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Threaded Responses [ bottom ]
 | brandon [email] said at 9:45 PM 06-15-2006:
If you can't stand cold weather, for the love of god, don't move to Chicago. That's why I left. Otherwise, it's a fun city with a lot to offer. |
 | angie [email] said at 10:23 PM 06-15-2006:
and remember, this is the angie that hasn't actually been to chicago saying this so i might be wrong. but it would be PERFECT if it weren't so cold. I feel like I might just need to try and bare it. |
 | meredith [email] said at 10:48 PM 06-15-2006:
Brandon is a wus. Do not listen to the Brandon. |
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| brandon [email] said at 11:01 PM 06-15-2006:
That may be so:
Don't let Chicago's brutally cold winters be a factor if you enjoy:
- Ice crystals forming in your nostrils as your mucuous freezes moments after stepping outside.
- Slattering on moisturizer all the time in a vain attempt to counter the effects of frosty wind-blasting.
- Having constantly cold feet.
- Being damp most times as the snow immediately turns to water upon walking indoors.
And as someone who bikes 10 miles roundtrip to work everyday in 90 degree plus weather, I have to say that we're all wus's at some point on the spectrum. I love hot weather. I thrive on it. I don't like cold. I'm an evening person, and not a morning. I'm a virgo. I like my oatmeal lumpy. I'm a freak. I drink up all the Hennessey you've got on your shelf. |
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| meredith [email] said at 11:28 PM 06-15-2006:
-trim your nosehairs
-you should moisterize anyway, but I'll give you that one
-get better socks
-take your shoes off right when you get in |
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| brandon [email] said at 11:31 PM 06-15-2006:
What is this?
This... shit?
This petty Shit?
What is this?
STOP BEING PETTY, MEREDITH, AND RESPECT MY PREFERENCES AS A COLD-ADVERSE AMERICAN. |
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| meredith [email] said at 11:49 PM 06-15-2006:
Why are you never on IM anymore? Did you block me? I'm sad. |
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| brandon [email] said at 2:41 AM 06-16-2006:
I don't IM anymore. Don't be sad. |
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| angie [email] said at 4:29 PM 06-16-2006:
I don't want to have to layer my clothing until it's hard to walk! I want to be able to wear daisy dukes and a hoochie top and still be too warm! |
 | ed [email] said at 4:37 PM 06-16-2006:
Welcome to Miami. |
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| brandon [email] said at 10:51 PM 06-15-2006:
On your other points, comparatively affordable store rents, varied shopping, wide demographic swath for your wares, already developed markets for that kind of thing, Chicago has all of those, probably to the exclusion of any city in the U.S. save NYC, and it's definitely got NY beat on rents. But that cold weather will just murder you. It really drove me nuts. It's not Minneapolis cold or Toronto cold or even Boston cold. But it's cold. But, again, I'm someone who used to think that St. Louis was the coldest place ever, and used to shiver in 30 degree weather down here, so, I might have a slight bias. Climate's a fickle mistress. |
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| meredith [email] said at 10:52 PM 06-15-2006:
WUS! It's all about cool layers. It's a damn shame I wasn't able to knit when Brandon was here. I would've knitted him a little baclava. |
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| brandon [email] said at 10:54 PM 06-15-2006:
We weren't speaking for the majority of the time that I was there. I would have stomped on your baclava. And then worn it anyway, because my ears were really fucking cold. |
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| meredith [email] said at 10:55 PM 06-15-2006:
Awww, I could have made you one of my awesome hats. |
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| brandon [email] said at 11:05 PM 06-15-2006:
You should make some for the kitties. And then post them to that site where people post pictures of clothes on kitties. |
 | kara [email] said at 9:21 AM 06-16-2006:
"wuss" has two s's or else it's pronounced like pus |
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| meredith [email] said at 9:35 AM 06-16-2006:
I've never seen it that way. Huh. Oh, well, I spell lots of things wrong. |
 | reggie [email] said at 10:26 AM 06-16-2006:
The Kara is correct. I've always seen it with 2 esses. Ha! I spelled out "s." |
 | craig [email] said at 1:09 PM 06-16-2006:
FUCK THE COLD!!! |
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| angie [email] said at 4:31 PM 06-16-2006:
I CANT tolerate cold. Seriously. I become a huge bumbling irritable baby. |
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| brandon [email] said at 5:42 PM 06-16-2006:
Seriously, that's the worst part. When I'm cold, I can't think or talk right, I feel sluggish. I get depressed. I had other negative things going on, but I spent a winter up there just, pretty much by myself and cooped up in an overpriced, studio apartment, sad as hell most of the time and miserable the rest, going out for food, work and nothing else, and a lot of that had to do with the cold weather. |
 | myriam [email] said at 6:57 PM 06-16-2006:
me too, this is my biggest problem with about 90% of America. I also hate humidity though so I'm pretty much screwed unless I move home to CA. |
 | carla [email] said at 9:55 PM 06-15-2006:
San Francisco*COUGH*San Francisco!
