Businesses in your area “in the middle of nowhere?”

[fan-of-fans]

Are there any stores, restaurants or businesses in your area that are desolate or in the middle of nowhere seemingly?

Here we have a few. I live about 8 miles away from the downtown area, and they built a Dollar General right on the highway near my neighborhood. There were no water hydrant connections nearby, so they had to install two large water tanks in order to have a hydrant hookup. I believe they also have a well and septic system.

I can also think of a Ford dealership that’s pretty far out of its town. The original dealership was just on the far north end of that small town, but sometime in the late 80s it was shifted about 5 miles further north. There is really nothing along that stretch of highway but woods, and a nursery or two. As a kid the dealership’s logo was a drawing of a Model A, and they had a huge sign with a scrolling marquee that lit up, along with the Ford Model A logo on top, and that was quite the sight to see, coming around the curve from nothing and seeing this huge dealership!

There’s another neighborhood near me that’s very dense, but pretty far out of its town, and right in the middle of it is a gas station, and you guessed it, a Dollar General.

I know it’s not uncommon to have a Dollar General pretty far out, as their new model seems to take “General Store” literally, and have stores literally every 5 miles.

We also used to have a bait shop and boat repair place near my house, which too was pretty isolated. The bait shop used to be literally on the back porch of an old house! Then around 2005 or 06, thy demolished the house and built a huge new steel building for the shop. But they got in over their heads unfortunately, and being during the time of the recession, went out of business in the late 2000s. Actually, I think the original owners sold the business a year or two after constructing the new building, and then went bankrupt.

Anyway, that big building in middle of nowhere has been multiple thing since, including having perpetual auction and yard sales every weekend for a while, maybe to cover mortgage? Lol Not yet what it I now.

 

[parunner58]

When we moved into our house in 2011 in Davenport FL, there were just a few businesses on RT27 by our development and we were surrounded by orange groves. Now the groves are all gone except for maybe 2 small ones. There was a 7-11 gas station and then next to it and it's still there, Webb's Goat Milk Fudge and candies. A nice family owned store with homemade candies and ice cream. There is a small Dunkin Doughnuts inside it also. Now most of the land is apartment buildings, car washes and houses, and Dollar Stores.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I haven’t been that way in a while, but last time I went to Orlando, I noticed the area around 27 and I-4 had built up a lot from a few years before.

I was watching a show on PBS awhile ago and they had a program in about Florida attractions and that SE corner was at one time an attraction called Circus World and then Baseball City Stadium.

There’s really not a lot between Frostproof and Lake Wales, but I’ve noticed some large gas stations opening along that stretch of 27 last time I went up to turn off to Winter Haven. Although, I didn’t go all the way up to Eagle Ridge this time.

 

[parunner58]

I live 10 minutes south on RT27 of that area, by the Hospital. In 1981 and 82 I came to Disney for vacations and remember driving by those two places on our way south on 27 to Cypress Gardens, which is now Legoland. There was pretty much nothing all the way south to Winter Haven.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I remember going to Cypress Gardens on a field trip around 1998, and to Sea World in ‘96. Never visited either again. I’d like to visit Sea World again and see Legoland someday.

I’m generally not a big fan of Orlando and hate driving on I-4. Went up by myself to the Millenia Mall a few years back, not a fun trip. Was going to go to the IKEA after and the parking was so bad, I just left. All that traffic and being in unknown area triggers my anxiety.

We went up that way to TopGolf for my birthday in 2022 and also stopped at the Florida Mall. I wasn’t driving, much better experience. Lol

 

[justjunque]

Cole,

That just triggered a somewhat unpleasant memory. A bit off topic. I hope you don't mind.
We used to take a trip to Florida every year, around early October. Being tourists, all we knew was Orlando. We drove I-4 many times; the farthest I remember driving was to Daytona. We were big racing fans at the time, and had to go see the speedway.
Anyway, on one trip, we decided to get off the highway and try to find a mall that we always saw from the highway. I get anxiety driving in unfamiliar places too. And, we got lost trying to find the mall.
We eventually found it, so that was good. But, going back to the hotel, we decided to skip I-4, and go through town. You know, to see the less "touristy" part of the area. Plus, the Orange Blossom Trail (I think it was) sounded so nice!
What a dose of reality! Oh...it was definitely less touristy! We were very relieved when we finally found our way back to the area of our hotel, and all the pretty, artificial stuff!

 

[human]

I know it's kind of subjective, but around here, there doesn't seem to be much 'middle of nowhere' left anymore. It's all just getting built up. Farmland is being gobbled up by strip centers and high-dollar housing developments, and the old general stores don't stand a chance. Whatever local flavor there might have once been has all been franchised and homogenized out of existence.

 

[justjunque]

Edgar,
Sadly, that’s how it’s getting in our small town too.
When we moved here, about thirteen years ago, there were so many small family farms still in operation. Just since we’ve lived here, at least four of them have gone away. They built McMansions in one of them. They’re planning a needless strip mall in another one. I say needless, because there’s another one, right up the street from it, and it’s almost entirely vacant. I think there’s a dentist’s office in one storefront, and the rest is empty. But…we apparently need another one.
Across town, they bulldozed a small farm to put in a housing project.
I guess that’s what they call progress, right?

 

[fan-of-fans]

Rural store

I happened to be driving past that former bait and boat shop I mentioned and noticed that it’s now some kind of business that sells trailers. Not the camper type but utility trailers for hauling ATVs, etc.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I just thought of another business that’s “middle of nowhere”. Not technically so, as it’s in the middle of a neighborhood, but it’s pretty far out. But it’s this random Subway restaurant that’s out on a rural highway, the only other chain type business out there is a Dollar General (surprise, surprise!)

Regarding Orange Blossom Trail, never been on it that I recall, but yeah, I’m sure that was quite the experience to see.

I generally try to stay away from the Orlando area. The last few years I’ve taken a few day trips around the state. Usually during the Christmas holidays when I get bored. 2022 went to the east coast area, and last Christmas I to Lakeland. Mostly just to check out the Habitat Restores in those areas. Didn’t have any luck at any of them though.

I’d like to explore some other parts of the state if I ever get time.