Quincy (Boston, Braintree, Milton: affordable apartments, buying a house, neighborhoods)

[Drea6681]

HellooooAwhile back I posted a thread asking for suggestions of where my bf and I should move to, and got a lot of great reasponses. Well we decided on Quincy. I love that it's near Boston, but I'm not all that familiar with the town. Is there anyone here who lives/has lived there or who knows about specific neighborhoods for shopping/nightlife things of that sort?Thanks!

[goyguy]

It should come as no surprise that Quincy Center is the heart of the city. For "necessity" shopping, a big Stop & Shop supermarket is close by at Southern Artery and Sea St. The renowned discount butcher Roxie's does business on the Sea St side of the Stop & Shop's "acres of parking." In most directions from the Red Line station you'll find numerous shops offering Irish knickknacks, trendy clothes, etc along with eating and drinking places running the gamut from sushi to "bar food." The other principal eating/shopping district in town flanks the train tracks along Hancock St on the east side and Newport Ave on the west, between the Wollaston and North Quincy stations, where you'll find more of the same. Just off the bridge from Boston, Cathay Pacific keeps alive the grand post-WWII American tradition of crappy pseudo-Asian cuisine served with potent creative cocktails. Its karaoke night is arguably the most popular in the Northeast. For more fun on the "slumming" side of things, there are some bars along Quincy Shore Dr that offer live music and can get really jumpin' during the warmer months. At the upscale end of the spectrum there are some "nice" places along with cattle-call nightspots at the Marina Bay development.

In the days of Woolworth's and big yellow brick free-standing Sears stores, Quincy itself was the one stop on the South Shore that anybody needed to make to buy whatever they were after. Since the early '70s, South Shore Plaza just south of 93/128 in neighboring Braintree has been that destination. Recent expansion/renovation has brought the total of stores there up to nearly 200. You'd never know that the option of online shopping exists if you've tried to find a parking space there 'most any evening or weekend.

[tripmama]

As far as nightlife goes, the previous poster was right -- Marina Bay is the place to be, esp. in the summer, but there's still a pulse even in the dead of winter. But it may not be the most convenient place to live if you depend on public transit. "Downtown" Quincy Center can be lively, with Quincy College students, the YMCA, an excellent public library and proximity to the Quincy Center T station. North Quincy is loaded with affordable apartments, most of which are walking distance to that T stop. Wollaston is also a lovely neighborhood, with many tree-lined streets, a cute little downtown Beale Street area (check out Great Chow for good Asian food) and also a close walk to the T stop. There are "premier" neighborhoods, such as Merrymount area or areas along Adams Street, or some areas of West Quincy that border Milton. There are also lots of waterfront areas off of Route 3A that are nice and quiet, with great views. Not sure if you're looking for an apartment, need to be close to public transit, or buying a house, but there are some excellent neighborhoods in Quincy. Great choice.

[crazyworld]

Great Chow would also be my top choice. Nothing beats that.

[LMMEGNA]

Great choice for your needs! Close to public transportation, downtown, Marina Bay is great as stated previously. You can head to Wollaston Beach in the summer and the few spots they have there for entertainment. I lived in Wollaston for a few years when I was in my 20's and I loved it. Lot's of living choices at affordable prices. Best of luck!

[gouldmanj]

I live in North Quincy, off of Squantum Street by President's Golf Course and East Milton Square. LOVE my neighborhood. Tree-lined and real neighborhood feel. We know our neighbors and actually speak to each other. I live with my husband and 7yo son. We actually don't use the neighborhood school and instead go to Meeting House Montessori School in Braintree (WONDERFUL school).
When my husband first suggested 11 years ago for our first home, I said "Quincy, who would want to live in Quincy!" However, I saw the light of day and have really enjoyed it.
On the downside, it is a very large city - so you may not know people at the market, city center, etc. if you like or need that.
Good luck with your move.