What's good about living in Memphis? (Germantown, Collierville: sales, high crime, homes)

[sb-gal]

I really appreciate all the comments and experiences.

Luckily I go to church, but it's a heathen Calvary Chapel so that won't fit well with the Baptist's lol.

I don't like basketball but I'm open to try it. I love baseball and hope the Redbirds are up to snuff. Considering I love Little League games as much as major league ones I'm sure it will be fine (If I can stand the sweltering heat of summer that is - ugh!)

I'm going to look at this as an adventure and also check out the areas of Little Rock and the Gulf area of Mississippi (hurricanes though - ack!)

[JoeCartpath]

If you love baseball you'll really love AutoZone Park - home of the Redbirds. It's considered one of the best minor league venues in the country (if not THE best). Where else besides Memphis can you get BBQ Nachos at the ball park!

[sb-gal]

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

If you love baseball you'll really love AutoZone Park - home of the Redbirds. It's considered one of the best minor league venues in the country (if not THE best). Where else besides Memphis can you get BBQ Nachos at the ball park!

Fabulous - now I'm gonna gain weight too

[madelinea23]

Ok these comments scare me. I just need to jump in and help out a little I think! I moved here with my boyfriend after I graduated college last year. He's in medical school and we moved here from Nashville. I LOVE Memphis. Granted, I needed a change of scenery. I grew up in Nashville and went to college in Nashville. I love the diversity here, in my opinion. I appreciate the different cultures. There is great bbq here, soul food, and some really great vietnamese.

We aren't religious at all, so in my opinion, you don't have to go to church to fit in. And I wouldn't worry about the "put together" southern woman thing. I've lived in the South since I was little, and I've never felt that way.

We live on Mud Island in Harbor Town. It isn't really an authentic place, but it's pretty well designed for a planned community. We can walk to the grocery...there's a pizza/movie rental place on the island and a coffee shop. I also ride my bike across the bridge to downtown quite often. And it's about a 10 minute walk for me across the bridge to the vet and a few bars. The trolley also runs but I've only taken it downtown once. It's usually easier to drive or take a taxi.

I think Memphis is what you make of it. So far, I've felt relatively safe. You just need to be smart and alert like in any city.

Best of luck!

[Norseman1]

I just started a new thread on a similar subject "Memphis Suberb Search" can anyone help?

[KD3001]

Moving to Memphis from SB? Wow..Big difference! Take is from someone who spends alot of time in both. They are just on opposite ends of the cultural scale. Let me tell you why.

Diversity: If your looking for SB diversity of everybody intermingling with each other you're not going to get it on a grand scale in Memphis. Many people (black and white) are mentally segregated, with that being said it is getting better although slowly... In SB you see a little of everybody doing things with everybody else with no problem.

Social & Culture: Well it if you're looking for that laid back attitude of SB, you can find it, but you going to have to look....HARD. Southern culture is a little different from the central coast. People are little resistant to cultural change, so expect to have some people to make generalzations about you. No worries, educate them on you, and you should have no problems. If you're looking for St. Street in Memphis you're not going to find it, but there's Beale street.(Like a smaller Bourbon Street.). You can get barbeque and wing all over the city, but you'll find out that you'll miss the "The Habit" & "In and Out" burgers....

Transportation: Memphis is a driving city. Not too many bike lanes here. In SB you can ride your bike from Summerland to Goleta with no real worries. You wont see too many people riding bikes at all, let alone seeing an acaual bike lane. The bus system is occasional at best in Memphis..

If you have anymore questions, please feel free to reply....

[soopermnstr]

Hi,
I was very worried about moving to TN from CA as well. (We moved from Northern CA- San Ramon-East Bay Area) I have been pleasantly surprised by the sweetness of neighbors, abundance of stay-at-home Moms and resources for kids and families. We lived in corporate housing in Germantown and now bought a modest home in Collierville (East of Memphis). The weather can't compare but I am really enjoying the people and feel much safer than I expected based on what I read. Feel free to contact me if you wish. My email is soopermnstr@yahoo.com.

I am sorry to hear about your home, that is awful.

[sfoot]

Midtown is fairly bike friendly, but biking to work will probably be difficult. As for walkability - Central Gardens, Cooper Young and parts of Downtown are all good places.

[sb-gal]

Hey KD3001 - I'm so going to miss The Habit Don't care much about State Street, it's so commercial now.

Do you commute back and forth for your job? school?

I've narrowed my search to either Mud Island or the Cooper Young area. Perhaps the waterfront but I'm not sure we are willing to pay that much to rent.

We'll be heading your way in about 3 months - yikes.

[scrapiron]

Hi, I'm new here and have been reading the good and bad of Memphis......guess what? I'm still moving to the Memphis area. I will live in the suburbs. I am a Federal employee and already have a job lined up. I won't ever have to spend another winter in Minnesota. It gets -30 degrees here without wind chill. You spend nearly 9 months out of the year inside. Either it's snowing or raining or windy. I have visited the Memphis area a few times and my son is on the MPD as my other son is waiting to get in to the academy.

I don't worry about crime, as I am armed and can carry. I don't worry about racism, it is in Minnesota too, it is just kept very well hidden. I know because I am mixed race and look either Italian, Mexican, or White. I am Native American/German. I get to hear it from both sides. Many whites here don't like Native Americans or Blacks or Browns, you gotta be Minnesotan or you'll never have friends. I've been here 23 years and don't have any friends. The people are standoffish and rude. Rarely do you hear Good Morning, or Excuse me. They stop right in the middle of shopping isles and chat with the folks they grew up with. You will be lucky to get a nod of the head or a wave from anyone.

As far as crime goes, we have Minneapolis aka Murderapolis and St. Paul. I wouldn't walk them streets and I am armed. Of course I wouldn't walk a lot of streets armed or not.

I am taking a hugh paycut to move because I just can't stand another winter here. My house here will sell for $365,000.00 and that's a bargain because it is 2 houses (twinhomes) on an acre of land and I can get a nice house in Collierville, or Germantown for almost half that price. I'm looking foward to it and I know it will be wonderful. My wife is so glad to leave this frozen tundra and get to a warmer (hot) climate.

I'll be there in 2-5 months...I can hardly wait.