[agypsy_soul]

Hi everyone!

My family and I are about to make the move we've been working on for years. Johnson seems to be our next home, I just have a few questions.

We did briefly think about the NEK but think it may be a lot like where we are now - clique-ish and difficult to become established in. We are definitely "glass half full" type of people, optimistic as well as hardworking, but get the impression we'd be leaving one place for another just like it.

Big box stores are not our thing, cold / snow doesn't scare us. We spent a good bit of this past winter - and the 7 before it- in below zero temps under a couple feet of snow. We do enjoy outdoor activities, farmers markets, attending our kids sporting events, etc. I'm trying not to write a book, lol, so I'll get to the questions.

Is Johnson welcoming? ( I know attitude can make or break a place) when researching the schools, it looked like some of the elementary schools are rated badly, but the high school is not? Are there any schools to avoid, or ones we should target when house hunting? It looks like the high school could get students from a large area - is the school in a good central location or are some kids on the bus at 5 am for an hour?

Where does everyone grocery shop? Shop for clothes? Is this a community that has community activities - clean up days, etc.

Thanks so much if you made it this far!

[agypsy_soul]

Just bumping the thread. Are there no opinions on Johnson?

[vter]

What draws you to Johnson? Its a small town. Somewhat isolated. Has a small state college. About an hour from Burlington. Lamoille Union in Hyde Park is the middle & high school. There is a small grocer in town otherwise you'll go to Morrisville for larger supermarkets. Clothes? There is a great store in Johnson called the Forget Me Not shop. Morrisville has a couple stores but quite a few people make the trek to the Burlington area for the big boxes/mall etc.

[arctichomesteader]

I know my brother considered going to the college there but didn't like the town at all. My brother is the opposite of me though and loves big cities. I think I've only driven through there once and didn't stop for anything. Like a lot of VT towns, there isn't much there economically.

I don't think you'd have problems in all of the NEK.

Something somewhat funny just occurred to me: I've known multiple people who confused Johnson with St. Johnsbury. The two towns are quite different though.

[jackmccullough]

My son and his wife lived there for a year while he was working at Lamoille Union. It's small, but it has kind of an artsy/hippie community, so if that's what you're into you may fit right in. There's also a Frisbee golf course on campus.

[Ted Bear]

I looked at a small business there a few years back. The business was way over priced, and never did sell.

But it left me with a sense that the locals think they have a lot more than really exists there.

It struck me as a sort of dumpy town, a little disorganized, and relatively poor. The college probably is the only source of local economic strength.

If you have not visited there, I encourage you to do so. Stay a while. Look around. See if it is what you are looking for.

IIRC there was a somewhat larger hardware store out on the main drag. That was probably the largest 'store' of any sort which I saw, but there must be grocers (Shaw's?) and some other operations. Nothing big box, for sure.

I don't mean to be down on the town. It is what it is. Not for everyone, but if you are looking for a no pretense town, Johnson fits the bill.