Today we’d like to introduce you to David Andrews.
Hi David, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2015, Judy Gibson, a longtime friend and business partner, called me to say that she had found an ideal spot for a boutique restaurant. Would I like to come see? I visited the 4 acre property on Fountain Lake in Fruitland Park and agreed it would be a beautiful location for a boutique restaurant or B&B. Judy asked, “Do you want to do it?” I answered, “Let’s do it.”
Judy and her husband John took the lead on the rehabilitation of the property as my wife Diana and I were still living in Port Charlotte and operating a business from there. The 4 acre property, formerly known as Pine Eden, required rehabilitation after 5 years of abandonment plus the addition of a commercial kitchen. Judy added a large rose garden to our Rose Avenue location and renamed the property The Rose Plantation with a theme of Delightful and Charming Dining. We opened the doors December 28, 2016.
The Rose Plantation is a historically significant property as it may be the first snowbird residence still operating in central Florida. A historical plaque and commemoration were presented by The City of Fruitland Park and The Orange Blossom Chapter National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century.
During COVID, the Gibsons retired. Today, The Rose Plantation is operated by a management team consisting of David and Diana Andrews, multi-national Chef Jorge Castro, General Manager Michael Hess and Marketing and Events Manager Jessica Pritchett. The Rose Plantation is undergoing some changes while remaining true to our theme of Delightful and Charming Dining. The old front porch has been razed. In its place will be expanded lakeside dining, upper deck, indoor/outdoor bar and elevator. The future is expected to bring additional changes including B&B lodging.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Initially, the building and grounds required rehabilitation following 5 years of neglect. Since this property had previously been a residence, a 1200 sf commercial kitchen needed to be planned and added. The entire business had to be created from scratch – staffing, systems, accounting, policies and procedures, furnishings, decor, menu, etc.
When COVID hit, the business was required to close. We took the opportunity to redo the kitchen floors and re-opened in August.
Staying true to the history of the property and our theme of Delightful and Charming Dining, we have always had a dress code at dinner. Today, with the addition of dining spaces, we are able to offer Business Casual, Relaxed Dress and Street Casual dining options at dinner.
We are restricted on signage and located in a small town residential area away from significant traffic. As such, The Rose Plantation is a destination location.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Born and raised in Skowhegan, Maine, David and Diana were children of English-speaking fathers and French-speaking mothers. Their ancestries date to 1700’s arrivals from England and France to Massachusetts and Canada, respectively. Skowhegan, on the Kennebec River, means “Watching Place” in Abnaki.
Ancestor John Andrews of Essex, Mass was jailed for his role in the Boston Tea Party. Ancestors settled a portion of Maine known as Pleasant Ridge Plantation and fought in the Revolutionary War. As documented in “Arundel” by early American author Kenneth Roberts, Benedict Arnold passed through Pleasant Ridge Plantation with his army during the ill-fated attempt to capture Quebec City during the revolutionary war. Buried in the family cemetery on Pleasant Ridge Plantation are David’s English and Abnaki ancestors and members of Benedict Arnold’s army who succumbed on the arduous winter journey.
David’s parents were public accountants while Diana’s were motel owners. As documented in the two-volume history, “Skowhegan on the Kennebec”, David’s home was one of the earliest major homes in town with portions dating to 1790. Following high school, David’s family moved to a new home in Waterville, the Gov. Clinton A. Clausen residence, built in 1870.
Central Maine was a fantastic place to grow up with four distinct climactic zones within an hour’s drive featuring abundant recreation such as fresh water lakes, the ocean, the Appalachians and endless forests. David’s family resided in town during the winter and at the lake during the summer, 15 minutes away by car. Both David and Diana grew up snow skiing, with David on the ski team and ski patrol and Diana with an annual pass to Sugarloaf USA. After high school, David obtained degrees from Babson College, USC and Kansas State University while Diana obtained degrees from the University of Maine and Kansas State University.
They met in 1969 when David returned home for a skiing weekend only to find that none of his friends were available. Diana’s brother suggested that his sister might be interested. She was a trooper and kept up, but after a day of hard skiing, her mother asked why she was black and blue from head to toe. As it turned out, Diana’s mother had been the chaperone for David’s senior class ski trip to Stowe, VT and also an avid skier.
In between colleges, David did a 4-year tour of duty in the Air Force. David and Diana were married in 1973 and honeymooned in England courtesy of Uncle Sam. For the next 12 years, David and Diana moved every 2 years. They lived in Florida, England, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Quebec. They made Kansas City their family home, raising four children and now, 9 grandchildren.
Diana started and operated a preschool. David was a CPA and business and systems consultant with Arthur Andersen and partner with Andersen Consulting and Accenture. After retirement, David owned and operated multi-family housing for 13 years. During that time, they moved to Naples, FL, then to Fountain Hills, AZ with their longtime friends from Kansas City, John and Judy Gibson. Not caring for the dry desert climate, they returned to Port Charlotte, FL. and started a vacation property development and rental business with the Gibson’s. The Gibson’s eventually followed suit, moving to The Villages in 2013.
The Gibson’s raised their family in Kansas City across the street from the Andrews’. Diana often worked with Judy at the Gibson’s corporate event and wedding business in Kansas City. One day after moving to The Villages, Judy called to say that she had found a beautiful venue for a period restaurant in Fruitland Park. Would we be interested in looking at it? That was the genesis of The Rose Plantation.
We purchased the property in 2015, added a commercial kitchen and Rose Garden and opened the restaurant on Dec. 28, 2016. The Gibson’s retired when COVID struck in 2020. On October 14, 2022, the property was designated a Commemorative Site of Historical Significance. December 28, 2025 marks the restaurant’s 9th anniversary.
The Rose Plantation theme is Delightful and Charming Dining in a historical setting. We currently do weddings and corporate events as well as lunch and dinner fine dining.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up in Skowhegan, Maine, I was an independent sort of person. I got my first paying job at the age of 7 painting rocks and pulling weeds at The Redington Memorial Home. My parents were accountants. Diana was from a motel family. We both worked in our family businesses through high school.
I was very active in the Boy Scouts, enjoying hiking, camping, cycling, fishing and all manner of outdoor activities. I started skiing in the 4th grade, paying for it with money earned from a paper route. Parents were generally not in the picture as most activities were done with friends. I lettered in skiing in High School and was an athletic trainer for all varsity sports. By that time, I was skiing 5-7 days per week and working ski patrol.
After working at The Redington Memorial Home through 6th grade doing landscape maintenance, my father started involving me in construction projects. During my junior high and high school years, we remodeled and sold 1 house, built a cabin at the lake, built a pole barn and then built a 2 story lake cottage with cantilevered bedrooms. This background has helped me do most of my own maintenance over the years.
I was an A-B student, often accepting leadership challenges. As a high school senior, I was asked to lead the Easter Seat fundraising drive for my town. This led to my first summer job after high school working first in maintenance and then as a counselor at a summer camp for youth with disabilities.
In 1971, I graduated from Babson College in Wellesley Mass. with a degree in accounting and business. During those years, I worked as Athletic Trainer for all varsity sports, skiing when I could. Babson was an entrepreneurial school, allowing me to open and operate the campus bank. With a draft number of 44, I enlisted in the Air Force following graduation. Following 4 years of service, I returned to school to prepare for entry into the work force and was hired by Arthur Anderson in Kansas City where I joined the partnership and transitioned to Andersen Consulting and Accenture over the next 25 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: TheRosePlantation.com
- Instagram: @theroseplantation
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroseplantation/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-rose-plantation-fruitland-park
- Other: https://theroseplantation.com
