Carrboro, North Carolina SperlingViews

Carrboro has a strong civic life with a lot of local participation and visionary politics towards making a more sustainable and just community. The center of town has public space and walkable streets with local businesses places for people to congregate. People are friendly and welcoming. There is a wonderful Farmer's Market and strong local food and farming culture that are well supported. Carrboro has the amenities and activities of a more urban center, particularly with Chapel Hill as our neighbor, but also access to woods and a more quiet way of life. Good balance. High property taxes and expensive homes in the downtown area. Institutionalized racism and poverty persist here, as in most places, so most restaurants I find myself dining with white folks while being served by Latino and Blacks. There are some spaces that are more integrated than others. Lots of free spirits, opportunities to grow spiritually and try new activities like Hooping and Nia and all the classes offered at the ArtsCenter. See live music at the Cat's Cradle. No more video store :( but there is a new record store and a used book store. No free-standing library but 2 smaller facilities that can be used during the day with computer access (Cybrary) and evenings and weekend with more family-oriented programs (Carrboro Branch).

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Carrboro Bottleneck - 1/24/2012

Carrboro is basically a bedroom community, where people who work at or study at UNC over in Chapel Hill lay down for the night. All day they work at UNC only to pay the "man" each month to rent a medium density apartment. The apartments are small, overpriced, and have few redeeming qualities. Some apartments here advertise workout centers however these “workout centers” are the size of a broom closet. Main Street Carrboro is really just a bottleneck between the dumpy medium density apartments and the Campus of UNC. The other parts of Carrboro consist of small mill houses (that have no architectural value) they are planked with asbestos shingles, have rotting foundations, and are over priced. The redeeming qualities are, the bars, the food trucks and the people are very friendly, and also a lot of great bands come here to play, but I think they all believe it’s still the 1990’s. The women here all wear drab gray and are very uptight and frigid and seem sexually repressed. The young men have no money (few job opportunities) and are too idealistic to work anyway. Bumper stickers are popular here with liberal messages about clean air however these bumper stickers are usually found on a gas guzzling cars… go figure right.[read more...]

lively and progressive community - 2/1/2011

Carrboro has a strong civic life with a lot of local participation and visionary politics towards making a more sustainable and just community. The center of town has public space and walkable streets with local businesses places for people to congregate. People are friendly and welcoming. There is a wonderful Farmer's Market and strong local food and farming culture that are well supported. Carrboro has the amenities and activities of a more urban center, particularly with Chapel Hill as our neighbor, but also access to woods and a more quiet way of life. Good balance. High property taxes and expensive homes in the downtown area. Institutionalized racism and poverty persist here, as in most places, so most restaurants I find myself dining with white folks while being served by Latino and Blacks. There are some spaces that are more integrated than others. Lots of free spirits, opportunities to grow spiritually and try new activities like Hooping and Nia and all the classes offered at the ArtsCenter. See live music at the Cat's Cradle. No more video store :( but there is a new record store and a used book store. No free-standing library but 2 smaller facilities that can be used during the day with computer access (Cybrary) and evenings and weekend with more family-oriented programs (Carrboro Branch). [read more...]

good climate - 1/3/2010

climate is good, 4 seasons, winter is short with just a little snow.[read more...]

great place to live - 9/16/2005

Carrboro is a small town, adjoining much more well known Chapel Hill. It's quieter and has a great vibe. A very "left of center" town, the mayor is openly gay and was relected twice. There is an excellent Food Co-Op in town, as well as a great music and arts scene.Dave Matthews, Ben Folds,etc played the Cats Cradle in Carrboro years back..still going strong today. Nice restaurants too. The school district is the best in the state. Close to the Research Triangle Park as well as UNC and Duke...but out of the bustle. Lived there for 4 years and miss it..[read more...]