Towns with old fashioned "downtown" feel? (Provo, Orem: vacation home, buy)

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by gypsy88

Hi, we are currently in NM and looking to relocate to UT in the next few years. We have been up there several times but haven't checked out all the areas.

Can anyone tell us if any of these town/cities have an old fashioned "downtown" area. Active Mom and Pop type stores and cafes in an older part of town (not boarded up and abandoned).

The towns that interest us are:
Nephi
Provo
Orem
Pleasant Grove
Lehi
Lindon
Alpine
American Fork
Highland

Most of our exploring has been in the north and up in the mountain areas, but if we relocate that is not practical for employment. SL County does not interest us - too busy, too crowded, bad air quality. So we are focusing our next trip to areas south.

And if you have any input on any of these areas, please do tell.

Thanks!

Nope. All these are "urbanized"/"big boxized." No mom and pop downtowns.

You could check out Manti. It's very mom and pop, yet hasn't turned to a ghost town. Delta also comes to mind, along with Duchesne, Roosevelt, and maybe Vernal (although it's also "big boxizing"). Price.... eh, maybe.

[gypsy88]

Thanks Chrisc

[Chango]

I really like Logan's old downtown.

[Teak]

I spent a summer in Coalville, way back in 1976. It had a nice downtown and an old-fashioned pharmacy with bar-stool counter and served phosphate sodas, something I had never seen before. I liked the feel of the town, but haven't been back since then so don't know the current state of the town.

[gypsy88]

We spent a day up in Coalville last year. There is still a grocery and a few small businesses there. It's on our maybe list. But I would want to work in Park City then considering the weather is probably a little more wintery.

[mleblanc138]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

Nope. All these are "urbanized"/"big boxized." No mom and pop downtowns.

You could check out Manti. It's very mom and pop, yet hasn't turned to a ghost town. Delta also comes to mind, along with Duchesne, Roosevelt, and maybe Vernal (although it's also "big boxizing"). Price.... eh, maybe.

I second the mention of Roosevelt. I served part of my mission there and one of my favorite memories of there is an old fashioned Soda Fountain/throwback to the 50s place called Marion's Variety. Great place to get away from big box stores, but it's mostly a farming and oil town. Another big downside is it's 120 miles from Provo and about 140 miles from SLC. Not to mention, I heard temperatures in Winter can drop as low as negative 30.

[gypsy88]

Those all sound good. I will add them to our list to check out. We plan to come back out in the spring when I have more vacation time.

[JMT]

For a "big" city, Provo has a surprisingly old fashioned and intensely walkable downtown. I don't understand the "big box" comment about Provo because it just isn't true about its downtown. (Orem, on the other hand, is nothing but a big box nightmare--or paradise, depending on one's point of view.) While downtown Provo does have a couple of large banks and some government buildings, it's otherwise full of small, locally owned shops, restaurants, and cafés. I imagine once the old tabernacle is converted into a temple, even more life will be pumped into Provo's quaint downtown.

Check out this thread at flickr of pics of downtown Provo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/provoimages/sets/72157594523490522/detail/ (broken link)

[gypsy88]

Thanks JMT. Yes, that sounds good also. Even if it's an old downtown that has expanded into a larger city. We have some kind of an attraction to the feel. Nostalgic I suppose. I also feel good about supporting small business. Will add Provo to our check it out list.

Note: We spent a little time up in Ogden during our last visit. Downtown Ogden. If it wasn't sooo far north and if I didn't have to drive through SLC to visit all our friends, I would seriously consider it too. I don't mind being far away (like out east or down south) if the drive is a lot less stressful. That drive - north and south through SL is not pretty .

[mleblanc138]

Originally Posted by gypsy88

Thanks JMT. Yes, that sounds good also. Even if it's an old downtown that has expanded into a larger city. We have some kind of an attraction to the feel. Nostalgic I suppose. I also feel good about supporting small business. Will add Provo to our check it out list.

Note: We spent a little time up in Ogden during our last visit. Downtown Ogden. If it wasn't sooo far north and if I didn't have to drive through SLC to visit all our friends, I would seriously consider it too. I don't mind being far away (like out east or down south) if the drive is a lot less stressful. That drive - north and south through SL is not pretty .

It really is incredible how much of Utah's population is is the Wasatch Front(Brigham City to Nephi). I'm not terribly familiar with the area south of Utah County(although a quick look at a map shows how undeveloped it is compared to Utah/Salt Lake County), but for Duchesne/Roosevelt/Vernal, it's a great drive up Provo Canyon to Heber City. Going East from Heber, you'll pass through a very small town called Fruitland after crossing into Duchesne County, but the first real town, like with gas stations and restaurants is Duchesne, 70 miles from Heber. Roosevelt and Vernal are each about another 30 miles east respectively.

You should also add Heber City and Midway on to your check out list.