Spotlights shine on fine jewels, brilliant metals and the scenic photographs hung on the walls of Grasshopper Flats.

Yes, local jeweler Doug Stoffer is back.

Stoffer had sold his previous property on Van Buren Street a few years ago, and last year, he decided to take a break from running his business.

“After 48 years of almost seven days a week and turning 70,” Stoffer said, “‘I can’t do this, I’ve gotta slow down.’”

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He decided to start kicking back for a bit, spending five weeks at his grandfather’s Wisconsin cabin this past summer.

Stoffer had thought about completely closing his business, until his son, Robert, found an upstairs studio space on Main Street. With enough room for photography equipment, gallery walls and jewelry cases, the two decided to set up shop together.

“I had people threatening me if I completely closed and wouldn’t work on their jewelry,” Doug said, then let out a laugh.

Stoffer specializes in diamonds, opals, fine agate and other gems. He has a workshop at his home, crafting custom jewelry there and selling it in the storefront or sending it out to clients. Whatever they want, Stoffer will create.

Jewelry is not the only art form found at Grasshopper Flats. Customers can also find high-quality images of beautiful scenery.

“I took a trip out West where I spent two-and-a-half months living out of my car on campsites,” Robert said. “I traveled the Southwest — Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Colorado — and just took a bunch of pictures.” He eventually wanted to showcase the work that he had done.

In this new endeavor, Robert is looking forward to getting his work out there for the public to enjoy. He has done wedding and portrait photography for the past 10 years, but ventured into landscape photography three years ago.

He works primarily with builders, architects and real estate agents, doing portraits and second-shooting weddings on the side. His desk overlooks the alley below, his computer screen rolling with his architectural shots of magnificent homes.

“I do a little bit of everything, but I love working with small businesses,” he said.

Robert is mostly self-taught — training mostly in his high school photography class at Brown County High School and also mentoring under Rodney Margison. “I would go to his studio about every two days for two years in high school,” Robert said.

Doug gave Robert his old Nikon F3, which was the start of it all. “The rest is history.”

He started shooting in 2008, doing his first wedding in that time and also taking senior portraits as a junior in high school. Since then, he has worked with Blue Line in Bloomington and the Sycamore Land Trust. “Conservation is very important to me,” Robert said.

An open house celebration took place Nov. 1 at the new gallery, and the Stoffers were pleased with the turnout. Robert sold a print and Doug sold several pieces of jewelry and had an order placed for one he has to make.

Building on the past and established history in this town, the Stoffers are looking ahead to a bright future in their new spot.

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47 E. Main St., Nashville

Doug Stoffer: 812-988-4037; “Grasshopper Flats” on Facebook

Robert Stoffer: 812-325-8279; @robertstoffer on Instagram

Open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment.

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