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My husband and I are moving from Orange County in Southern California to open restaurants - ideally three to five. California is a difficult state to do business in and as small business owner, we don't want to take the risk. In our search for a business friendly state, we came upon North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. We further narrowed down our options to specific regions - the Triangle being one of them. I'm looking for opinions for where we should tour when we fly out there next week.
Specifically, we're looking for great schools (5th and 7th graders). They are both GATE students and require advanced instruction. We're looking for a safe area with a strong sense of community, highly educated, relatively short commute time (we don't want to open the first restaurant within 20-30 minutes of home), good disposable income and business friendly policies.
We'll probably need to rent initially until we really learn the area. We have a dog, so yard is required. When we buy, we'll probably look to max the price at $700K and have at least four bedrooms. We want to rent in the same school district in which we ultimately buy.
Chapel Hill is standing out to me due to the schools. Wake County schools concern me a bit due to the comments about over crowding. Also, the school rankings are not great universally.
However, what is crime really like in Chapel Hill? I've read a few posts about gang related activity there. I know that all areas have crime, and if you're not part of those activities, then you're not likely to have issues. I see maps where LA and OC have horrible gang related activity - but honestly, we live in a community where I NEVER see anything remotely related to gangs and crime. This is affectionately referred to as "living behind the orange curtain". Perhaps it's the same phenomenon in Chapel Hill...?
Anyway, perhaps you have suggestions for locations where restaurants do well and where is a good place for us consider living. Thank you in advance - I've been reading posts for a few weeks now and look forward to hearing from you.
However, what is crime really like in Chapel Hill? I've read a few posts about gang related activity there. I know that all areas have crime, and if you're not part of those activities, then you're not likely to have issues. I see maps where LA and OC have horrible gang related activity - but honestly, we live in a community where I NEVER see anything remotely related to gangs and crime. This is affectionately referred to as "living behind the orange curtain". Perhaps it's the same phenomenon in Chapel Hill...?
Honestly, crime in Chapel Hill (or most of the Triangle area) is nothing to worry about.
Gangs? I'm not saying they don't exist, but I can't recall ever having heard of any significant criminal activity that was attributed to gang activity in Chapel Hill.
My husband and I are moving from Orange County in Southern California to open restaurants - ideally three to five. California is a difficult state to do business in and as small business owner, we don't want to take the risk. In our search for a business friendly state, we came upon North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. We further narrowed down our options to specific regions - the Triangle being one of them. I'm looking for opinions for where we should tour when we fly out there next week.
Specifically, we're looking for great schools (5th and 7th graders). They are both GATE students and require advanced instruction. We're looking for a safe area with a strong sense of community, highly educated, relatively short commute time (we don't want to open the first restaurant within 20-30 minutes of home), good disposable income and business friendly policies.
We'll probably need to rent initially until we really learn the area. We have a dog, so yard is required. When we buy, we'll probably look to max the price at $700K and have at least four bedrooms. We want to rent in the same school district in which we ultimately buy.
Chapel Hill is standing out to me due to the schools. Wake County schools concern me a bit due to the comments about over crowding. Also, the school rankings are not great universally.
However, what is crime really like in Chapel Hill? I've read a few posts about gang related activity there. I know that all areas have crime, and if you're not part of those activities, then you're not likely to have issues. I see maps where LA and OC have horrible gang related activity - but honestly, we live in a community where I NEVER see anything remotely related to gangs and crime. This is affectionately referred to as "living behind the orange curtain". Perhaps it's the same phenomenon in Chapel Hill...?
Anyway, perhaps you have suggestions for locations where restaurants do well and where is a good place for us consider living. Thank you in advance - I've been reading posts for a few weeks now and look forward to hearing from you.
Probably depends on what kind of restaurants...make sure you serve heaps of potatoes...
There's no substitute for getting here and looking around but given the geographical size of the Triangle area, you could spend an inordinate amount of time driving to each corner of the region. Which is why you probably asked the questions you did.
First off, I've been here nearly a year, and I will tell you to not rely too heavily on the school rankings - especially those that are national. They're not nearly as bad as the rankings indicate. That said, for public schools, I'd probably direct you first to the Wake County schools in West Cary, and the Chapel Hill/Carrboro schools.
