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We (husband and I) are planning a road trip throughout the great lakes. We are hoping to leave Seattle and start a retail business in our new town. He would like a general/hardware store and I would love a pet shop, so it depends on what the area needs and what we can compete with. We are excited to have real snow! I think we will have the best luck with the great lakes/ coastal areas. From my online research the economy does concern me a bit, not sure if this is exaggerated.
We are looking for:
lower cost of living -buying a house in the 75k range
community neighbors help neighbors vibe safe
hopefully near water
where we can start a business and be involved with the community
Not to hot in summer - 80 kills us
What areas do you think should be on our must visit list?
Currently on the list is WI Madison-Milwaukee, Western coast MI, ME and now NY. If you have other recommendations let us know! Thanks!
I posted some suggestions in the other forum, but I would also look at small towns not too far from the bigger metro areas that aren't too far from the Great Lakes. For instance, I think that the Brockport suggestion is a very good one.
You may also like small towns/cities in the Finger Lakes region in between Rochester and Syracuse. Canandaigua is a place that comes to mind, as it has around 10-11,000 in the city and fits the population criteria you mentioned in the other thread of around 5-10,000. It is in an area that has seen some population growth as well.
Starting a new business or businesses in a small town where you are a stranger is very risky. Unlike the very cosmopolitan Seattle, small town families tend to have known each other for many generations, making it difficult to break into their social circles and gain their trust.
It's much better to buy an existing business in a larger town with a history of profitable operation. Townsfolk will usually continue to patronize an existing business unless the new owners behave badly and let the business operation and service deteriorate.
There are many categories of businesses for sale, so don't confine yourselves to hardware and or pet stores. See link below.
Also many towns in the midwest and northeast have been hit hard economically by factory closings. And you should know that it can get very hot and humid in the midwest and northeast in the summer and mosquitos, gnats and ticks are always a problem.
Thank you! All this information is quite useful. I really like Brockport and think it could be a great fit. The links are great and its surprising to me how much you can get for your money! Do you think in terms of economy it is beneficial to be towards either Buffalo, Rochester, or Syracuse?
Thank you! All this information is quite useful. I really like Brockport and think it could be a great fit. The links are great and its surprising to me how much you can get for your money! Do you think in terms of economy it is beneficial to be towards either Buffalo, Rochester, or Syracuse?
I would say Rochester, but it depends on the community too. For instance, Cazenovia is relatively affluent or has some relative affluence and is about 25 minutes or so east of Syracuse. So, you may be able to set up shop in a small town with a relatively good amount of spending opportunity/power and be within close proximity to a bigger city.
Brockport is on the Erie Canal and has a state college within the village. It is also about 20-25 minutes west of Rochester. So, you again are within close proximity to a bigger city.
Canandaigua is in a school district that is growing and right on Canandaigua Lake. It is also within a reasonable drive from Rochester and is close to the population criteria.
I would also research needs of these towns, as that could help determine where to narrow the search to.
As for other smaller communities that may fit due to size and economic reasons are Geneseo, Hamilton, Corning, Victor, Baldwinsville, Seneca Falls and Fredonia. I say this because there should be a decent amount of people with spreading power due to being places with colleges(Hamilton, Geneseo and Fredonia), have a pretty strong industry base(Corning and Seneca Falls) or are villages within a growing Greater area(Victor and Baldwinsville), while possibly having homes near that range. There are just off the top of my head, but there are probably others I haven't mentioned. All except for Corning, Hamilton and perhaps Fredonia are within a reasonable drive from a bigger city.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 05-14-2016 at 06:24 PM..
I think that you might consider a couple of areas in Chautauqua County if your housing budget is < $100k.
The Dunkirk/Fredonia area is about 40 miles south of Buffalo just off I-90 and right on Lake Erie, with Fredonia being a college town (Fredonia State) and Dunkirk is a small city (about 10k population). The Athenenex corporation is building a major manufacturing facility in this area, so there's going to be some growth in northern Chautauqua County.
Further south is Jamestown-Lakewood-Falconer area, which is at the southern end of Chautauqua Lake along Route 394 and just off I-86. It's about 30 miles south of Dunkirk/Fredonia and about 45-50 east of Erie, PA. This is the largest population area in the county, about 50k. It has an influx of summer residents/tourists because of the lake and the world famous Chautauqua Institute.
At the southern end of Cayuga Lake is Ithaca, which is a beautiful college town dominated by Cornell University, but it might be too expensive for your budget. The relatively nearby cities and villages of Cortland, Elmira, Corning, Watkins Glen, and even Hammondsport might be friendlier to your budget.
I second Wells5's suggestion about looking into buying an existing business.
On top of the above, some additional areas I'd recommend:
- Mayville (village), on Chautauqua Lake, near Lake Erie, big snow, easy drive to Erie/Buff
- Naples (village), near Canandaigua Lake, reasonably close to Rochester
- Penn Yann (village), on Keuka Lake, near Seneca Lake
- Geneva (small city), on Seneca Lake, easy drive to Rochester/Syracuse
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