Kalamazoo Facing Challenges, but Gets a Bad Rap
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1/17/2012
I have lived in Kalamazoo for most of my life. I went to school and college here. I have lived in Great Britain and travelled throughout the country, and I have found few places with such good day to day liveability as Kalamazoo.
I recently lost my job and the economy is tough. I'm fortunate that my husbands job is reasonably stable. However, because the cost of living is lower here than many other places, our house is paid off. We live in a great neighborhood in the middle of the city within walking distance of the local Farmer's Market (which has been going strong since the 1970's) and a small library branch. The neighborhood children will have their college paid for by the Kalamazoo Promise, if they attend public schools.
The downtown has rebounded well since the late 1980s and early '90s, when one could hear crickets after 6 p.m. Now there are a multitude of restaurants, a performing arts center, and quite a bit of night life. Kalamazoo has always had a good choice of theatre, between Miller Auditorium at Western Michigan University, The Civic, the New Vic, and the Whole Arts Theatre. As well as the student theatres at WMU and Kalamazoo College. We host a Symphony as well as a Junior Symphony, which draws musicians from around the area. We also host the International Gilmore Keyboard Festival, which brings classical, jazz, & blues pianists from around the world to perform.
Kalamazoo also hosts the annual USTA Men's Junior Tennis Championships in the summer at Kalamazoo College. Andre Agassi and other well known US Tennis athletes have competed here.
Kalamazoo weather can be challenging if you want year round sunny weather. We have more cloudy days than Seattle. But, we also have brilliant crystal clear days in Winter for cross country skiing and snowmobiling. We are a 45 minute drive away from Lake Michigan.
A significant proportion of the restaurants in town are owned locally, including some very fine farm to table, high quality restaurants. We have a diverse economy. We make auto parts, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals here. We grow apples, blueberries, cherries, pears, asparagus, and just about anything you can imagine. Michigan has the most diverse agriculture outside of California. Kalamazoo and the surrounding area provides a huge variety of seasonal produce. During the summer I can get everything from locally produced honey, farm raised eggs, and grass fed beef to handmade jewelry, baked goods, and local fruit at the farmer's market a mile away from my house. Our local food co-op recently expanded. And it might take you ten minutes to get from the center of town to the countryside, depending on which direction you choose. Kalamazoo is a great place to live. I know. I live here.
Marta | Kalamazoo, MI