Good and Bad, but I want to move
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6/4/2006
I've lived in Memphis since 1985, and have lived in different parts: midtown, U of M area, Cordova (before it got so congested and its crime went up) and East Memphis. In the past 21 years, I've seen good and bad changes. Good: better shopping, restaurants, bars, and race relations. Bad: crime continues to escalate and once good neighborhoods have gone down, so people are constantly moving neighborhoods unless you buy in nearby Germantown.
Positives: it's very green, almost year round. (Pansies (the flowers) survive the winters here.) Housing is low compared to many cities, but it's expensive if you want to live in a safe neighborhood with a short commute. There are several higher ed. institutions that serve a range of needs: two research universities, at least three liberal arts colleges, and a few junior colleges; higher ed. enhances any community. Some great public radio stations (WEVL and WKNO), great live music of all kinds, sometimes even free. Mild winters. Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Botanic Garden, Brooks Museum, Orpheum Theatre, Tunica about an hour a way if you're into gambling or live music, Lichterman Nature Center. Road trips: Hot Springs, AR is about 3 hours away, as is Nashville. St. Louis is about 5 hours away, as is Eureka Springs. (I mention this because of a previous poster commenting that there are no good road trips nearby.) Bookstores such as Davis-Kidd and Borders, but now with Amazon, that’s not as big of a benefit as it used to be. Some truly wonderful ethnic restaurants due to different minority populations coming in. Oh, and barbecue; skip the Rendezvous and head for Corky’s. Community theater is great with several in midtown and one out East.
Negatives: public schools, both county and city are a mess. I've taught in both. The county schools are a better alternative to most city schools, but they are no prize either. If I had children, they would be in private schools out of concern for safety and academic quality. Long, hot and humid summers, which makes it difficult to be outdoors and active. Obesity is a major problem here, partly, I think, because of the horrible summers. The population is for the most part, undereducated, which may be why the crime is so bad. Jobs don't pay what they should unless you're connected. It's very much a who-you-know-gets-you-the job town. It is very hard to make friends unless you're involved in a church, which I am not. Even through volunteer activities, I found
IDaveZ | Memphis, TN