Top 5 (Or More) Things You HATE Most About Living In Charleston? (North Charleston: crime rate, mortgage)

[cape_fisherman]

Yep...I find the Cento brand around. I have at least one big can of whole tomatoes in the pantry right now...Cento San Marzano.

Now go get those crabs!

Jay

[brookem2005]

We have been here for 4 years now and while it is beautiful this is not my favorite place to live.

Why I hate Charleston:

1. Where are the street signs? I mean really they are somewhat of an essential not everyone has onstar.

2. There are very few Christmas decorations. I know Christmas is very commercial, but I like the magic of it, the family gatherings, the smells and the lights. (There is a Chrsitmas lighting on Johns? Island that is by far the best in the country) Hey I think I just figured out where ALL the lights are... Johns Island.

3. The malls SUCK. Yes I realize that that might be a strong word, but there isn't anything worthwhile in them, not even a GAP and they are everywhere. (I'm not even a big Gap fan, but you would think they would be in every mall) If you want a halfway decent store you have to go downtown to King street and fight for parking.

4. The bugs are very bad here!

5. It is way too small for me. This is the smallest place I have ever lived and I think I am too much of a big city girl for Charleston. Nice for a visit, but thats it for me.

[SCBeaches]

The Festival of Lights is on James Island, not Johns Island - though I wouldn't mind it being here. There is a Gap at Citadel Mall, one for women and one for children (Gap For Kids). Bugs are bad at certain times of the year. Christmas decorations depends on the neighborhood - have you driven through Bayview Farms, for example, during the Christmas Season - beautiful. Downtown Charleston doesn't extravagantly decorate, but keeps it minimal, classy, and traditional.
You're right - if you prefer big cities, then Charleston is not for you.

[OleTomCat]

Originally Posted by brookem2005

We have been here for 4 years now and while it is beautiful this is not my favorite place to live.

Why I hate Charleston:

1. Where are the street signs? I mean really they are somewhat of an essential not everyone has onstar.

2. There are very few Christmas decorations. I know Christmas is very commercial, but I like the magic of it, the family gatherings, the smells and the lights. (There is a Chrsitmas lighting on Johns? Island that is by far the best in the country) Hey I think I just figured out where ALL the lights are... Johns Island.

3. The malls SUCK. Yes I realize that that might be a strong word, but there isn't anything worthwhile in them, not even a GAP and they are everywhere. (I'm not even a big Gap fan, but you would think they would be in every mall) If you want a halfway decent store you have to go downtown to King street and fight for parking.

4. The bugs are very bad here!

5. It is way too small for me. This is the smallest place I have ever lived and I think I am too much of a big city girl for Charleston. Nice for a visit, but thats it for me.

I-26 West, then I-95 North.....

[TPS1029]

1. BAD drivers- There's gotta be some unkown reason why nobody around
here uses their signals!!
2. Fake kindness- I love it here, but if you're upset with me then tell me and
don't just say "bless his little heart".
3. Lack of mom and pop retail.

That's all I have. Beside that we absolutely love it here.

[fqtravlr]

1. Traffic. There wasn't much of it 'til ya'll all got here! But we're doing the best we can to deal with it. We even put those "LOCAL" stickers on our cars so you know who to be careful around in traffic!
2. Wal-Mart. Those huge shopping center anchors are responsible for the demise of so many small town merchants who actually cared and knew their customers.
3. The continued overdevelopment of the lands which once provided habitat for the wildlife and served as a buffer between the cities and the small towns. There really were small towns around here at one point. Communites such as Goose Creek, Monck's Corner, Summerville, and Mt Pleasant were once a place where you shooped with people you knew and you bought produce from people you went to church with and there was always someone you could call right sown the street if you needed help. The population explosion in the Tri-county area has all but erased those small town roots. Sorry you could not have experienced it.
4. No more local farms. At one time John's Island was known to produce some of the finest vegetables on the East Coast. The soaring real estate market and the rising cost of doing business led to the demise of the largest ones. Those delapidated packing sheds you see on John's Island, Yonges Island, and Wadmalaw Island were the commerce centers for those farmers not so long ago. And speaking of selling things, back about 15 years ago, you could get one of those Sweetgrass baskets made for about 10 dollars. They are such a hit with the tourists those folks decided to make some money. Good for them. Their little roadside huts were not a problem to anyone before everyone else moved into their neighborhoods.
5. People who are unhappy with living here who refuse to move away. This part of the world is what it is. There are mosquitoes, gators, ants, wasps, yellow jackets, snakes, basket weavers, snooty people and poor people, plough mud, hurricanes, tornadoes, the paper mill, greedy politicians, and other unsavory business types, boiled peanuts, and yes, lots of fried food. This is the South. It was not the focal point for immigration during this Country's formative years. You won't find the same kind of food you left behind when you migrated from wherever you came. I have always accepted the flaws in this part of the world because I call it home. Until you learn to do the same you will never truly be "home" and there is not much we locals can do to help you there.

