maxwell groves

This place puts a smile on our faces as soon as we arrive in the winter. First of all, the fruit is wonderful. The Honeybells (oranges) are the sweetest & juiciest oranges of the year, & they usually come in January. The Ruby Reds (grapefruit) are delicious the whole winter. And, of course, Maxwell's also has the typical navels, tangerines, & other kinds of citrus. Their juice is also worth enjoying. It's a blend, & they keep the acidity low. The best part of going to Maxwell's is their lactose-free, orange juice ice cream. YUM! You can opt for vanilla or even a twist cone or cup, but we think the orange juice one is the best. In fact, we even find ourselves not getting too many fruit at one time, just so we can go more often. They also offer free tastes of juice & fruit, if you're not sure which kind you will like. The business also offers to ship fruit to those unfortunate souls who have to stay & work up north in all that snow & cold. It's kind of a "ray of sunshine" to get them through the winter. The store also has jelly, honey, wine, & various other kinds of sauces & goodies. I recommend it highly.

This is truly a unique little place in the heart of Florida orange country and it was a highlight of our visit to nearby Sebring. We stocked up on gifts to take home including sauces and jams, an amazing key lime scented candle and even a tiny bottle of Florida orange scented perfume! A trip to Maxwell's is not complete unless you take time to enjoy an orange flavored ice cream while relaxing in a rocking chair on the front porch. And don't forget to buy some freshly squeezed orange juice before you go, it's fantastic! If you have only experienced standard pasteurized OJ from the grocery store, then you are in for a real treat. Grab a free sample of juice from the back room and see for yourself. It may just be the best you've ever had! We will return to Maxwell's if we find ourselves in the area again and I encourage everyone to do the same and help keep this quaint family business a tradition that can endure for years to come! :)

A good variety of citrus at reasonable prices along with many other gifty items. Sit on the front porch in a rocker and enjoy the ice cream.

Florida is known for some of the freshest and tastiest fruits, you come across lots of people selling them from the back of their trucks to the corner of the intersection. There are several places that also will pack and ship for you so you can share it with your friends and family. We went to several locations on our stay in Florida, this was the the best! We almost overlooked it as we were driving by, when my grandma noticed the sign and we decided to give it a shot. It's out in the country land, so keep your eyes peeled for the signs! Once we arrived, we were the only ones there and the owner, Steve Maxwell, came out to greet us. He said it was a little slow that day so he was going to do a bit of lawn mowing. He welcomed us warmly and showed us in.There was a huge variety of flavored jams, syrups, wines and honeys. Gator jerky to bottles of sauces, pickled sausages, fruits...the list goes on and on. The other half of the store offered home made craft items such as angels made out of doilies, soaps and perfumes and Florida souvenirs. The whole week we didn't find any souvenirs we liked or thought it was too expensive...we ended up buying everything we needed right there and the prices were incredible! In the back of the store there was an area to try the fresh made orange juice...this was the best orange juice I have ever tasted in my life! I only wish we had stopped there in the beginning of the week so we could have drank it the whole time! He also let my grandma taste the soft serve ice cream, I really wish I would have tried it now since she told me it had the slightest hint of orange to it.While we shopped he talked to us about the history of Maxwell's, and we conversed about our visit. He was a "good old country boy" that made you feel at home and wanted to stay and talk for hours. We did come in with the intent to buy a jar of bread and butter pickles, but when we asked him if he had any left, he said all he had left on his shelves was it. He tries to get rid of the inventory before they close up for the season and restock when he reopens. But we walked out of there with bags of goodies and a feeling that would brighten any ones day!As we were packing up the car and getting ready to go, he came out of the store holding a bottle of bread and butter pickles! He was the hero of the day!!! He said he went to look in the back one last time after we left and found the last jar, he gave it to us with a big smile and thanked us for visiting him!I have a big smile on my face just reliving that day we visited Maxwell's Grove! =)I hope we can visit again one day and he will be there, however like my dad said, these mom and pop 3rd generation places just get pushed out and it becomes part of the old world. I really hope it doesn't happen for Mr. Maxwell, and I hope this review will help people know about this place and take the time to visit it if your in the Avon Park area.