Hispanics/Minorities in Coeur d'Alene (Sandpoint, Star: neighborhood, buying, tax)

[shamgar]

Hi, I am a hispanic business owner and have an opportunity to buy a restaurant operation in your city of Coeur d'Alene. I live in a city that is probably 65-70% hispanic so I have been in the majority for a long time. Looking on this website it shows to have a hispanic population of about 2.7% or so. How accurate is this number and are minorities well received in this beautiful city?

I am a firm believer that discrimination comes directly from the person being discriminated against. I think it doesnt matter what race one might be, if we are law-abiding, tax paying, moral individual nobody should have a problem with you. My family and I are christians and see several churches of our denomination in the area.

I would just like a little reality viewpoint of how Coeur d'Alene really is with hispanics or any minority for that matter.

Thank you for your help.

[dldavis]

if you want a reality truly dont go no matter what anyone is telling you. I promise this is a white town with very very very conservative values. Almost all republicans so if you are a liberal dont go here. higher out in the out back of idaho are the skins heads who dont like blacks or brown.

trust me on this

sorry but its true. why dont you just go to california especially la

[shamgar]

Originally Posted by dldavis

if you want a reality truly dont go no matter what anyone is telling you. I promise this is a white town with very very very conservative values. Almost all republicans so if you are a liberal dont go here. higher out in the out back of idaho are the skins heads who dont like blacks or brown.

trust me on this

sorry but its true. why dont you just go to california especially la

Great insight, thank you. I am going to assume that because I said "hispanic" you automatically assumed democrat? If not, I am sorry. I am republican and hold very very very conservative views, I will say, my views are biblicaly based so that may help in desscribing me and my family.

It saddens me that we have to refer to towns as "white" or "brown" but it is true and I appreciate the honesty. Now by saying "dont go" are you saying that we would be frowned upon in the community? Should we go forward we would definately spend time there just checking out the town, so to speak, beforehand.

Keep 'em coming.

[ArkansasTraveler]

Originally Posted by shamgar

Hi, I am a hispanic business owner and have an opportunity to buy a restaurant operation in your city of Coeur d'Alene. I live in a city that is probably 65-70% hispanic so I have been in the majority for a long time. Looking on this website it shows to have a hispanic population of about 2.7% or so. How accurate is this number and are minorities well received in this beautiful city?

I am a firm believer that discrimination comes directly from the person being discriminated against. I think it doesnt matter what race one might be, if we are law-abiding, tax paying, moral individual nobody should have a problem with you. My family and I are christians and see several churches of our denomination in the area.

I would just like a little reality viewpoint of how Coeur d'Alene really is with hispanics or any minority for that matter.

Thank you for your help.

//www.city-data.com/forum/idaho...ral-idaho.html

[ArkansasTraveler]

Originally Posted by shamgar

Hi, I am a hispanic business owner and have an opportunity

Thank you for your help.

I read all of your post -- If you have about five years of capital to get started and stick it out we need a good TexMex fooder here in 96818 ->22

[Sandpointian]

Shamgar,
Politically, the area is 60% Republican, 35% Democrat, 5% independent (numbers from 2008 election and numbers that are reflective). The numbers against big government are at those levels or more so. The self-described "hyper conservative," more akin to Dixiecrats than more traditional Republican conservatism and libertarianism, are a small and shrinking minority. More accurately, CDA values are akin to those of a small western city 30-40 years ago. If you are from Mexico proper and raised in good family, in most ways (religion, family, community, patriotism), you will be more more conservative than those self-described ultra conservatives (non-Church goers, dysfunctional families, isolationist, and chicken hawks). The area is 95% White, but so is most of the Northern US. Race is a reflection of historical migration patterns not self-selection.

Yes, there will be pockets of racist attitudes. However, these have shrunk over the years. Not not too surprisingly come mainly from people who (a) recently moved here from California and are amped to make Idaho in their image, (b) are not too well educated or (c) having trouble adjusting to global realities. From time to time, you will get looked at askance, but not to worry...it will give your feet on the ground and help you keep focus and appreciate the overwhelming good side of NID. Let their ignorance be a source of inspiration and a chance to gain perspective and appreciation for your accomplishments.

More than anything, and this is important, what you will find is that people will judge you on your food!! Cook well and your popularity and acceptance will soar. Send people to the hospital expect no welcome mat. There is a huge unmet demand for good Mexican food.

I would also give the following advice...
1) Fly the US flag alone--divided loyalties are out of favor...
2) Sponsor community teams
3) Do not expect understanding from the ignorant--they choose to be so.
4) Do not expect people will be behind initiatives to expand the role of government
5) Portray the image of real Mexico 1940, not border Mexico 2009 or the worst of aggressive innercity Mexicans 2009. Many in the area left SoCal to escape these elements, including many from Mexico
6) Do not expect much support for politically correct federal programs, favoritism, handouts or symbolism
7) Take a few extra measures to break stereotypes. Yes more burden on you, but you will be rewarded.
8) Take time to educate the locals on real Mexico. The knowledge gap is insanely huge.