Seriously, sis- BAY AREEEA!
And I'm not just saying that because I miss you and I want my sissy here with me.
I can't believe you said you weren't impressed with the shopping here! Are you some kind of weeeeeiwdo? When you visit me THIS TIME you're going to live a little and we're gonna do some mad shopping.
Also, don't forget about the Eastbay- Berkeley and Oakland too. They're close by and they're much cheaper than SF but a short train ride away!
But I understand you need to do what's best for you. I've always connected deeply to San Francisco and you didn't get the same experience (partly because I don't feel you let yourself explore it the last time).
I'm pretty supportive of Chicago too but from what I've heard it's ridiculously cold and the cold sucks times 1 million (but if you can get used to it, hey....) |
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| angie [email] said at 10:24 PM 06-15-2006:
San Francisco is just waayyy too expensive. I love it, but... I feel like DC has robbed me too much of my money - and I want somewhere cheap now. |
 | josh [email] said at 1:56 PM 06-16-2006:
portland? |
 | brandonA [email] said at 2:10 PM 06-16-2006:
Portland isn't that cheap in the grand scheme of things but coming from DC, it's probably a huge step down.
Two bedroom rent is like 1400 for pretty nice places, 850 for decent places, and 600 for not-so-nice places/neighborhoods/suburbs.
The best thing is there's no sales tax. Service industry people do well, because there's no adjusted minimum wage - they get the oregon minimum of 7.25 plus tips. For other folks the extra income (and property) taxes eat up a lot of the gains from the lack of sales taxes.
It's a great town in plenty of other respects, too (music scene, movies, its mostly run by 20-somethings, etc)... |
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| josh [email] said at 2:41 PM 06-16-2006:
850 isnt bad at all! for a two bedroom. |
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| angie [email] said at 4:23 PM 06-16-2006:
I don't think there would be much of a market for me in Portland - and no good public transportation [i'm kind of hoping to never have to drive] |
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| myriam [email] said at 6:56 PM 06-16-2006:
Isn't Portland supposed to have really good public trans? I've never been there but I totally thought I heard that somewhere. |
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| myriam [email] said at 6:55 PM 06-16-2006:
!!!! OMG that's amazing! holy fuck. That's even cheaper than Chicago. In Boston a 2-bed is at least 1600, even if it's shitty. Well that was 3 years ago so it's probably even more now. |
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| ed [email] said at 4:39 PM 06-16-2006:
Ohhh, crap. Cheap? Forget my Miami suggestion. |
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| angie [email] said at 5:33 PM 06-16-2006:
I always thought even the really nice areas of florida were inexpensive. Maybe not west palm, but I didnt think Miami was too bad. But no thanks to hurricanes. |
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| ed [email] said at 9:02 PM 06-16-2006:
Sadly, even the nasty places in Florida are expensive, now.
