RIVERFRONT COMMUNITY Holds Onto History Through Responsible Development
by Danielle Anderson
Head west on State Road 40 and you ’ ll get a glimpse of some of the more rural communities in Volusia County . Take just a few blinks and you might miss the town of Astor .
The River ’ s Keepers
Welcoming visitors to the community nestled along the St . Johns River , the Powell family has been building businesses and creating jobs in the Astor area since the 1960s .
As owners of Powell ’ s Campground and St . Johns River Campground , James Powell says their locations are popular destinations for travelers , especially snowbirds , who return annually helping support the area ’ s tourism-based economy .
As the head of the Astor Area Chamber of Commerce , Powell has his finger on the pulse of the business communities in Astor and Astor Park in Lake County and Volusia , Barberville , Emporia and Pierson in Volusia County .
“ That ’ s really what we are , is a tourist destination ,” said Powell , preparing to welcome back winter travelers after a particularly good summer for area businesses .
Filled with homegrown , local businesses , the Astor area is a place where people like Denise Pierce , proprietor of Samies Sweet Shop , know each of their customers ’ names and , in Denise ’ s case , the flavor of ice cream they prefer . This slice of small-town Americana is an ode to the days of yesteryear , and some locals hope , in a state welcoming more than 1,000 new residents a day , growth won ’ t move too fast as it is in other parts of the state .
“ This is a slow day . The weekends are insane ,” said Pierce , whipping up an extra thick chocolate milkshake for Robert Gustafson . Gustafson , whose family has lived in the area long enough to have a road named after them , recalls his father ’ s early
Robert Gufaston enjoying a chocolate milkshake at Samies Sweet Shop
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