My daughter wants to move to Birmingham (Hoover, Bessemer: sales, 2010)

[Roadrunner69]

I need some quick advice for my daughter (22 yrs. old). She wants out of Florida and I can't say I blame her but I feel she is moving a little too fast. What I would like to know is how is the employment situation there. She has experience from waitress up to management at the local Perkins. She has a boyfriend with welding experience and mechanics. She has two children ages 1 and 2 1/2 and is looking to move near a high school friend living in the 35242 zip code. Please help with any advice yeh or nay on the economic situation and possibilitys because I don't blame her things here in Fort Myers FL. are really low right now. I don't want her to make a big mistake and just find the same problems and just waste the money. Thanks

[HipLib]

I'm a sales rep in the area and have many restaurants as my customers. There are some world class restaurants in Birmingham. Some of these include Chef Frank Stitt's Highland Bar and Grill, Bottega and Hot and Hot Fish Club. There are many many others both independent and chain. Most of them tell me that their business is down a bit because of the recession but it seems they are still going pretty strong. Business in summer is usually slower than the rest of the year because so many people take vacations and are out of town. Fall is the best time of year for business, she should be able to find something then. As far her boyfriend, there are still some steel mills and metal fabrications plants west of twon in Fairfield, Ensley and Bessemer. They're not what they used to be but there could be some opportunity there.

[Guntersville Boomer]

I hope I can help you to feel better. My daughter is 23 and wanted to leave Florida after graduating high school and went to college at Birmingham Southern College, graduated last year and got an executive assistant's job within 30 days. She recently resigned that job and is going to attend UAB this fall working on a graduate degree. She will need a part-time job and I feel sure she will find one, here is a good site for you to see what's available, she should have no problem:

Birmingham, AL Jobs | Indeed.com

My husband and I ended up buying a home about 1.5 hr. drive outside Birmingham and will be living there full time starting in 2010. My daughter said she was never coming back to Florida so we knew we had to move there if we were going to be near her and hopefully future grandkids (she is our only child). I worried my head off when she 1st went there, I flew up almost every 6 weeks and I really got to understand what she liked about living in a real city, Birmingham is a wonderful city IMO. Have faith, things will work out for her and I'll bet once you start visiting her you might end up like my husband and I.

Oh, I only know my daughter's zip code of 35205 which is around Highland Park area downtown, what other name do you have associated with that zip code like Hoover, Bessemer, etc?

[Threestep]

35242 is Inverness/Hoover/... Generally not a bad area. Lots of trendy restaurants. My concern would be daycare for two toddlers. How has she handled this so far?

[cpg35223]

The Big Heart of Birmingham

Here's a good article on B'ham by the way.

[Roadrunner69]

Thank you everybody things aren't sounding to bad so far. She has been the bread winner in this relationship her boyfriend has been unable to find work so he watches the children. I would not be so concerned if it was just her and her boyfriend but I do not want the grand children to suffer because of a bad move. I do feel better that she has a friend there but just so unsure about the economy there because we have been so shell shocked here. Heck I thought I was OK, was at my job for ten years seniority right. Think again they could keep two people for letting me go and I could out work the two of them together. Nothing is secure anymore I learned that but fortunatly we are OK and will get through this. Thanks again for your responses and please keep them coming I need help convincing my wife.