Florala

[Sinkbean]

Try Daphne or Fairhope, across the bay from Mobile if you would like to be near water. They both have really nice historic districts and have a lot more electic, artsy stuff going for them. Plus they are even CLOSER to the beach! However, housing is kind of high, I'd say it's worth it though.

[alabama_mike]

It's an awesome launch point if you are all about getting away from the beach crowded condos, but able to go to the beach in about 45 minutes. The lake in town is approx. 3 miles in diameter, with 2 boat launches: one on the Alabama side, and the other on the Florida side.
There is a little bit of development going on, but it's the million dollar houses being built around the lake. In the last 20 years, the only new things to pop up in Florala besides those houses, are the antique stores, The Strickland Art Gallery (which is absolutely amazing btw check it out if it's ever open), and the Chevron gas station with the Omelette Shoppe? attached to it. Maybe the Sub shop/movie rental place is newer than 20yrs, but I doubt it. Oh yeah, and Don Suggs used cars.
It will never become a hip artsy anything kind of place. I think they still drag or hang people for talking like that. That stuff is "the devil". LOL LOL

The only nearby place to buy groceries is at the Piggly Wiggly there in town. Good luck finding fresh produce or quality anything if you are used to the big city way of life. For mediocre shopping, there is the Bill's Dollar General Store and I think the Family Dollar store, if it didn't burn down again. Of course with a population of 2,000 there are a 200 places to get your hair done and I think the same number of churches. I think that is the only hobby ladies around there do...lol

Still though, The Country Folks Buffet, is pound for pound the best in the world as far as food quality with the quantity. The line to wait is outrageous for a reason. Good Eats.

[Bravo35223]

Originally Posted by cindymac

Thank you all for your info. I was passing thru Florala on the trip to/from Ft.Walton from Nashville, and kinda liked the old houses and old town buildings. It is so close to the beach, figured perhaps no trouble from hurricanes, so no ridiculous insurance or housing rates, and what a great location it would be if Florala was/might become an affordable, funky, artsy, music town. I suppose it would take tons of money to change. The drug problem is definitely a turnoff. I grew up in a small town in Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains, practically on Greers Ferry Lake. The terrain is definitely different in Florala, and it has been a long time since I lived in a small town. I certainly remember the provincial mindset. I've always been a waterbaby, like hot weather and gardening, thus the appeal of the location and especially the beach. I wondered if any developers are looking that way. I don't like how crowded the beachfront is now. Anyway, guess I may stay put, even though low housing costs are appealing. Thanks again for all your input.

Cindy:

I'd point you to Baldwin County Alabama....Spanish Fort, Daphne, Foley...this is a very prosperous county with many nice small towns that are artsy (as you described). And the Ocean with some of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. is just a few minutes away, depending on how far north in the county you live....

Strongly recommended based on your criteria.

[G.Andrea]

Friends of ours, a young couple with two children, bought a lovely old home in Florala, on Martin Luther King street. They are white, but have made friends in the community and have had no problems with anyone yet. They have been there about three years and love it! We liked the area so much we bought a summer house right down the road from them and visit every chance we get. We enjoy the shops, and the art galleries, esp. Woody Long's. It is a nice drive to the Destin/Sandestin area. We found that in the summer, on the weekends, the lake could be a little crowded. Weekdays there were very few people there. I have NEVER heard anyone use the"N" word, and we have had company at our house of various races with no trouble. There is a city about 25 miles south, Crestview, where quite a few people work. Perhaps the gentleman who quickly pointed out that his family owned a LARGE farm in Florala, should examine how he deals with others before he call a place an "armpit". I have found that people tend to treat you as you trat them. In any Town. Thanks G.A.

[kevin_1975]

I agree, Covington county as a whole is a nice laid back place. Things are very different than they once were. I prefer Opp to Florala or Andalusia, but thats my personal choice.

The part about fresh produce not being available is stupid. There are plenty of farmers around to get fresh produce.

There is a place in between Opp and Andalusia that has really good food to. It has a buffet and called Moore's.