Bienvenido,
S
P.S. Consider Sandpoint! We also can use another quality establishment.
P.P.S. If your are not Mexican but form Central or Latin America, the above still applies, although I apologize for the assumption.

[Sage of Sagle]

Originally Posted by dldavis

if you want a reality truly dont go no matter what anyone is telling you. I promise this is a white town with very very very conservative values. Almost all republicans so if you are a liberal dont go here. higher out in the out back of idaho are the skins heads who dont like blacks or brown.

trust me on this

sorry but its true. why dont you just go to california especially la

I could not disagree more with this post, and I think it's really distorted from reality.

Without attacking dldavis, I will simply encourage you to go look at this person's other posts to get a general idea of their world view.

Shamgar, let me share with you MY view as a retired Los Angeles area law enforcement officer who moved here from the Inland Empire/SoCal two years ago.

This area, while NOT racially diverse, is EXTREMELY racially tolerant. WAY MORE than SoCal. See, what you're dealing with in a mostly hispanic area is the non-hispanics starting to feel very "over-run" and "invaded", although good people there are really TRYING to fight prejudice that's creeping up on them daily. I know. I felt it, and fought it. But when it got to where I couldn't order at an American franchise fast food restaurant because I didn't speak fluent spanish, I got frustrated.

If you come up here and you're just average folks, there's no issue. Nobody cares what color you are, we're all just Idahoans. Start looking like you stepped off the pages of Orly's Lowrider Magazine and act like an "esse" and you'll have issues. Be just another average person and you're fine.

I guess what I'm saying is that I think your view is actually 100% accurate in that it's the PERSON who usually creates the problem for themself. Politically conservative? yeah, you'll fit right in up here. It's more libertarian than republican, but 75/25 conservative to liberal generally in this area.

If you're buying a restaurant, you will do very well here, make friends quickly since lots of people will know you, etc. We have several hispanic friends in the area and none of them have any issues.

I encourage others to post in this thread, and for you to wait to make any decision until you've read MANY more posts than one from a person who in my view is not presenting a true picture of our area. dldavis, I would like to know which neighborhood you live in here, how long you've lived here, and more details to have your post carry more weight. Throwing out "you don't want to live here, they're all racists" sort of advice is not always accurate....so let's delve into your credibility in this regard and share specific instances of racism you've seen in your time living here.

[Sage of Sagle]

As a quick follow up....

If you want to see racial tension, go to somewhere like North Long Beach, San Fernando, or Compton, where it's white/korean/black/hispanic, black/hispanic, white/hispanic/black, etc. It's just ugly. Up here, nobody "feels" that sort of racial tension, and it's a non issue. SERIOUSLY. And if I (as a white guy) saw a hispanic family being picked on, I'd be the first one to step to their defense. It just isn't right.

[Sage of Sagle]

Originally Posted by Sandpointian

I would also give the following advice...
1) Fly the US flag alone--divided loyalties are out of favor...
2) Sponsor community teams
3) Do not expect understanding from the ignorant--they choose to be so.
4) Do not expect people will be behind initiatives to expand the role of government
5) Portray the image of real Mexico 1940, not border Mexico 2009 or the worst of aggressive innercity Mexicans 2009. Many in the area left SoCal to escape these elements, including many from Mexico
6) Do not expect much support for politically correct federal programs, favoritism, handouts or symbolism
7) Take a few extra measures to break stereotypes. Yes more burden on you, but you will be rewarded.
8) Take time to educate the locals on real Mexico. The knowledge gap is insanely huge.

Bienvenido,
S
P.S. Consider Sandpoint! We also can use another quality establishment.
P.P.S. If your are not Mexican but form Central or Latin America, the above still applies, although I apologize for the assumption.

Kudos on another great post. I'd give ya more rep, but you know, gotta spread it around more...

Shamgar, Sandpointian's view is very consistent with what I've seen since moving here. And most "white Californians" I know that have moved here share a view of open racial tolerance and acceptance, even those who have to spend their first few months here "decompressing" from the racial tension of SoCal.

[Sandpointian]

Thanks, Sage.
I like your post, too. I just discovered how to give reps...and have learned about this notion of "spreading it around!" Such a luddite, I am!

To Shamgar, my vote is for authentic Mexican food and true Mexican fast food over the TexMex stuff...I am drooling as I type! Best hamburger I ever had in my life was in Monterrey, NL. Also consider your food as education. I once went to a really elegant restaurant in the Zona Rosa in D.F. which featured food from all corners of Mexico. Great music and food and drink. Just a thought...and higher margins than an all-fast food menu.

One final contrary thought. There is a restaurant in San Mateo, California called Pancho Villa--always long queues---huge menu of food and drink. They make serious coin. Good fast food.

But...if you serve tacos in a hard shell, I will personally run you out of town!!