Been in San Antonio over a year now.. (Houston, Dallas: buy, school)

[beaste]

Good cost of living here and it seems to be attracting a young professional crowd. May stay another year but I'm not sure. Some things leave much to be desired. Weather and some of the people kinda make me want to move.

[steve807]

I've been in Atlanta, GA for the past 12 years and it's great to be around San Antonio people. No comparison.

[Pancho-Villa]

Different strokes, for different folks. I'm in the middle...could take it or leave it.

[Azure110]

This was posted by poster 'thenewtexan' a few years back so I take no credit for it, but it was the best description of Texas cities I ever read on this forum and remembered it.

San Antonio is not the step sister. Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are all in the same Texas family, just like any other. Houston is the oldest sister. She does alot of work keeping the family together, and is closest to Mom and Dad, but doesn't get the credit she deserves. Dallas is the next in line, and Mom and Dad just rave about her. She has better hair, a better figure, and Houston sometimes gets jealous of her because she married rich. Austin is the brainy, feminist sister who is independent and career oriented. She argues liberal politics at Thanksgiving, and get can a bit annoying once in a while, but means no harm. San Antonio is the chunky, happily divorced sister, who is just now coming into her own, and finding out that bigger girls can be beautiful, too. She enjoys her drink a little too much, avoids the drama, but sometimes has to tell her sisters to shut up because they're giving her a headache.

//www.city-data.com/forum/26990837-post7.html

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Azure110

This was posted by poster 'thenewtexan' a few years back so I take no credit for it, but it was the best description of Texas cities I ever read on this forum and remembered it.

San Antonio is not the step sister. Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are all in the same Texas family, just like any other. Houston is the oldest sister. She does alot of work keeping the family together, and is closest to Mom and Dad, but doesn't get the credit she deserves. Dallas is the next in line, and Mom and Dad just rave about her. She has better hair, a better figure, and Houston sometimes gets jealous of her because she married rich. Austin is the brainy, feminist sister who is independent and career oriented. She argues liberal politics at Thanksgiving, and get can a bit annoying once in a while, but means no harm. San Antonio is the chunky, happily divorced sister, who is just now coming into her own, and finding out that bigger girls can be beautiful, too. She enjoys her drink a little too much, avoids the drama, but sometimes has to tell her sisters to shut up because they're giving her a headache.

//www.city-data.com/forum/26990837-post7.html

Oh my. I can't rep you, but thanks for sharing that. Perfect description.

[flashfearless]

It just seems like HEB is like a grocery mafia family, and they don't take kindly to people trying to get in on their turf. I've heard that Winn-Dixie, Kroger, etc have all failed here.

[poopycat]

Originally Posted by Azure110

This was posted by poster 'thenewtexan' a few years back so I take no credit for it, but it was the best description of Texas cities I ever read on this forum and remembered it.

San Antonio is not the step sister. Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are all in the same Texas family, just like any other. Houston is the oldest sister. She does alot of work keeping the family together, and is closest to Mom and Dad, but doesn't get the credit she deserves. Dallas is the next in line, and Mom and Dad just rave about her. She has better hair, a better figure, and Houston sometimes gets jealous of her because she married rich. Austin is the brainy, feminist sister who is independent and career oriented. She argues liberal politics at Thanksgiving, and get can a bit annoying once in a while, but means no harm. San Antonio is the chunky, happily divorced sister, who is just now coming into her own, and finding out that bigger girls can be beautiful, too. She enjoys her drink a little too much, avoids the drama, but sometimes has to tell her sisters to shut up because they're giving her a headache.

//www.city-data.com/forum/26990837-post7.html

I love this!

What would El Paso be? I have never been there so I can't offer a family comparison and would probably offend if I did. But EP is pretty large now too and probably is big enough to be a TX family member.

[poopycat]

I have been here a little over 4 years. I have lived in quite a few states and so far, TX is one of the better ones.

I do really like SA. It feels like a big small town, if that makes sense, with reasonable driving distances to city attraction and service (airport, downtown, etc.). I have found several cool little neighborhoods and districts - Monte Vista, Tobin Hill, Alamo Heights, King William just to name a few. Pretty good restaurants for a town of this size. The people are mostly friendly and I enjoy the comfortable temps in the spring, fall, and winter. I dislike snow so the winters here are pretty nice for the most part. And I haven't even minded the summers - the humidity can be a little tough at times, but morning walks and runs are usually quite tolerable.

That being said, I think it is likely that SA won't be my final destination. As a single 40-something gal, it has been hard to meet men. I know it will be hard in every city to do so at my age, but I haven't uncovered any locations or activities/groups where there isn't an overwhelming proportion of women to men. But the main issue is the limited number of large corporations in the area. I work for the best one here (in my opinion) but I no longer believe I will have future career growth there. I don't see a logical alternative in the SA area. Dallas and Houston have many more large corporations and subsidiaries that could offer greater employment options for me.

I'd love to stay, at least til retirement age, but I don't think I will be able to do so

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by flashfearless

It just seems like HEB is like a grocery mafia family, and they don't take kindly to people trying to get in on their turf. I've heard that Winn-Dixie, Kroger, etc have all failed here.

Kroger was in San Antonio, circa early 1980s to early 1990s. Never had Winn-Dixie here. We also had Albertsons for about thirty years, until they pulled out.

HEB and Handy-Andy were always the big players in San Antonio. We also had a lot of Piggly-Wiggly stores, too. Handy-Andy was probably the largest, by a slight margin, until the late 1970s, when HEB tried to shake their stodgy image, by adding beer & wine, opening on Sundays, more aggressive marketing, etc. Handy-Andy eventually faded away completely, just a few years ago.

One factor that also helped keep out large national chains, at least according to one published article I read years ago, was the high concentration of military households in San Antonio, who were eligble to shop at the commissaries on local bases.

[CLR210]

Originally Posted by ged_782

Kroger was in San Antonio, circa early 1980s to early 1990s. Never had Winn-Dixie here. We also had Albertsons for about thirty years, until they pulled out.

HEB and Handy-Andy were always the big players in San Antonio. We also had a lot of Piggly-Wiggly stores, too. Handy-Andy was probably the largest, by a slight margin, until the late 1970s, when HEB tried to shake their stodgy image, by adding beer & wine, opening on Sundays, more aggressive marketing, etc. Handy-Andy eventually faded away completely, just a few years ago.

One factor that also helped keep out large national chains, at least according to one published article I read years ago, was the high concentration of military households in San Antonio, who were eligble to shop at the commissaries on local bases.

We had a Winn Dixie here way back in the early 90's over on 281 when I first moved to SA. I wish HEB would open more Central Markets though