Germantown is horrible! What gives? (Memphis, Bartlett: apartment, hotels, home)

[derekmt]

After stumbling upon these forums and reading the many recommendations on Memphis suburbs, the wife and I decided to drive around Germantown. We ended up getting into town at around 1 A.M.

Right off the bat we noticed a large amount of black gangster type people all over the streets. We went into the Wal-Mart super center beside Samsclub right off of 385. There were black people everywhere that looked like they were gang members. Some of them even looked at us and barked comments about us being white. We just ignored them and looked the other direction.

Then just driving around some other black people drove up beside us at a stop light and started acting crazy; yelling and screaming racial slurrs.

Germantown has to be the worst city we've ever visited. Where we currently live there is not any gangs or violence.

What is wrong with this place? Everything is very nice and sophisticated looking but the people here are the worst!

[hawkster]

Originally Posted by derekmt

Right off the bat we noticed a large amount of black gangster type people all over the streets. We went into the Wal-Mart super center beside Samsclub right off of 385.

Your not in Germantown right there, I think thats considered Hickory Hill. Some would consider it foolish to go there to that area at 1am

[thefineprint]

hahahaha! you weren't in germantown! you were in one of the worst neighborhoods in memphis! seriously not a good idea at 1am. sorry op! better luck next time? lol

[UofMGrad92]

From that location, everything west on Winchester (an area called Hickory Hill) is pretty rough. As you head east on Winchester, it gets better and you eventually end up in Collierville (and just a bit south of Germantown). That area gets customers from Hickory Hill, Germantown, Collierville, East Memphis, and Olive Branch during the day, but I'd figure 1 AM is less likely to have the suburban houswives shopping.

That being said, I can't imagine a scene like the one you are describing. Black people shopping at that Walmart I can see. Some of them (or even lots of them) looking like gang members if you are there at 1 AM I can see. The shouting out racial slurs in the parking lot and from a car at a stoplight is a bit out of the ordinary and I can't really come up with an explanation that makes sense. I've been in that area (and in that Walmart) at that time of night, and I've been in much worse parts of Memphis and other cities at similar times and been the only white face for blocks. I've never seen or experienced what you are describing.

The good news though is you were not in Germantown. I would imagine what you are describing does not exist in Germantown. So if you really want to know about Germantown, I'd advise heading a little further north and east and see for yourself. I'm not saying it is perfect, but it is a very nice suburb and the best the Memphis area has to offer.

[plattsburgher]

I have noticed that the word Germantown is spread a little too far to the south and makes it look like Hickory Hill is in Germantown. (There is no designated area named Hickory Hill on those maps). I noticed it the last time I was going out to the southernmost part of the 385 area........There are a lot of newer streets and I wanted to take a look so I wouldn't get too turned around.........My Mom's in a nursing home in the Arlington-Gallaway-Cordova area so that part of Shelby County I am more familiar with. It is very misleading to people that are coming in from out of town............also think that some of the trip advisor and travel sites use the label "Germantown" much too loosely. There are hotels on those sites that are definitely NOT in Germantown at all...............Don't know how to change it, but it is a problem for visitors.......

[lisake]

Hmmmm, a couple of thoughts:

OP could be a troll.

As has been said, that area is not Germantown, but it is near Germantown Rd.

I (white female) have shopped at that Wal-Mart dozens of times and have never seen it anything like what OP described. Yes, there are lots of black people shopping there, but "gangster types"? I don't think so. And yes, I've shopped there at 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. and felt safe (except from the typically angry Wal-Mart employees, but that's another post).

[derekmt]

First and foremost, thank you for your replies.

We ended up getting back on I-40 and took the Germantown exit. It was very different from the area we were in when we got off of 385. I was not trying to offend or mislead anyone. We are from a different state altogether and thought the area we were in was Germantown. I believe some of the signs suggested this.

Anyhow, we were very relieved when we started driving around Germantown. We saw 2 Krogers, a Costco, Wal-Mart, and Samsclub all on the same road along with a lot of neat places to shop. Everything looked very organized and the area seemed very safe.

Now we just need to find a nice 1 or 2 bed apartment!

[UofMGrad92]

I'm glad you found a better area, but the bad news is I don't think you were in Germantown this time either. If you took I-40 to the Germantown road exit, you were actually in Cordova when you got off the interstate. If you went north on Germantown you would enter Bartlett in about a half mile. If you went north on Germantown and then east on Hwy 64 (the intersection that is the Bartlett/Memphis border) you would have Bartlett then Lakeland then Arlington on the north side and Cordova on the south side.

If you want to get to Germantown, you would have to head south on Germantown Pkwy a pretty good distance (5 or 6 miles?). When you crossed over Wolf River Blvd, you would be in the Germantown city limits.

[Smtchll]

The area around 385 & Hacks Cross is not bad. If you think that's bad, then you should reconsider moving to the Memphis area. There are some gangster wannabes, but they live in nice neighborhoods and come from good families for the most part. I know many people that live in that area. It's the black suburbs. The people that yelled at you were probably harmless teenagers acting stupid.

[Pearlbob]

Germantown Rd is not Germantown. If you got off from I-40 to Germantown and saw a Sam's Club..that's not Germantown, it's the Cordova area. Germantown is much further south. No interstate goes through Germantown like that.