College Town... not much else
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8/19/2012
Kalamazoo is a trap. The only thing that has kept me here so long is family and free college. I don't want to sound like I'm taking that for granted - free tuition is a huge blessing, but that's about the only thing about Kalamazoo worth writing home about.
The art and music scene is small, but vibrant. Go to the Union, Globe Theatre, or walk the mall downtown on Art Hop night and you're sure to hear a decent band or two. There are a few small galleries on the mall, and the KIA is a great place to experience art. Good food downtown, although way overpriced for what it is. Go to any major city and you will experience yummy ethnic food for cheap... since it is such a rarity here in SW MI, it is not nearly as authentic and comes with a cost.
Unfortunately, when it comes to work - especially if you are young and going to college - you have two choices. The mall or a restaurant. Maybe a bank if you're lucky. Don't kid yourself, you'll have to work HARD and put in your time if you want to make a measly $10, $11 an hour. Even post-graduation, very few *real* employment opportunities exist.
Cost of living is low, although you get what you pay for. If you're a student, I recommend carefully examining your rental choices. Although some homes in the Vine Neighborhood, affectionately called the "Student Ghetto", are nice, most of them are not. You will end up shelling out decent money for a rundown house with bats, mice, holes in the floor, etc.
Not to mention the people that hang around in the Vine neighborhood... pretty sure my house almost got broken into twice in one year. Homeless people knock on your door asking for bottles and linger around your backyard. Kalamazoo is definitely not the most dangerous place in the world (I've lived in DC, Ann Arbor, and spent time in Philly, Boston, NYC...) but it's definitely not the safest. I grew up here and there are still areas I would not go near. There are only a couple areas I recommend living, and you will pay quite a bit more for peace of mind.
Overall, I don't hate it but I don't love it. It's a fun place to go to college, but I wouldn't recommend staying longer than that. I would love to see Kzoo's economy turn around because I have definitely met some amazing people here!
lux | Kalamazoo, MI