Possible moving from Dallas (Columbia, Charleston: unemployment rate, movie theaters, school)

[txguy75]

Hi--I am considering moving to Columbia pretty soon to run a bar there..i ahve been with the company for a while and thinking about coming there to work to help and just for a change. I realize it's not Dallas, but i just want to make sure i'm not so bored =) I'm single and early 30's but still like a good HH and love a good social scene. Is there always something to do? I have looked at pics and it looks nice--I moved to Jacksonville, FL before but didn't care for it all that much. Will i like Columbia? Thank you! =)

[gaflsc]

If you didn't like Jax, you're gonna HATE Columbia. Seriously.

In this economy, I'd stay in Dallas until things picked back up.

[scyogi]

I live in the Dallas area now. Recently moved from Aiken, SC (about 45 minutes from Columbia)--our son goes to school at USC---Columbia is a totally different vibe than Dallas. If you thought JAX was not your scene you really may have a hard adjustment to a smaller town like Columbia. Good luck--and of course if you make the plunge keep us posted on what you think!

[txguy75]

Thank you all much! Jax was ok, i just didn't care for the people, and maybe i was in the wrong area (southside)..I'm very outgoing and love meeting and being around people!! but Jax was AWESOME having the beach close by! I just want a variety of bars, malls, movie theaters, in a cool pretty scenic area...a variety of things to do and see. make sense?

[gaflsc]

Originally Posted by txguy75

Thank you all much! Jax was ok, i just didn't care for the people, and maybe i was in the wrong area (southside)..I'm very outgoing and love meeting and being around people!! but Jax was AWESOME having the beach close by! I just want a variety of bars, malls, movie theaters, in a cool pretty scenic area...a variety of things to do and see. make sense?

Sure does make sense. On that note, I would still say a resounding "No" to Columbia. I'd suggest either Charleston or Greenville...but again, not until the economy picks back up. SC has the third highest unemployment rate in the nation right now. Read: Not so many people out eating & drinking right now.

[RybarSC]

Originally Posted by txguy75

Hi--I am considering moving to Columbia pretty soon to run a bar there..i ahve been with the company for a while and thinking about coming there to work to help and just for a change. I realize it's not Dallas, but i just want to make sure i'm not so bored =) I'm single and early 30's but still like a good HH and love a good social scene. Is there always something to do? I have looked at pics and it looks nice--I moved to Jacksonville, FL before but didn't care for it all that much. Will i like Columbia? Thank you! =)

Well, I am 26 year old, single, male and I always have something to do here! You just gotta get out and find it, which many people here are seemingly completely unwilling to do! Check out www.free-times.com to see what all is going on in Columbia on any given week. Needless to say, I disagree with the "resounding NO" of the previous poster. You may or may not like Columbia, but there is no way someone can say you wouldn't like it solely based on the info you provided.

If you didn't like JAX because it was too small, then, yeah, Columbia is smaller than JAX. But, if you didn't like JAX for other reasons, you can't say that you wouldn't like Cola because you didn't like JAX. It depends on your reasons for disliking JAX.

As for your job, the bar scene is good here, and very stable. I've lived in other cities where bars come and go frequently. With a few exceptions, once a bar opens in Columbia, it tends to stay open for awhile. The turnover of bars in Five Points and the Vista is not very high, relative to many other cities. I go to bars 2-3 times a week, and most bars are still crowded nightly despite the economy. The bar's closing here are the one's that were not very strong bars even in good economic times. Five Points has many bars that have been open at least 10 years, which isn't bad compared to the bar industry as a whole!

[txguy75]

Very true! Thanks for ur input--sent u a message too, rybarsc--thanks again for all input everyone so far!

[mettler]

I hated Jacksonville. I'd live in Columbia any day over JAX..but, at the same time, I can't stand FL in general. As for Columbia, it is going to depend on where your bar is located. Also, you will have to remember, that the bars in Columbia don't close - except on Saturday night, and then those stay open for crappie hour.

[waccamatt]

Columbia and Jacksonville are nothing alike. Jacksonville has a much older average population, is much more conservative and is not a college town. There are always things to do here with 2 entertainment/restaurant/club districts and if you get the urge to go to the beach or the mountains you can be either place in less than 2 hours. Columbia is a lot smaller than Dallas, no doubt, but you'll find plenty to do here.

[IndigoMonkey]

Isn't Jacksonville retirement country? Obviously anyplace has it's pros and cons. You just have to weed through all the posts and decide if its a right fit for YOU. I personally enjoy Columbia (I'm 23) the scene there is pretty upbeat and there is always something going on.