I remember paying $550 a month for a LUXURY (1BR) apartment in Tampa in 1988. We moved to Ft. Lauderdale the next year and paid $755 a month for an infinitely crappier (1BR) place.
Out of idle curiosity, a few years later, I checked prices in the place we used to live... $895/month.
Now? The place I was at before it turned condo was $855 a month (again, 1BR). When it went condo, I was offered the special current-resident buy-it-now-as-is (meaning good luck getting a new roof before hurricane season, sucker!) price of $172,350. For a "condo" (apartment) the size of a motel room.
Don't get me wrong; I loved that apartment. But $172K+?!
Uhhh... no.
I now pay $980/mo for a 2/1.5 place. Not the best neighborhood, but it beats living out of the back of a Ford F-150. And people I talk to can't believe how CHEAP my rent is. |
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| meredith [email] said at 10:47 PM 06-15-2006:
Chicago is awesome. Anyone who has lived here in the past five years and complains about the cold is a complete wus. Seriously. I'm born and raised Louisiana and all it gave me was a chance to wear cool coats and accessorize with scarves and hats. And now I knit, so even better.
Chicago is an amazingly friendly, down to earth city. So easy for a really motivated person to make a start in. That's why I chose it and now I never ever ever want to leave. I decided to move here after having never been here before, checked it out and found an apartment in March, the ugliest month ever in Chicago, and then moved here in June 2001 and have never ever looked back or regretted an instant of my time here.
If you decide you want to visit, you have a place to crash. Complete with kitties. |
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| brandon [email] said at 11:09 PM 06-15-2006:
You know, you're starting to sound like those Stockyard men from the Jungle. Painting gilded pictures for the naive immigrants. And we know how that turned out. So, yeah, go to Chicago, Angie, don't be surprised when you find that the secret ingredient in the brat rendering vats that makes the cubs fans come back for seconds is you. |
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| meredith [email] said at 11:50 PM 06-15-2006:
I'm a Sox fan. Fuck off. |
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| brandon [email] said at 2:38 AM 06-16-2006:
How is this insulting to the Sox? If anything it implies that Cubs fans are fat cannibals. |
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| meredith [email] said at 9:36 AM 06-16-2006:
I don't know, sometimes I start zoning out in the middle and just write stuff. I'd had some wine last night. |
 | anthony [email] said at 12:22 AM 06-16-2006:
Man, I'm stoked about this trip. |
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| reggie [email] said at 12:34 AM 06-16-2006:
Angie, for realz get the bleep out of DC now. It's SO not cool. That's what I'm dooing. |
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| angie [email] said at 5:27 PM 06-16-2006:
where are you going? Along with me just not liking DC as a whole - It is THE unfriendliest city in the US. I don't care what people say about New Yorkers being rude, DC is by far the coldest. |
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| reggie [email] said at 11:32 PM 06-16-2006:
Word around the campfire is that I'm leaning heavily towards moving up 95 apiece with Josh'n'em in Ballmer. |
 | evan [email] said at 12:44 AM 06-16-2006:
you're cute, come hang out in NYC. |
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| myriam [email] said at 9:15 AM 06-16-2006:
What kind of store are you going to open? I know it will be craft and sewing related, but can you tell a bit more?
I think Chicago does sound like a good option, but I think you should consider Pittsburgh, too. The thing that always amazed me about Pittsburgh was the market for small, independent, cute little boutique shops that sold affordable crafts. Because store rent (and house rent, for that matter) is so ridiculously, insanely cheap there, there's a high amount of creativity in the shops and in the restaurants--artists and chefs are able to start up a business with relatively low risk because of the cheap rent and all the city infrastructure that's there to help them. There are tons of grants available in the town right now for example because it is trying to win back the people who left when the steel mills closed. The city itself is hugely artistic and specifically crafts-oriented; the tradition of forging giant things out of steel, and the feeling of being responsible for the skyscrapers that went up in chicago and nyc, has left a proud group of citizens that find making things to be very important. There's an amazing glass blowing center and other crafts centers that are very involved with the public and a really friendly, supportive, and generally wonderful arts community there that I miss.
