bad neighborhoods in St. Joseph, mo

[mjb62676]

Originally Posted by carlym

What were the reasons they hated to so?

Simply put...the people (natives), for the most part, are extremely bitter, mean people.

If it were possible to only mingle with the imports, it would be fine.

I met and befriended some natives I worked with that were great people...that being said, they were the exception.

[NWGuy74]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I honestly can't think of many places in the country where that type of business would work. Businesses like that that had been around for 50 years plus have failed because of conglomerates such as Wal-mart.

I agree a small organic grocery store would not work in St. Joseph. These stores, however, do work in different parts of the nation - not the midwest. While I am not a big fan of Wal-Mart, I do think they get somewhat of a bad rap when it comes to competition. I know of several local businesses that tried to compete with Wal-Mart and failed. What these businesses failed to realize is that people will shop at stores that treat them with respect and provide a high degree of customer service. Wal-Mart cannot offer that with their ultra efficient model.

If you can provide a product/service in St. Joe with this in mind, you may be successful. However, I do agree with another post. St. Joe loves their Wal-Mart! In addition, you will not find much customer service anywhere in St. Joe or KC.

[northbayeric]

Originally Posted by NWGuy74

In addition, you will not find much customer service anywhere in St. Joe or KC.

It sounds like you've received superior customer service someplace else. May I ask where, out of curiosity? I will say this about my one visit to St. Joe last September (which lasted barely 48 hours before I needed to jump in the rental car and head over to St. Louis to visit relatives). Though I didn't receive poor customer service (as in rude) at the St. Joseph Visitor Center downtown, they seemed poorly prepared, fumbling over how much a souvenir T-shirt cost, and then informing me that they couldn't take traveler's checks (at a visitor center! What's up with that?)! So I had to wait until a bank across the street opened up at 9 am so I could exchange the traveler's check for cash.

Other than that, I have to say I received fine customer service, especially at the motels I stayed at in St. Joe and by the KC airport. The St. Joseph Cracker Barrel waitresses and other staff were very friendly, I thought. But again, it was a quick visit. This coming late March will be the REAL test--heh heh.

[RL4ever]

Saint Joseph is a great place to live... as long as you're at least half dead.

It's a large retirement village that won't admit to it's true nature. Of course, few cities would want to admit to being desperately backwards, oversized hillbilly havens where only the rich children really get a chance at a decent education, then they leave as soon as they can possibly get away; where a large percentage of the residents are functional illiterates and like it that way; where having an imagination or being creative is only OK if your'e wealthy enough to be considered "eccentric" rather than weird; where the job market was left in the economic dust years ago, and the labor pool doesn't deserve any better; where excellent small specialty business can't survive because the Wal-Mart mentality rules completely; where only products and services geared toward the brainwashed elderly who allow themselves to be poisoned by the medical/phamecutical conspiracy are in demand? I could go on, but that's a good start.

Bad neighborhoods? Yeah, all the way down Messanie from 22nd to the river; most of midtown... most everything else west of 22nd street, to a lesser extent than the Messanie drug mall strip... the other drug mall, 15th street from Messanie to Faraon.

Basically, you can't tell by looking. Some of the nicest looking neighborhoods are the worst to live it, especially if you have kids. Stick to the far edges of town, especially toward the east side, for best chance of safety. As far as many of our beautiful historic homes, yes, they are worth saving, but figure on installing a really good security system, and look into good restoration fencing, OK? Those homes are relics of a long-gone time when St. Joseph was a viable city... I wonder if that old wood and terra cotta can grieve...?

However, unless you are involved in the establishment-style health care profession (the only industry still thriving, aside from prison facilities), I recommend you consider North Kansas City, Liberty, Parkville, etc, instead. There's nothing here for young, active adults. Note the conspicuous lack of an entire segment of population present in most cities this size... look hard, you won't find a bohemian community, except maybe a few stray individuals, hanging on by a thread with their redneck buddies in the town's one good gay bar. Whether you are a bohemian type yourself or not, do you really want to live in a town that starves their creative minds out, like St. Joe does?

Bear in mind, this sad state of affairs is how the natives LIKE *their* town to be, and beware having anything to do with it, because the one upside is that living here is very cheap. This can mess up your sense of budgeting so you can't easily afford to move somewhere decent. You get what you pay for.

[mjb62676]

Wow...I've been harsh on St. Joe in my day, but never that harsh I don't think.

I will say that the Animal Health industry is thriving in St. Joe to my knowledge.

I know a lot of folks there complain about Heartland (the hospital), but I haven't a clue as to why. For such a (relatively) small town to have such resources (check out some of the services there) available to it, not to mention the number of quality healthcare providers, is amazing to me in this day and age.

[coryv816]

Originally Posted by haleybsn

My family will soon be relocating to St. Joseph, Mo. We are in Louisiana right now, and have no way of looking at neighborhoods in person. The houses there look BEAUTIFUL , affordable, and historic, exactly what we're looking for. But what are the neighborhoods like there? We like the look of the King Hill area (on line, mind you). Is this a bad part of town? Are there any areas to avoid because of crime, etc.? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have been a lifelong resident of st joseph. Commonly reffered by the locals as st joe the only areas that you should avoid due to crime is messanie st about 4 miles from king hill. King hill is located on the southside so there is alot of pollution. Not really visible pollution just the smell but everyone who lives in south end is used to it. If i were to suggest a great place to raise a family i would go with the north end great schools great neighborhoods. Off of st joseph ave any other questions email me @ coryv816@gmail.com

[coryv816]

I believe what st joseph needs is a laundry mat in the south side. With so many hispanics in the south end you are bound to make a profit!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by coryv816

I believe what st joseph needs is a laundry mat in the south side. With so many hispanics in the south end you are bound to make a profit!

I have not visited St. Joseph in about 5 years. Has new economic growth led to an increasing in-migration of Hispanics recently?