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Hi again - I am interested in narrowing my research to get info on the specific towns of Concord-Carlisle.
I would love to see what anyone can offer for pros, cons things to think of for potential relocation to this area.
Schools, houses, people in the towns, mix of transients etc...
Carlisle = septic. Well water too? Waaay too remote for me.
Concord is slightly better, but you still have to drive into other towns for everything and that includes basic grocery shopping.
You didn't mention Lincoln in this thread, but I would put it in the same spectrum and it's the best commuting location of the three for you. But there is still no town center, and there's the air force base and private airport.
All three towns have beautiful parks/hiking/biking trails.
Carlisle = septic. Well water too? Waaay too remote for me.
Concord is slightly better, but you still have to drive into other towns for everything and that includes basic grocery shopping.
You didn't mention Lincoln in this thread, but I would put it in the same spectrum and it's the best commuting location of the three for you. But there is still no town center, and there's the air force base and private airport.
All three towns have beautiful parks/hiking/biking trails.
I wouldn't group Concord with Lincoln and Carlisle. The latter two have colonial type village centers, similar to Sudbury, Acton, and a host of towns in MA. You know, a town hall, couple churches, real estate office,maybe a bank, etc. Concord was something like a downtown to the surrounding towns, many which were a part of Concord at one time (most of Lincoln, Carlisle, and Acton were). This is why you find so many "Concord Road"s in these surrounding towns leading to it.
While the Concord villages aren't as robust as a Lexington or Waltham, they have more than the few shops you find in typical exurban towns. There's a Crosby's right near the depot. I would call that more than "basic grocery shopping." For something a bit different, you have Debra's in West Concord that attracts customers from all over the metro. There are, of course, plenty of farmstands - Verrill on 9 Acre Corner being a large and prominent one. Concord has three top notch restaurants now - 80 Thoreau, Bondir, and Salt Box Kitchen. I can't think of one example of this caliber in the surrounding towns. I would head to Cambridge or the city, maybe Waltham in certain cases. You can walk and do a lot of shopping and dining in Concord Center, Concord Depot, and Concord Junction. I can't imagine spending more than 10 minutes doing the same in the village centers of Lincoln, Acton, and Carlisle. As one person on here famously said, Lincoln's town center is a flower pot and that's probably how the residents like it.
Agreed - I was focused on driving distances. Concord has a robust town center unlike Lincoln and Carlisle.
But it's very touristy with lots of expensive small shops and more than it's share of snobbery. Lexington/Winchester have those too, but Concord feels less practical, at least to me. It's fine if you prioritize quaint and historical New England-ness above all else, but not everyone does.
Last edited by Ninotchka P; 10-30-2015 at 06:21 AM..
Agreed - I was focused on driving distances. Concord has a robust town center unlike Lincoln and Carlisle.
But it's very touristy with lots of expensive small shops and more than it's share of snobbery. Lexington/Winchester have those too, but Concord feels less practical, at least to me. It's fine if you prioritize quaint and historical New England-ness above all else, but not everyone does.
Yes, Concord, especially the Milldam, is full of boutique shops. If you know where to look, however, there are plenty of practical stores hanging on (for now), especially near the depot and junction - 5 & 10, fish markets, ice cream shops, Italian market, cobbler, dry cleaners, cafes, breakfast spots, pastry stores, bakeries, cheese shop, candy store, pizza shops, post offices, toy shop, etc. Concord is more than just a cute face as you seem to be intimating. You need to look past easily recognizable chain stores (aka formula businesses) that Concord admittedly lacks by its own choice.
Last edited by Cato the Elder; 10-30-2015 at 03:44 PM..
I wouldn't call Concord "less practical" than Lexington. I live on the concord line and never feel isolated. It's a great town with nice community and lots to do in the area. On weekends I get to Boston in under 30 minutes. Yes, concord is quieter than Lex but I feel like the op will have to decide for herself what vibe she prefers
Agreed - I was focused on driving distances. Concord has a robust town center unlike Lincoln and Carlisle.
But it's very touristy with lots of expensive small shops and more than it's share of snobbery. Lexington/Winchester have those too, but Concord feels less practical, at least to me. It's fine if you prioritize quaint and historical New England-ness above all else, but not everyone does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cato the Elder
Yes, Concord, especially the Milldam, is full of boutique shops. If you know where to look, however, there are plenty of practical stores hanging on (for now), especially near the depot and junction - 5 & 10, fish markets, ice cream shops, Italian market, cobbler, dry cleaners, cafes, breakfast spots, pastry stores, bakeries, cheese shop, candy store, pizza shops, post offices, toy shop, etc. Concord is more than just a cute face as you seem to be intimating. You need to look past easily recognizable chain stores (aka formula businesses) that Concord admittedly lacks by its own choice.
Concord Center has a better restaurant scene than Lexington. Colonial Inn and Trails End, which recently expanded again, are two of the many unique restaurants. Helen's, great for breakfast, and Comella's are down to earth and quite reasonable.
Lexington center is pretty dominated by chains like Qdoba, Panera and Bertucci's.
Thanks for all the info!
Okay this little bit of info I came across today - what the heck is this superfund in Concord? Radioactive/EPA nightmare?
Is this something to be truly overly concerned with?
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