At that time, what is now Jordan Narron Road was the main highway connecting Wilson to U.S. Highway 70 in Clayton. The photograph shows Joshua Percy Flowers with his younger brother, John Flowers. As the photograph suggests, Walker Foxhounds were an important part of Mr. Flowers’ life.
A Legacy Takes Root
The photograph of Joshua Percy Flowers and Delma Whitley Flowers sitting on the steps was taken around the same time. Their home was located across Buffalo Road from the store.
In 1939, the North Carolina Department of Transportation constructed what is now Highway 42 East. The original 1929 store had burned down several years earlier. In 1942, Mr. and Mrs. Flowers built the second Percy Flowers Store.
A Crossroads Transformed
The white west wing, now home to Crossroads Boutique, originally housed a restaurant, as shown in the photograph. This photograph is also depicted on the cover of our September/October edition of Treasure Magazine to showcase the original Flowers Crossroads compared to a modern version of the Crossroads.
After Mr. Flowers’ death in 1982, Rebecca Flowers began planning the development of the Crossroads area. The centerpiece of that vision was a new brick store, while the old white west wing, formerly a restaurant, once again became a restaurant. The building contains 20,000 square feet of finished space and an additional 10,000 square feet of unfinished space.
Shortly after Mr. Flowers’ death, Tommy Fitzgerald, owner of The Grocery Bag and the Almost Famous Hot Dog, began leasing the store. Today, Donna Fitzgerald manages The Grocery Bag and continues serving the “Almost Famous Hot Dog,” with millions of hot dogs sold over the years.