And BTW, it is not Bill's Dollar General Store. That is two different stores. Bill's Dollar and Dollar General. How long has it been since you were in Florala, Mike?

[superscoop04]

I would like to correct some of the information that Alabama Mike left for you. Yes, Florala is a small town, but instead of looking at that in a negative way you should focus on the positive. Everybody in town knowns one another and we look after one another. You can let your kids play outside without having to have an arm police officer there to ensure they aren't kidnapped. Our crime rate is very low, most of the time the worst thing that happens is that some of the younger kids get into fights. The civil rights movement didn't pass us by and we aren't as segregated as Alabama Mike would have you believe, shoot white and black people actually shop in the same stores here and attend the same schools. I grew up in Florala and except for a tour in the military have lived here all my life, I even learned to read and write while living there. We do not refer to the black section of town as the n*gger quarters because we don't have any area of town that is totally white or black, we live all over and the races are mixed....we even have some hispanic people living here. We do not have a race problem in Florala and on any given day you can drive throughout the city and see black and white kids playing together while their parents visit. I can't remember the last time someone I know uttered the N word. We value each person who calls Florala home and when a tragedy occurs rather than letting it divide our city we pull together (black, white and hispanic) and do what needs to be done. I will agree with him that there is a drug problem in Florala but no more so than anywhere else. The wonderful city of Andalusia, which Mike must be from since he encouraged you to move there, has a worse problem with drugs than we do. We are simply a small town so everybody knows somebody on drugs. Our police department has received a bad review from alabama mike also. We have very committed officers in the department who strive to protect residents from drug heads and keep our community safe. Since we are a small town, our police don't make a lot of money and most work part time at other agencies to pay their bills. They put their lives on the line everyday because of all the out of state traffic that passes through out city on the way to the beach. I know most of the officers personally and can guarantee you that unless you are someone who continually violates the law you can live in peace and won't have to worry about police harrassment. Police harassment is reserved for repeated drug offenders and child molestors. Most of the officers allow a driver 10 to 15 mph over the posted speed limit as long as there is not a lot of traffic or the driver doesn't put himself or other lives at risk. I will concede that most people who live here work somewhere else, but not as far as Panama City. The women who clean condos work in Destin and Ft. Walton, which aren't but about an hour or an hour and a half away. The Andalusia job market for most people consists of a minimum wage job at a fast food restaurant or WalMart. Course, if shift work is your thing you could always go to Shaw and make carpet. We have several large cities about the same distance from Florala, Crestview and DeFuniak Springs, FL, were jobs are available. Most people who work out of town like it that way because of the hustle and bustle of city life. My husband works at Ft. Rucker and decided to drive back and forth rather than relocate because at night we can sit on our porch and watch the sunset over Lake Jackson in peace. We don't have to worry about drive by shootings and gang activity here. When we get home we enjoy our neighbors and the many community activities available. Yes, there are a lot of churches in and around Florala but that just means we have people who try to live their lives lawfully and helping their neighbors. How can that be a bad thing? No we don't have bars but we also don't have the violence that goes along with the bars and we don't have drunks trying to drive home each night causing accidents. We have the largest natural lake in the state and have several large cities less than an hour away. We are also within an hour of three military bases if you are retired from the service. If you want to have an easy way of life where you actually know and love your neighbors Florala is perfect for you, however, if you want all night bars and hundreds of people who don't even know then we're not right for you. I wanted my children raised in Florala with the same values I was raised with so I got out of the Air Force and moved from Anchorage, Alaska back home. I assure you I, nor any of my friends, have ever been harassed by or had trouble with the police. As long as you are a law abiding citizen you have nothing to fear. Are we perfect no, so if you looking for a perfect town you need to keep searching; however, if you are looking for a wonderful community to live in then head this way. To often small towns like ours are viewed in a negative light because of the slow paced lifestyle. I, for one, find this one of the most endearing quailities Florala has to offer. I hope this has cleared up any questions you had and if you need more info let me know. We'd love to have ya.

[2bohemians]

Excellent post Superscoop!

[mccarley]

I camped at the local state park on the lake and found it to be a very pleasant little town and if you are looking for a little town, you would like it.