5 things about Memphis (Covington, Portland: fit in, apartments, rent)

[ohshane]

I'm thinking about moving to Memphis based on some positive things I've heard about the city... I'm currently in Portland, OR, and hate it - I've previously lived in Atlanta, New Orleans, and Austin, and I miss that part of the country. I'm 24, single, liberal, and nonreligious. I like a city with a lot going on at night - I love to go see music, especially blues, or have drinks with friends and play some pool, etc. I don't want to have to have a car so I'd like to live downtown/near work...

Will you wonderful residents make me a little list of 5 reasons to move to Memphis and 5 reasons not to? I'd like to get a better idea of what y'all think of your city...

[Pearlbob]

Being in Memphis without a car is impossible. If you lived and worked downtown, you could walk to work. However, there is not a grocery store downtown, and if you ever needed to visit something like Home Depot, a bookstore, Target, Walmart, a grocery store...you'd need a car. I know of downtown residents who work downtown and don't use a car much, but they still have one for when they need to go to a store. Unlike a lot of downtowns, ours is not very "resident friendly."

If you did not live downtown, you'd have to have a car no matter what. Memphis is not a walkable city; it's spread out and pretty dangerous in a lot of areas (ie, you don't want to be walking around town).

If you have lived in New Orleans and Atlanta and enjoyed that, you might like Memphis. I would say Memphis is a smaller version of NOLA (or at least what it used to be). Lots of crime, predominantly african-american, horrible schools, but has a relatively good nightlife.

Liberal and nonreligious isn't popular here, however in downtown and midtown you would fit in fine. Those are also the only areas for any sort of nightlife, especially things walkable from residences.

5 reasons NOT to move here:
Crime
Disgusting corrupt govt
Horrible schools and a general ignorance of people (which leads to crime)
Filth of a lot of the city (just plain run-down and dirty)
Crime? You get the drift.

5 reasons you might like it:
Is pretty ecclectic in areas
Lots to do for a city of our size (restaurants, bars, music, shopping, museums, parks)
Very low cost of living for a city our size
Little traffic compared to most cities of its size
Is relatively close to some other major cities (Nashville, NOLA, St Louis, Atlanta) if you want to get away.

[strumpeace]

Memphis' downtown area is not really lively outside of M-F 8:00-5:00. There are, of course, pockets of activity (Beale Street and such), but overall, Memphis does not have the kind of Downtown area to which you appear to be accustomed. If you were trapped Downtown all the time without a car, you could go crazy and end up wandering the Main Street mall and Tom Lee Park looking for pennies on the ground.

I've known a few folks from other parts of the country--esp. the West Coast--who've moved here and tried the 'no car' thing. Didn't work for any of them. Once they discovered that trying to use Walgreen's as a grocery store can become ridiculously expensive, they relented, caught the first bus to Covington Pike, and bought clunkers.

Here are five great things about Memphis:

1) The people. That's cliche, of course, but true. When you come to a city like Memphis--with it's horrid reputation--and you meet people who are trying to make the city better in spite of letdown after letdown, you can't help but admire their resolve. And you can't help but to want to join them. And you end up making great friends along the way.

2) The churches. I realize that you're not religious. That's fine. I'm not really, either. There are great communities even for the non-religious. Church of the River is a warm Unitarian congregation that welcomes everyone with open arms. Same for the Quaker meeting house in Cooper-Young.

3) The cost of living. The apartment that you rent Downtown for $1000 would cost you twice as much in Portland and three times as much in DC or New York. Most everything in Memphis is reasonably priced, from apartments to restaurants to groceries -- unless you want to buy your groceries at Walgreen's.

4) The aesthetic beauty. Yes, the City is a little dirty in some places. However, I would challenge you to find anything in the US that is comparable to Memphis' beautiful parkway system. Some very prominent folks--with names like Kessler and Olmstead, if those mean anything to you--designed that system a century ago. Many of the same trees that lined the parkways then are still standing, providing a canopy that is unparalleled in any other urban area.

5) Community spirit. It's alive and well, though you sometimes have to look for it. Even if you're not a basketball fan, you'll have to venture to a Tigers game. (The U of M Tigers--not the NBA team--are Memphis' pride and joy. The NBA team is an ugly stepchild of sorts.) You'll also have to go to the music festival. And join a neighborhood association.

I won't list the negatives. They're all over the board, thread after thread.

Best wishes.

[JoeCartpath]

I'll just list 5 positives (not in any particular order):

1. Climate. Sure, it's hot and humid from about July to September, but the winters are mild - so you can do pretty much anything you want to out of doors all year. Even in mid winter there are plenty of opportunities to drive my MG with the top down and play a round of golf in short sleeves.

2. Cost of living. Even though the property tax rate is the highest in Tennessee, it's probably still substantially lower than just about any city of comparable size in another state. Housing is cheaper than any comparable city.

3. No state income tax (unless you're pretty wealthy and have a LOT of investment income).

4. It a BIG city! For it's population Memphis covers a LOT of area. That can be bad (I'm in the city limits but over 20 miles from downtown), but it also can be good (you can live well away from the "bad" areas, and there is a lot of variety to the different neighborhoods - so you can probably find something you like).

5. BBQ. 'Nuff said....

[danmedix]

good things about Memphis?....hmmmmm.....

- houses don't cost as much here as just about anywhere else.

...but, there's a reason for that....


......let's see.....what else?.........hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

Our schools?.....naw. They stink. Always will.

....our great mayoral leaderhip?....HAHAHAHAHAHA....nope. Definitely not.

...our culturally diverse places, like Orange Mound, Hickory Hill, and Frayser?....yeah, if you happen to own an Abrams Tank!!

- Desoto County!.....no, wait,.....that's technically North MS, and not "Memphis". Even the people that live there disassociate themselves from Memphis every chance they get (and that's not a bad thing).........


......tell ya what, lemme get back with you on this one.....it's a tougher question than I thought.....

[Pearlbob]

The OP asked for a simple 5 reasons Pro and 5 reasons Con. We don't need the underhanded banter. Please refrain from that in subsequent posts.

[Pearlbob]

One other thing: a large # of major corporations operate out of Memphis. Leads to many jobs, different types of jobs, and a mixing of people from all different backgrounds, cultures, and states/countries.

[strumpeace]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

One other thing: a large # of major corporations operate out of Memphis. Leads to many jobs, different types of jobs, and a mixing of people from all different backgrounds, cultures, and states/countries.

Good point. FedEx, IP, AutoZone, small business incubators, even the railroads (CN and BNSF) have brought jobs and diversity to the area.

[Pearlbob]

Not to mention pretty large medical facilities throughout town.

There was actually a thread from months ago about "why do you like living in Memphis" and people posted a ton of different great things about the city. Any # of them could be your Top 5.

Austin is a totally different ballgame, but if you've lived in Atlanta and NOLA, I think you'd be prepared for Memphis. Although, I do have to question anyone that picks Memphis off of a map and wants to move here, with no other reason (job transfer, family nearby, etc). It has it's good aspects, but it definitely isn't my first choice.

[joespake]

Five things about Memphis that I like:
Diversity
Great Restaurants
Lots of Culture for a city this size
Laid Back lifestyle
Short commutes (if you do drive and don't live in the far-out burbs)

Shopping may be complicated without a car, but i know a number of downtown residents who do it. There are a few walkable neighborhoods close by downtown. Cooper-Young comes to mind.
Don't listen to negative comments. You will here a lot of them. Come explore the city and find out for yourself.