Now "Bless your heart", and have a great day.

[OleTomCat]

FQTRAVLR,

You go!!!

Ya...

[emilybh]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

The Festival of Lights is on James Island, not Johns Island - though I wouldn't mind it being here. There is a Gap at Citadel Mall, one for women and one for children (Gap For Kids). Bugs are bad at certain times of the year. Christmas decorations depends on the neighborhood - have you driven through Bayview Farms, for example, during the Christmas Season - beautiful. Downtown Charleston doesn't extravagantly decorate, but keeps it minimal, classy, and traditional.
You're right - if you prefer big cities, then Charleston is not for you.

Isn't there also a GAP at the Tanger outlets (which I think are great)?

[TPS1029]

Originally Posted by fqtravlr

1. Traffic. There wasn't much of it 'til ya'll all got here! But we're doing the best we can to deal with it. We even put those "LOCAL" stickers on our cars so you know who to be careful around in traffic!
2. Wal-Mart. Those huge shopping center anchors are responsible for the demise of so many small town merchants who actually cared and knew their customers.
3. The continued overdevelopment of the lands which once provided habitat for the wildlife and served as a buffer between the cities and the small towns. There really were small towns around here at one point. Communites such as Goose Creek, Monck's Corner, Summerville, and Mt Pleasant were once a place where you shooped with people you knew and you bought produce from people you went to church with and there was always someone you could call right sown the street if you needed help. The population explosion in the Tri-county area has all but erased those small town roots. Sorry you could not have experienced it.
4. No more local farms. At one time John's Island was known to produce some of the finest vegetables on the East Coast. The soaring real estate market and the rising cost of doing business led to the demise of the largest ones. Those delapidated packing sheds you see on John's Island, Yonges Island, and Wadmalaw Island were the commerce centers for those farmers not so long ago. And speaking of selling things, back about 15 years ago, you could get one of those Sweetgrass baskets made for about 10 dollars. They are such a hit with the tourists those folks decided to make some money. Good for them. Their little roadside huts were not a problem to anyone before everyone else moved into their neighborhoods.
5. People who are unhappy with living here who refuse to move away. This part of the world is what it is. There are mosquitoes, gators, ants, wasps, yellow jackets, snakes, basket weavers, snooty people and poor people, plough mud, hurricanes, tornadoes, the paper mill, greedy politicians, and other unsavory business types, boiled peanuts, and yes, lots of fried food. This is the South. It was not the focal point for immigration during this Country's formative years. You won't find the same kind of food you left behind when you migrated from wherever you came. I have always accepted the flaws in this part of the world because I call it home. Until you learn to do the same you will never truly be "home" and there is not much we locals can do to help you there.

Now "Bless your heart", and have a great day.

It's just my opinion but I feel like those "local" stickers serve no purpose other than to drive a wedge between themselves and people who come here from other areas.
Also, I'm fairly certain that it's a fair share of both the transients AND the locals who could use some driving lessons. Thanks for "blessing my heart", I suddenly feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

[SCBeaches]

Originally Posted by emilybh

Isn't there also a GAP at the Tanger outlets (which I think are great)?

I think I do remember seeing one there. It's sad, but I've only been to Tanger once since it opened! There may even be a Gap at Northwoods Mall....I don't know where the poster went to not find a Gap store.