Also it's really pretty and the winters aren't as bad as Chicago. |
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| reggie [email] said at 10:24 AM 06-16-2006:
Yeah but it's also Pittsburgh.
I'm sorry, must be some left over Philly talking... |
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| myriam [email] said at 11:07 AM 06-16-2006:
ha, Philly blows.
:) |
 | abby [email] said at 11:16 AM 06-16-2006:
philadelphia rules, and rules hard. i'd suggest it, but it never seemed like a very fashionable city to me. |
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| angie [email] said at 4:15 PM 06-16-2006:
Yeah, from the Philly I've visited it doesn't seem like it's too fashion centered - the boutiques there seem to be struggling. But hey, urban outfitters came from philly and they got huge. but its urban outfitters |
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| ed [email] said at 4:43 PM 06-16-2006:
Philly? UGH. The Iggles? The Phillatios? The Phlounders? (Sorry, but I don't care enough about pro BBall to even think of a name for the Sixers.) Philly is the last major/semi-major city I'd ever consider moving to just because of their teams (and more to the point, their fans).
Which has nothing to do with affordability and phasion. Sorry, Angie. |
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| reggie [email] said at 11:35 PM 06-16-2006:
Philly is very affordable and you can make a killing if you design Eagles jerseys. Otherwise it's a phun city to hang out in but I'd never live there again.
Ed, the fans. My goodness E-A-G-L-E-S fans are THE most obnoxious fans outside of Dallas (maybe even more so.) |
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| anthony [email] said at 11:12 AM 06-16-2006:
I think she's going to open a store that will allow me to live a life a leisure. At least that's what I think the plan is. |
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| angie [email] said at 5:28 PM 06-16-2006:
Yes, I want to fully support you being a freeloader |
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| angie [email] said at 4:14 PM 06-16-2006:
Mmm, the thing is - I need a big city because I don't think I'm going to have stuff thats too inexpensive. It's going to be stuff I make, designer clothing [but small new designers, nothing that you can find at a bunch of places] and vintage clothing [but I'm going to be REALLY picky about my vintage clothing - none of this cheesy paisley print polyester that is overflowing vintage stores.] |
 | courtney [email] said at 6:08 PM 06-16-2006:
There are a bunch of stores like this (small local designers) in Hayes Valley in SF... it's a recently gentrified area that is slowly becoming a new shopping destination for locals. I wanted to live there when I was looking for a new place. |
 | boson [email] said at 10:07 AM 06-16-2006:
what about portland? |
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| abby [email] said at 11:09 AM 06-16-2006:
providence, RI is a very, very cool place. so is vancouver, BC. i'm not sure how cold it gets in either because i was there in the summer. mild summers, though. |
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| myriam [email] said at 11:13 AM 06-16-2006:
Providence is cool but rent is high and there's a lot of competition for arts and crafts because the area is flooded with RISD grads. But I love that town, too, it's great. Very pleasant and friendly. |
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| abby [email] said at 11:15 AM 06-16-2006:
yeah, well thats why i suggested providence. there's a huge demand for, you know, "quirky" crap. |
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| evan [email] said at 11:18 AM 06-16-2006:
the thing about providence, and i was having a conversation about this with some residents the other day, is other than awesome people, there's not many positive things about it. kinda like baton rouge i think. when we all lived there we were pretty happy with it, but as soon as people started moving away it sucked so everyone left. that happens in providence frequently. |
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| angie [email] said at 4:25 PM 06-16-2006:
I know a girl from Providence, and theres a lot of money there but.. I can't imagine myself settling in providence. It seems too small. One of the big reasons I don't like DC is because it's too small for me. |
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| anthony [email] said at 11:19 AM 06-16-2006:
Vancouver is filled with junkies who steal your shit. The police station closes at 9pm, so you have to wait till 8am. It's also filled with snobby asians. |
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| abby [email] said at 11:20 AM 06-16-2006:
thats true, there are loads of junkies. other than the junkies, i got a huge sense of personal responsibility among the people there. lots of recycling!
