Ipswich (Boston, Cambridge, Salem: hair salon, houses, purchases)

[PortlandiaChic]

Can you talk to me about Ipswich?
Love the beauty, Crane Beach.
How about schools, lifestyle,
Community. Good place to raise kids?

[PortlandiaChic]

Anyone? Any thoughts? Is it a good place to live?

[massnative71]

I imagine it would be, if the commute isn't bad for you.

[PortlandiaChic]

Thanks. Hoping to get from someone who lives there, too, esp on schools.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by PortlandiaChic

Thanks. Hoping to get from someone who lives there, too, esp on schools.

I don't live there now, but the schools are very good. I can't really think of anything wrong with the town; it's fine. You pay money for an annual town pass to Crane's Beach. You have some gorgeous meadow land out towards the ocean side for walking, you have a street full of more of the First Period Houses than any town in the country, you have a historic museum and a historic house that is open to tours--so it's a great place for anyone who's interested in history. Also a very active historical society and a big craft fair in summer. Arts-history-education-nature-beauty, all of that is in Ipswich.

Stores--you have Market Basket close by in Rowley and a small strip mall with it. The Agawam Diner is famous and you also have a few restaurants in town. There is easy access to Cape Ann so that you can go to Gloucester and Rockport--touristy in summer but still wonderful and lots of shops and beautiful beaches.

Downtown isn't the best but it's a nice street with the post office and other shops, all walkable. I had a friend who commuted to Cambridge from Ipswich because she liked Ipswich so much (and hated the Boston area) and you are also close enough that you can get to tax free New Hampshire for expensive purchases. It's not close, but not that far either.

There's always some sort of problem with the area as you are headed towards the ocean, up on a hill. They are separate from the town and I've never been sure what the issue is, but it might be taxes. They seem to consider themselves a town within a town. There's that area, then the area that is on the ocean side and close to the town center, and then there's another section that's inland around Linebook Rd and they each have their certain characteristics. (Someone else will remember the name of that area that's up on a hill overlooking the ocean--maybe they have settled their problems by now, lol.)

There's the Parker River Wildlife Refuge that has wooded trails and canoeing. There's no shortage of marked trails no matter where you go.

One problem that people complain about is lack of proximity to a hospital. I think people go to either Salem Hospital or maybe the one in Newburyport.

In the fall you get to go to Russell Orchards, which is right in town and they have excellent apple cider donuts and cider. It's a treat. Ipswich is a great family town and I'd say the downsides are cost of living and that the traffic going through the center of town is crazy at times. Old narrow streets at funny angles--makes it quaint but it can try your patience.

[PortlandiaChic]

Thank you so much! You paint quite a nice picture.
Traffic and stressed infrastructure seem to be the main concerns.
So many positives though. I think there’s a Shaw’s in town now?

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by PortlandiaChic

Thank you so much! You paint quite a nice picture.
Traffic and stressed infrastructure seem to be the main concerns.
So many positives though. I think there’s a Shaw’s in town now?

Shaw's is there but most people think it's too expensive and they go to Market Basket. People used to wonder how Shaw's even stayed in business.

For the most part, Ipswich is wonderful.

[PortlandiaChic]

Don’t know Shaw’s vs Market Basket ( don’t have them where we are in western MA
But an in- town grocery is pretty high on my list of values.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by PortlandiaChic

Don’t know Shaw’s vs Market Basket ( don’t have them where we are in western MA
But an in- town grocery is pretty high on my list of values.

I'm from WMass.

When I moved to EMass, people told me about Market Basket and I just ignored them. I would go to Stop and Shop or even Shaws. THEN at some point, I realized what MB was all about. A chain that is locally owned, has a huge loyal following, cares about their employees, cares about their customers, will get anything you ask for if they can, very good service, AND lower prices. I cannot praise them highly enough.

In Ipswich, Shaws is in a little strip mall--I think there's a dry cleaners and a couple of other stores--and it's a small, somewhat expensive store. Market Basket is on the town line--you can easily live in Ipswich and be closer to MB than to Shaws. It's right on the border with the town of Rowley and Ipswich and is next to a great hair salon, a T.J. Maxx, and a few other shops.

It's not like MB is a long drive, lol. It's very convenient and it's one thing I miss a lot since moving back here.

What is lacking in Ipswich are things like clothing stores. Their Main street has jewelry stores and other small shops. I used to get nice things at T.J. Maxx though. Or, you can drive down rte one to areas where everything is crowded in and there are malls and the usual shopping scene. I almost forgot: Ipswich has the most wonderful garden center--it's huge and they have everything. It's on the gorgeous rte 133 as you head out toward Cape Ann. On (forgetting the name of the road) there's another big garden center but I never liked it as much as the other one.

[PortlandiaChic]

I do love a gorgeous garden ctr/ nursery and I’m fond of TJ so that’s great to hear.
Sounds like it will be MB for me!