Questions about Northern Idaho area.... (Clark Fork: live in, cost of living, moving)

[kstorts]

Thank you everyone for you input and advice! We have now added Oregon into our places of possibly relocating goes, as well as reevaluating our desires to move to make sure we are doing it for the right reasons....as someone on these boards often says "whereever you go, there you are" (sorry for not knowing exactly who it is on here that says that...but it has stuck with me ....We have decided that our reasons are good, and necessary for us at this time.
So, I have put my Idaho search on hold and have been researching Oregon a bit more. We have a pretty good clientel base there already so starting up there would be much easier, My husband already has a shop he can work in up there if we run into snags opening up our second shop, they are very strict on their regulations and require a license which is another plus as it somewhat eliminates every Tom, Dick, and Harry from giving the tattoo biz a shot because they can't get a job doing anything else...lol. I still love Idaho, it is more appealing to me due to the lifestyle- it sounds like the people of ID have some values that match my own, but somehow right now moving to Oregon seems more realistic (not saying anything negative about Oregonian values.....Oregon is beautiful and I have never had any negative experiences while there).

Maybe I will get to retire in CdA! That would be perfect!

Thank you again to all of you for all of your help, I truely appreciate it!!!

[hemidude]

Adding some info on the late side here but I've been living up in CDA for the past six months and love it here (relocated from WV).

Bringing a source of income with you would be a BIG plus since the job market up here is dismal, to say the least. The customer base would probably be the same or perhaps larger with the 3 major colleges in the area - WSU, Gonzaga, EWU over in the Spokane area - along with the smaller Northern Idaho College in CDA.

Also, a clean tattoo shop would definitely attract attention, especially if you were able to get some exposure in the local papers.

Boise is a great place to live too but it isn't as nice as it was 6 years ago when I lived there in 2003 plus the air is horrible down there compared to up here in N. ID.

[blue8ewe]

You have lots of responses here so I wont add to them. But reading your OP it reminded me of an incident at the North Idaho Fair. Our first year at the fair we were watching some of the rodeo. The announcer asked "how many here are from California?" There was a big applause. I grimaced and noticed several other people around me shake their heads. The announcer then said, "well the Idahoans have asked me to ask you, When are you going back home?" THAT was met with a thunderous applause and whoots and screams of laughter. But most of the Californians were dumb struck. All I could do was laugh and clap.
It may seem a little mean but when you see who much things have changed and how much turmoil has arisen its completely understandable.
Ill just say that IF you do decide to relocate here to Idaho weather it North or South. Prepare to change yourself. DONT come here wanting to change anything else.

[Hatehumidity]

try the pomegranates they are great.lol

[kstorts]

Thanks for the responses!!

Hatehumidity- I have never had a pomegranate, I have it on my to-do list! hahaha

blue8ewe- thanks for your feedback, I think that if I avoided every place that "hated Californians" I would have to move to Mexico...lol. I am actually curious as to how many of those people cheering were ex-Californians themselves....or transplants from other states....I have no plans to move in and take over...or try to change things- myself or the place i live, there is nothing wrong with me, and there is nothing wrong with Idaho, California is perfect for some, just not me...I just want that 'American Dream' that most other people want...it doesn't feel possible to have that here, there are so many things I want and don't want for my kids that I fear will be unavoidable here...raising my kids here seriously scares me. So, I am ready to go somewhere else!

Hemidude- thank you for your feedback! That is great to know about the colleges in the area. We have some ideas floating around for a shop...the biggest problem we are having right now is on where to open it. I have been researching this move for quite some time, and our move date is rapidly approaching!!

We now have come to the conclusion that no place is "off" our list, haha. It just makes it more confusing...We have Couer d' Alene on the list, as well as Corvallis, OR.....and we want to look at Washington a bit as well...time will tell where we end up! Thanks again to everyone for all the responses, I really value your time and input!!! =)

[Count David]

Originally Posted by kstorts

I am actually curious as to how many of those people cheering were ex-Californians themselves....or transplants from other states....

I'm an ex-Californian (native) that extols the disvirtues of Californians every day. When I see them in CO, I tell them to go home. When I saw them in ID, I rolled my eyes.

There's just no getting away from them or us.

[kstorts]

LOL David, yea, I am sure that is the case with most.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by kstorts

LOL David, yea, I am sure that is the case with most.

Wait a minute....I just realized I'm one of those people that hates Californians. I hate those people.

[Keim]

Originally Posted by kstorts

So....for now, we are still thinking either Moscow or Meridian/Boise area........Moscow has a few shops in the area, but from I hear from the locals there they are crappy and people usually go to Pullman or Spokane for work, a lot of people I have talked to in that area have said that they think we would do really well in that area if our work is good...

I know nothing about body art, or the quality of Moscow shops. But please recognize that you need to look at Moscow and Pullman as one larger economic community. You would also be competing with Pullman businesses for the same customer base.

[kstorts]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Wait a minute....I just realized I'm one of those people that hates Californians. I hate those people.

LOL, yea, I guess what my point in asking the questions is similar to the ex-smoker thing.....when someone quits smoking, they are the ones that suddenly thinks it is horrible and want it banned from every place possible...while the lifelong non-smoker has always just tolerated it and doesn't pay it much attention. I wonder if most of the "cali-import haters" are ex-californians themselves....lol. Sorry...I'm tired and am just rambling...lol

Keim- thank you for that info on the Moscow area, it is helpful to know that the customer base would be larger that I had originally thought!