asians aren't snobby, they're happy! |
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| angie [email] said at 4:27 PM 06-16-2006:
the tiny asians with hair highlights are snobby for sure |
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| anthony [email] said at 5:03 PM 06-16-2006:
I'm getting highlights tomorrow while you're at work. |
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| craig [email] said at 1:14 PM 06-16-2006:
My city picks;
Wilmington, NC
Savannah, GA
Those are both really pretty and small, friendly and warm cities that I am sure have room enough for a groovy boutique. |
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| abby [email] said at 1:39 PM 06-16-2006:
savannah seems so romantic, too. think of all that lush americana. |
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| abby [email] said at 2:12 PM 06-16-2006:
now i have a really polleny image of angie, strolling barefoot through some grass next to an old fence, with magnolia trees everywhere. its like a vision. |
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| craig [email] said at 2:15 PM 06-16-2006:
I think it's a nice contrast to the nightmarish urban lanscapes that others suggested. |
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| angie [email] said at 4:28 PM 06-16-2006:
But I LIKE nightmarish urban landscapes. It's like every day is one step closer to hell! |
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| josh [email] said at 4:39 PM 06-16-2006:
someone should quote this |
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| kara [email] said at 5:21 PM 06-16-2006:
I'm with you on that one |
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| anthony [email] said at 2:36 PM 06-16-2006:
Savannah is a dump, but it's fun to visit.
Wilmington...Cape Fear is there. There are some strange kids that live there.
I wouldn't mind living in Asheville, NC and maybe Charleston, SC. |
Oona said at 2:50 PM 06-16-2006:
Shepherdstown, WV! Definately. It's a University town, commutable to Baltimore and Washington, full of cute boutiques that appeal to students and day trippers alike. What more could you ask? I even know of a little cottage that could be available.... |
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| anthony [email] said at 3:03 PM 06-16-2006:
haha, nice try...nice try |
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| brandon [email] said at 3:12 PM 06-16-2006:
That sounds great! I sleep in the nude. Will that be a problem? |
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| anthony [email] said at 3:12 PM 06-16-2006:
You'll have to ask the mother of the kid that is currently living there for the next 4 years. |
Oona said at 4:17 PM 06-16-2006:
Details...details... |
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| angie [email] said at 5:31 PM 06-16-2006:
mom i have a feeling the small town of shepardsville would be angry if I replaced their store of FROG SHAPED THINGS or deadhead inspired clothing with an expensive boutique. |
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| angie [email] said at 5:32 PM 06-16-2006:
shepardstown, rather |
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| angie [email] said at 4:23 PM 06-16-2006:
i think living behind my moms house would be sad [and dependent] for someone in their 20's |
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| kara [email] said at 4:51 PM 06-16-2006:
not really, if you're doin thangs, like starting a business.
however, i feel like you'll be happier in a larger city |
 | anotherben [email] said at 9:08 PM 06-16-2006:
Have you been to Savannah? I have been joking about moving there for a while. Someday I might have to do that. Probably should check it out first though.
Anyway, New Orleans is currently out a couple of boutique stores.. as well as quite a few other businesses. I bet if you filled out the right FEMA forms they would bankroll your startup. |
 | art [email] said at 9:33 AM 06-20-2006:
you can add Charleston, SC to that list, too |
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| josh [email] said at 4:44 PM 06-16-2006:
also maybe you should try and start an online craft business now, so you can build an income and stable of clients online, over time. this will help support your eventual store.