In West Cary, there are lots of new retail developments being built and there are some really nice housing developments in your price range nearby. For retail, Parkside Town Commons is still in its infancy, but you'll easily see the scope of their plans and the magnitude and type of clientele they'll be looking to serve. Parkside Town Commons | Portfolio | Kite Realty
Chapel Hill is more mature and stable, business-wise, and there might be a whole lot more direct competition in whatever restaurant space you're looking to develop. I do think it would be hard to fail with a good restaurant product in the West Cary area - given the burgeoning numbers there.
My husband and I are moving from Orange County in Southern California to open restaurants - ideally three to five. California is a difficult state to do business in and as small business owner, we don't want to take the risk. In our search for a business friendly state, we came upon North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. We further narrowed down our options to specific regions - the Triangle being one of them. I'm looking for opinions for where we should tour when we fly out there next week.
Specifically, we're looking for great schools (5th and 7th graders). They are both GATE students and require advanced instruction. We're looking for a safe area with a strong sense of community, highly educated, relatively short commute time (we don't want to open the first restaurant within 20-30 minutes of home), good disposable income and business friendly policies.
We'll probably need to rent initially until we really learn the area. We have a dog, so yard is required. When we buy, we'll probably look to max the price at $700K and have at least four bedrooms. We want to rent in the same school district in which we ultimately buy.
Chapel Hill is standing out to me due to the schools. Wake County schools concern me a bit due to the comments about over crowding. Also, the school rankings are not great universally.
However, what is crime really like in Chapel Hill? I've read a few posts about gang related activity there. I know that all areas have crime, and if you're not part of those activities, then you're not likely to have issues. I see maps where LA and OC have horrible gang related activity - but honestly, we live in a community where I NEVER see anything remotely related to gangs and crime. This is affectionately referred to as "living behind the orange curtain". Perhaps it's the same phenomenon in Chapel Hill...?
Anyway, perhaps you have suggestions for locations where restaurants do well and where is a good place for us consider living. Thank you in advance - I've been reading posts for a few weeks now and look forward to hearing from you.
Wake County schools are fine. How do you define Business Friendly? I am not sure if NC is very pro small business.
However, restaurants seem to be doing very well. Part of the reason is that there is such an increase in population here year over year. You should look into a Diner. This area lacks a 24h dinner. I also think that there is a market for Mediterranean restaurants, Malaysian restaurants (only one that I know of and it is in CH)
As it relates to your home purchase, I am assuming you are prepared to pay cash for your house, as I can't imagine getting mortgage approval with either no job or a job that is a newly self-employed restaurant owner. I'm sure you have a plan but mention the obvious just in case.
"Gangs" a la Crips and Bloods do not exist in NC. I'm sure there are "groups of kids" in any high school who make trouble, but it's not what you're thinking of from SoCal.
Chapel Hill does indeed have the best schools (University kids, ya know) and along with it, the highest cost of living in NC.
Finding a rental that takes pets is not a no-brainer, but I'm sure is possible.
Really, the East Coast is not at all like SoCal, particular the Southeast...have you ever been to this area to get a feel for the culture? It's quite different. The restaurant scene is certainly growing in the Triangle and Durham has been known as a Food Town for quite some time.
What kind of restaurants, I guess, is the main question. Would they be three of the same thing or three separate experiences? I'm sure you're aware how high the failure rate is for any restaurant business--what is your background running them?
"Gangs" a la Crips and Bloods do not exist in NC. I'm sure there are "groups of kids" in any high school who make trouble, but it's not what you're thinking of from SoCal.
Looks like the kids have branched out. While alarming, it still isn't as bad as SoCal.
Honestly, crime in Chapel Hill (or most of the Triangle area) is nothing to worry about.
Gangs? I'm not saying they don't exist, but I can't recall ever having heard of any significant criminal activity that was attributed to gang activity in Chapel Hill.
I would definitely agree that gang activity is just something that does not concern me, at all, in the whole triangle area. I've never personally seen any, and don't have any reason to believe I ever will. However, wasn't it essentially gang related shooting that brought the Apple Chill festival to and end several years back? I'm not trying to worry the OP, but I do think it exists on some small scale at least.
My gosh - I just read the whole document that CLAN posted (and thank you for that - it was good). The gang activity nationwide is terrifying. Like I said, I know California is bad but we live in a pocket in South OC, and apparent gang activity is no where to be seen. It's like living in a Norman Rockwell painting here...
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