled. “We like the neighbor we have now. We wanted Flat Iron to continue to have a home and keep bringing people into our community, which benefits all of us.”

So in early August, Brent and Becky’s took ownership of the property, including its indoor and outdoor stages, green room and sound and lighting equipment. Flat Iron’s volunteer staff will continue to rent the space and run it as an intimate entertainment spot.

“It’s almost like stepping back in time a little bit,” said Dia Lawless, Flat Iron’s general manager, who books performers. “You feel like you’re a part of the show, not just observing it from afar from a big crowd or on a video screen. It’s a homey place.”

Flat Iron sits across the street from Brent and Becky’s, several miles from downtown Gloucester. Hutchins remembers it as a garage where he took his car for easy-to-pass inspections as a teenager.

Friend completely overhauled the crumbling gray structure, which dates back about 100 years, decorating it with paintings of musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash and Jerry Garcia. He also hung sound-absorbing acoustic panels, musical instruments and lights on the walls.

Before it was a music venue, Flat Iron Crossroads was a dilapidated former gas station. Courtesy of Dia Lawless

Flat Iron Crossroads, once a gas station dating back some 100 years, today is the site of a music venue in Gloucester County. Courtesy of Dia Lawless

The venue opened in October 2019 but had to close the following March during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than give up, Friend built a 20-by-40-foot outdoor stage surrounded by trees, grass and a pond; he also began streaming events and launched YouTube and radio shows.

Flat Iron has drawn musicians from Virginia and beyond, showcasing genres including jazz, blues, folk, rock and reggae. The venue also is set up to host plays, poetry readings and events such as jazz brunches and receptions, with a capacity of about 150 indoors and 400 outdoors and a wooden bar that serves beer, wine and soda.

International visitors have included singers and drummers from the Central American nation of Belize and dancers from Ghana. The African performers, who auditioned for “America’s Got Talent,” held a workshop for kids and invited them on stage during an evening show.

Brent and Becky’s, formerly known as The Daffodil Mart, has been a local institution since 1900. Hutchins and his wife, Denise, are the fourth generation of their family to work there, following his mother and stepfather, Brent and Becky Heath.

The shop, which began as a daffodil farm, sells bulbs for all seasons plus gardening equipment, gloves and books with planting advice.

Hutchins describes his family as music and theater lovers who hope to partner with Flat Iron Crossroads on joint events such as festivals and weddings. He also expects fans of particular bands to follow them to Gloucester, even from other states.

“On the tourism aspect, our goals match up,” he noted. “People who come to either of us will stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, shop at our stores and just enjoy our area.”

Musicians who have played at Flat Iron Crossroads were happy to learn it will stay open. Brian Eubanks, bassist for the Bobby Blackhat Band and leader of a second group, Fade to Blue, considers it one of the top live music venues in the state.

“It’s a true treasure,” Eubanks said, pointing to the cozy indoor atmosphere, large outdoor stage, unique artwork and quality sound system. “Playing there is a performer’s dream.”

Visitors to Flat Iron Crossroads dance as a band plays at the Gloucester County music venue. Courtesy of Dia Lawless

As a nonprofit, Flat Iron channels extra proceeds into a fund to support arts education efforts. Money might go to a student for a class, for instance, or to the organizer of a community workshop or mentorship program.

“It’s really a special place,” Hutchins said. “We think this will be a great partnership.”

For a calendar of performances and events at Flat Iron Crossroads, visit flatironcrossroads.com. The address is 7709 Flat Iron Road in Gloucester.

Alison, Johnson, ajohnsondp@yahoo.com