Yet another "moving to Seattle" question (or two) (Rainier: apartments, crimes)

[anthonynotes]

Hi,

I'm finally moving to Seattle as of the end of this month, but had a few questions related to settling in there...

Does anyone know of a decent African-American-oriented barbershop in Seattle? While I can cut my own hair, I'd much rather go to somewhere more professional.

Is there a particular mall people there like more than others? Northgate Mall (and the Target/Best Buy near it per Google) seems convenient for where I'll live, but seen some negative remarks about the neighborhood it's near.

Finally, is there a place particularly popular/to be avoided for buying beds (either a futon or a mattress), or affordable furniture in general?

Thanks...

[Ira500]

Earl's has been around a long time, and I've got friends who travel there to get their hair cut.
Earl's Cuts and Styles Seattle Washington

[angelenogirl]

Northgate is a fine neighborhood (it looks stereotypically Seattle - lots of trees, charming little houses). It's not upscale, but it's not scary. Often you will find people referring to parts of Seattle as "ghetto," but I sometimes wonder if those people have actually ever been in bad neighborhoods. I love the mall there and have never had any negative experiences.

Congratulations on your move! :-)

[fnh]

1. Earl's is a classic.

2. Northgate Mall is perfectly fine. In a bad neighborhood? Good grief, no.

3. Bedrooms & More in Wallingford has fantastic customer service and while you can spend a lot there you certainly don't have to, no hard sell. I had a very good experience there within the past six months.

Good luck!

[kaday]

When I first moved here people told me Northgate was in a bad area. Since then I have been to Northgate about 100 or so times. I pretty much would never ever consider that area to be even marginally unsafe. I would never in a million year characterize it as a bad area. I am still baffled by the comments. I guess people don't get out much.

[kaonevar]

The reason I wouldn't consider Northgate a good area (at least around 99) is due to the signs that warn people they are on camera due to the cops busting drug and prostitution rings. Between that, the bars around windows of businesses, and the increased graffiti, I wouldn't consider it all that safe. Certainly wouldn't go out at night alone.

Heck, just a few months back some dude got shot & killed near the mall while running in the evening.

Just my two cents on why some people see it as unsafe.

[sean98125]

99 isn't the Northgate area. The area a few blocks east and west of 99 from about 85th to the city line isn't that great of an area, but the crimes there tend to be vice-related or property crimes. It isn't a violent area at all compared to Rainier Valley, which isn't violent compared to Chicago or Baltimore.

Around the mall? You're fine.

[kaonevar]

Originally Posted by sean98125

99 isn't the Northgate area.

99 is the west border of the Northgate area.

And no, it isn't like Chicago, but that doesn't make is safe either. Again, as a female, I wouldn't go anywhere in Northgate alone at night.

[mkarch]

Northgate has changed quite a bit with all of the new apartments that went in. The area is far more pedestrian friendly than it used to be and the ratio of sketchy to non-sketchy characters on the street has improved visibly. It used to be mostly cheap very old apartments with lower income residents were the norm, and assorted weirdos on a variety of drugs would congregate around some of the convenience stores and gas stations. I was never too concerned walking around there at night 10 years ago, but there weren't a whole lot of single females out walking alone then. Now, especially around the mall you see a lot of that.

Some parts of the neighborhood are still not "nice" but those areas are less now, and the nice ones are growing. Up by Aurora though, the area around Oaktree Plaza still has some noticeable issues.

[anthonynotes]

Thanks for the barbershop recommendation, as well as the input about the Northgate Mall. I'd probably be particularly interested in the Target/Best Buy that're nearby (and only going up there during the daytime)... the alternative Target being (AFAIK) the one downtown.