Is there such a thing as great schools, low crime, and affordability? (Cleveland: condos, home)

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by formerlyofpainesville

also coming soon to Mentor: Trader Joe's. Don't know the date yet, and sadly a beautiful historic home was demolished for this purpose ; yet despite the "trendy yuppie" demographic the chain tends to attract, very affordable.

I didn't know that the Sawyer House had been demolished, nor that Trader Joe's was building a store there. I should have, as I've driven past the construction site scores of times; it's next to the Mentor Ave. KeyBank where I often use the ATM.

https://architecturalafterlife.com/2.../sawyer-house/

Although I typically lament the loss of historic structures, the Sawyer House has been commercialized for decades, with one restaurant after another, some good, some not. The interior walls in my memory had largely been removed and it didn't strike me as an especially charming piece of history, such as the Unionville Tavern in Madison, a favorite dining destination in eastern Lake County earlier in my lifetime. Rider's Inn in Painesville is superbly preserved. It likely is the best, if not the only, surviving Greater Cleveland stagecoach inn still serving customers, at least pre-pandemic.

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2017...le_tavern.html

https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Rider%27s_Inn

My memory is that it wasn't really a stop on the underground railroad, as often claimed, and it probably isn't haunted, but it's still a great visit. Certainly the most charming pub on Mentor Ave. in Lake County.

Here's picture of the pub, as opposed to the main dining room.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Location...unty_Ohio.html

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/ohio...st-haunted-oh/

The Rider's Inn pub and restaurant may be closed for the duration of the pandemic, hopefully not permanently.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...unty_Ohio.html

As I will greatly utilize the Mentor's Trader Joe's (the nearest store now is in Woodmere, half an hour away), I won't miss the Sawyer House!

A Lucky's Market, an affiliate of Dave's, has opened in Concord Township. Dave's Market apparently bought the Greater Cleveland stores of the chain originally founded in Colorado, and now is expanding the concept.

https://www.news-herald.com/2021/09/...cord-township/

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainm...ys-market.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky%27s_Market

The Greater Mentor retail complex is improving even more with these two additions IMO.

Trader Joe's is a cinch to succeed. I'm not as optimistic about Lucky's given the stiff grocery market competition in the area.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

It's cheap because it's low quality.

News to me. I know many persons who shop there, often for their sauces.

[Urban Peasant]

I just hope Trader Joe's doesn't drive Constantino's out of business. Cleveland is one of the last bastions of independently owned grocery chains e.g. Constantino's, Dave's and so on. I personally find Trader Joe's overrated. They try to be a hipper, slightly more affordable Whole Foods but fall short of being anything really fancy.

[Unicorn hunter]

Originally Posted by WRnative

News to me. I know many persons who shop there, often for their sauces.

I love their sales fliers! Assuming they have the same ones here that they did in Washington state. They do carry some unique items that are hard to find elsewhere.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

It's cheap because it's low quality.

I haven't found that to be true. I don't shop at Trader Joe's much simply because it's too far (I miss Chicago where I had not one, but two Trader Joe's within walking distance), but when I do, I'm pleased with what I find there.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by andrew61

I haven't found that to be true. I don't shop at Trader Joe's much simply because it's too far (I miss Chicago where I had not one, but two Trader Joe's within walking distance), but when I do, I'm pleased with what I find there.

It is just seed oils, sugars, preservatives, not local, etc. You might like it but it isnt high quality, which is of course why its cheap. It's all made as cheaply as possible. TJ is a marketing success though.

[ferraris]

Trader Joe's is like the opposite of Costco, and seems to specialize in packages that are good for 1 and 2 person households. It was a favorite store of mine in my 20s for that reason.

[formerlyofpainesville]

Originally Posted by WRnative

I didn't know that the Sawyer House had been demolished, nor that Trader Joe's was building a store there. I should have, as I've driven past the construction site scores of times; it's next to the Mentor Ave. KeyBank where I often use the ATM.

https://architecturalafterlife.com/2.../sawyer-house/

Although I typically lament the loss of historic structures, the Sawyer House has been commercialized for decades, with one restaurant after another, some good, some not. The interior walls in my memory had largely been removed and it didn't strike me as an especially charming piece of history, such as the Unionville Tavern in Madison, a favorite dining destination in eastern Lake County earlier in my lifetime. Rider's Inn in Painesville is superbly preserved. It likely is the best, if not the only, surviving Greater Cleveland stagecoach inn still serving customers, at least pre-pandemic.

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2017...le_tavern.html

https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Rider%27s_Inn

My memory is that it wasn't really a stop on the underground railroad, as often claimed, and it probably isn't haunted, but it's still a great visit. Certainly the most charming pub on Mentor Ave. in Lake County.

Here's picture of the pub, as opposed to the main dining room.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Location...unty_Ohio.html

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/ohio...st-haunted-oh/

The Rider's Inn pub and restaurant may be closed for the duration of the pandemic, hopefully not permanently.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...unty_Ohio.html

As I will greatly utilize the Mentor's Trader Joe's (the nearest store now is in Woodmere, half an hour away), I won't miss the Sawyer House!

A Lucky's Market, an affiliate of Dave's, has opened in Concord Township. Dave's Market apparently bought the Greater Cleveland stores of the chain originally founded in Colorado, and now is expanding the concept.

https://www.news-herald.com/2021/09/...cord-township/

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainm...ys-market.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky%27s_Market

The Greater Mentor retail complex is improving even more with these two additions IMO.

Trader Joe's is a cinch to succeed. I'm not as optimistic about Lucky's given the stiff grocery market competition in the area.

yeah, I had heard that about Riders not really being part of the Underground Railroad too. Although it was a resting point for Union soldiers en route to and from the battlefield during the Civil War. Or is that a myth too! lol. I haven't eaten there I decades. I remember when it was Lutz's in back in the 60's/70's. They used to have an all-you-can-eat Sunday Brunch with great food. Don't know if that's still happening. Is the Unionville Tavern still functioning at all as a restaurant or inn? I know it's being restored.

That's funny about the Sawyer House, though I had heard complaints about the restaurant(s) too. Still a shame such a gorgeous house, at least on the exterior, couldn't be saved. I guess TJ's is not into historic preservation.

And yes, Trader Joe's does indeed have decent quality products. I live in NY and the stores are packed from the moment they open till closing. No, it's not like shopping at some artisanal farmers market (or whatever) for the person who complained about the alleged lack of quality, but what supermarket is? I guess Heinen's is considered the crown jewel in the Cleveland area for "quality" groceries. I've never shopped at one. Is it? Yes, TJ's has a limited product line when compared to a full-fledged supermarket, but that's one reason, I guess, it can keep its prices down.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by Natural510

Speaking as a school parent, I think school “quality” is overrated, other than classroom size, and the majority of a child’s education begins and ends at home. That’s especially true for the elementary school years. So if you indeed do have to choose two, choose affordability and safety (along with the type of neighbors you’d like to have as acquaintances when your kids play together) because kids with parents who nurture their education and make them excited about learning are going to prosper regardless if their school makes some “top” list.

I agree with this. Children can excel in many schools that are average. Just as long as they are "safe".

We lived in an area of Long Island with "top-rated" schools. What I found was that unless your children were future Westinghouse Scholars, STEM types, and they were being groomed for an "Institute of Technology", they were ignored.

Overrated schools are overrated, IMO.

Many people who live there are just seeking status.

[Kohag]

Yeah thats gonna be hard to find buddy