What is the farthest you've ever lived from shopping? (Raleigh: home, living)

[Skipstone]

We're considering moving to an area 9 miles from shopping, including grocery stores. At the 10 mile mark just about everything we need is there.

Has anyone here ever lived where shopping is that far away?

And if so, did you get used to it?

I usually only go grocery shopping once a week and I stock up the freezer with items from Sam's Club so I don't have to go out much.

I go to a clothing store maybe twice a year.

Visit Walmart maybe 4-5 times a year, if that.

So it seems like it won't be a problem living farther away from shopping, but until I'm in the situation it's hard to know.

What was (or is) it like for you?

[ncsu99]

We're about 4 miles from Zebulon, so that's all the fast food, grocery stores, hometown hardware store, and about the smallest Belk's you'll ever see. It's about 15 miles to the closest Wal-mart and Target in Knightdale. Approx. 20 miles to Triangle Town Center is the closest mall. I prefer to shop in Wilson or Rocky Mount when I can. There's less traffic there and it's only about 5-10 miles farther than Raleigh, but it takes less time to get there due to the lack of traffic. Plus I have to go to Raleigh 5 days a week anyway, so I like to stay away on the weekends if I can help it.

[alice_61]

I lived 25 miles from stores, library, etc. in Virginia. I missed casual people contact more than the shopping. 10 miles doesn't sound bad if you are trading it for high quality life at your home.

[MikeJaquish]

20 to 25 miles, over the mountains in Central PA.
It was difficult, to say the least, particularly in winter.

[abdnva]

skipstone, you should be in great shape. 9 miles from the majority of conveniences means that you are 15 minutes or less from them. That affords you a peacefully serene lifestyle, while still maintaining easy access to urban conveniences. You can still get your pizza delivered, you can still run out for a breakfast biscuit or coffee, and you can still get takeout Chinese or Mexican on those nights you don't feel like cooking. Life is good. If you have to run to the grocery store to pick up an ingredient for dinner, it will be a half-hour trip, total.

On top of all this, you can still sit out on your back porch and see the stars & night, and not hear the traffic as it rushes by. Trust me, as one who has done the same thing, in 5, 10, & 15 mile increments from 'everything', you will be just fine. Unless you hate to hear 'just the quiet'...

[Sunny XVI]

In my experience, anything further than walking distance is a wash, whether it's 2 miles or 15 miles.

When I used to live in a walkable urban area, I would stop off at the corner market and fresh fruit vendors on my walk home from work. I missed that when I moved! Now that I need the car, I find myself driving a lot further away than my closest supermarket, just to go to another store that I prefer, and also to combine errands in a single trip.

[shelf]

right now I'm in Dunn and

5 miles from Food Lion, Wendy's, CrackerBarrel and Andy's
10 miles from Walmart, Lowes, Belks (very small) Big Lots, and several fast food places
35 miles (if I go to Garner) from Kohls, Target, Petsmart, BJ's
45 miles (if I go to Fayetteville or Goldsboro) from Sam's