ROWELL - Rowell, Arkansas, is a long way from the sunny beaches of South Florida, but if you ask Lauren and Joe Dively, there is no other place they would rather be.
The Divelys are the new owners of Dively's One Stop, located in the former Rowell Grocery building on Hwy. 63. The Divelys officially opened the new business on Jan. 9, and they have already added some seating due to the customer traffic they are already seeing.
Lauren Dively admits there is quiet a culture difference between rural Cleveland County and where she grew up in South Florida. But she said is plenty familiar with the local culture having made several summer trips to the Rowell area with her grandparents, Gary and Patsy Spakes Weed. Gary Weed was a former coach for the Rison Wildcats.
"Probably since the age of 2 they have been bringing me here every summer," Lauren recalled.
She said it is the cultural difference she saw in the youth here - being more polite and mannerly - that convinced her and her husband to relocate to Arkansas after Joe retired about two years ago. She said she preferred their three children grow up here rather than the environment they would have experienced in South Florida.
Besides, she said, when her husband, Joe, found himself on the deer stand during their Thanksgiving visits, that closed the deal.
Both of the Divelys have experience in the restaurant business. Lauren said Joe owned some restaurants and bars back in Florida while most of her experience has been as wait staff.
When Donald and Hallie Mull decided to get out of the business at the end of last year, Lauren said she and Joe decided to give it a shot.
So far, Dively's One Stop seems to be making a hit with the locals.
While the location has primarily been used as a convenience store, Lauren said they are putting more focus on serving food, and building it into a place for locals to gather. She said one thing she n...
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