if you get to the point where you are making even $500 a month from online sales, that makes rent on a store that much more doable. |
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| angie [email] said at 5:30 PM 06-16-2006:
I deffinatly want an online store, but I was thinking about doing that after the business opened because I know nothing about putting together a shopping site and I could pay for someone to do that if I had a succesful store.... |
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| josh [email] said at 5:43 PM 06-16-2006:
see, i think that's a bad way to do it, these days - you should be building your brand and customer base now, pre-store. you have a lot less to lose, and it will help you a lot in terms of business sense and accounting knowledge, etc. |
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| angie [email] said at 5:58 PM 06-16-2006:
you're totally right about building a client base and all - but i was thinking of doing that stuff by initially selling my stuff to other small boutiques.. i dont know i feel like investing all my time with an internet store would confuse me, id want someone else to maintain it.. |
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| myriam [email] said at 8:18 PM 06-16-2006:
This crafty store has made it work here in Boston--amazing given the rent issues. They have been around for maybe a year or so now and are actually making it. On top of which they are really, REALLY nice and way into helping out other crafty types who want to learn from them. I suggest dropping them an email and just asking for advice. At best you'll get great tips and at worst they won't respond. |
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| myriam [email] said at 8:20 PM 06-16-2006:
Oh, looks like they'll be at the Renegade Craft Fair, if you're heading up for that. |
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| josh [email] said at 5:43 PM 06-16-2006:
just start with like an etsy store or something similar, and expand upwards |
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| courtney [email] said at 6:08 PM 06-16-2006:
that's exactly what I was gonna say. Etsy is perfect for this kinda stuff. |
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| reggie [email] said at 11:38 PM 06-16-2006:
What, pray tell, is Etsy? |
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| reggie [email] said at 12:11 AM 06-20-2006:
Still don't know what Etsy is... |
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| reggie [email] said at 8:25 AM 06-20-2006:
Yeah I just wanted someone else to do it for me.
SUCKAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| myriam [email] said at 7:01 PM 06-16-2006:
Large city w/ good public transit that is also cheap: honestly Chicago is pretty much your only option in America. Unless you head up to Seattle I guess. (How big is Seattle?) |
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| myriam [email] said at 8:15 PM 06-16-2006:
Oh, maybe Oakland, too. (East Bay at least). You kind of have to have a car, though, unless you want to spend a lot of time on the bus. I'm sure it's feasible but probably kind of retarded. |
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| myriam [email] said at 7:02 PM 06-16-2006:
You should honestly start looking at which places have what kind of small business loans, grants, and support. That could help inform your decision. Some cities are WAY more helpful to someone starting a business and some are seriously antagonistic. Just depends. |
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| myriam [email] said at 7:05 PM 06-16-2006:
When you've narrowed down to a few cities, start calling the city government--whatever branch deals with small business support, and also call the chambers of commerce for each of the cities, tell them you're interested in starting a business up there, and you want to know why you should choose their city over another and what they can do to help you and what kinds of information, support, and most importantly money they can offer.
Often, also, there is state and federal aid to businesses that are at least 50% female-owned, so look into that, too. |
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| angie [email] said at 7:59 PM 06-16-2006:
man thats soo helpful! I'll start nagging chicago first chance I get |
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| myriam [email] said at 8:14 PM 06-16-2006:
There is also special health insurance deals for small business owners. You can find out about a lot of these things through... I think it's called the "Small Business Owners Association of America". I would search for that or something similar. Good luck! |
 | milky [email] said at 2:32 AM 06-20-2006:
Angie, Myriam is right. In all those free-money-from-the-gubment books read, there's tons of free money for women to upstart a business.
You can sell 'em clothes and I'll counsel them and tell them how fabulous they look. ;) |
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| abby [email] said at 10:57 AM 06-20-2006:
what a fine and sensible idea this is! |
Texas Frank said at 10:53 AM 06-20-2006:
Dallas/Fort Worth, a hotbed of culture and fashion esp. when Texas Frank comes to town. |
 | jess [email] said at 11:03 AM 06-20-2006:
You'll love Chicago. Carla and I discussed how well you'll fit in here this weekend! | |
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