Hello all,
My name is Rigo. I’m a 23 year old male from Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Originally from Los Angeles, I’ve lived in Arkansas for 16 years and am ready to do a big change of scenery in my life.
My town has about 70,000 people, has a mediocre nightlife, some jobs, and an alright college town(University of Arkansas) and is a perfect town for anyone looking to retire or start a family-not me!.
I’ve been to the Twin Cities to visit a few times and really enjoyed the change of scenery and quality of life¬†but never considered a move there til now!
I currently work at Walgreens in my town and am looking to transfer to a store in the Cities.
I’m also looking to get myself back into school and do some big career moves in my life that I wouldn’t be able to do where I live now.
I’ll be living with my Grandmother until I find an apartment/someone to room with.
I have my own car.
I’m well aware of all the supposed stereotypes of Minnesota: “Tall Blonde people”, “Brutal Winters” and “Minnesota’s natives are dickheaded”….
But the people there can’t be as backwards and self-righteous as they are here!
My questions to anyone reading is:
can you recommend me some good Walgreens stores in the Minneapolis area that lie in safe neighborhoods, and maybe are in proximity of cool bars, lakes, restaurants?
For a single male in his 20s, which town is better suited? Minneapolis or St. Paul?- I ask this because once I move out of my Grandmother’s I need to find the city that suits me best and from what I’ve been researching, Minneapolis might be it, but please throw me some input!….neighborhoods too! I’ve been looking at Craigslist and there’s a bunch of old Mansions for rent in the cities
and ultimately, What kind of advice could you give to someone like me about how to maximize my time and effort getting acquainted with living in the Twin Cities?
July 19, 2010 at 7:11 pm
There’s a Walgreens at 2426 Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis that would be the perfect location. The area near there (Uptown) has an abundance of bars, coffee shops, and the like. It’s very close to the “Chain of Lakes” (Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet), and lots of good restaurants. As a 20-something, you definitely want to live in Minneapolis, not St. Paul.
You should prepare yourself for not having a ton of friends for a while. While Minnesota natives are perfectly nice (definitely not dickheads), they also (in my experience as a transplant) are fairly insular. Very very few of my friends in Minneapolis are actually Minnesotan.
July 19, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Haters will hate, and perhaps rightfully so, but if you put up a generic checklist of what twentysomethings may want from a neighborhood in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Uptown is probably the best fit. Oh, and they have a Walgreens.
No decision is without compromise, though; Nordeast and Midway are decent options, too (in that order).
July 19, 2010 at 10:27 pm
There are 2 Walgreens in Uptown, which is probably a good match for you. Plenty of decent bars near by, or it’s easy enough to hop on the 17 and get into Lyn-Lake or Downtown after work.
July 19, 2010 at 11:30 pm
All three locations that champs mentions do have good bus service for commuting. The Central Corridor LRT, connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul down University Ave., will, in a couple of years, offer another commuting option, too.
July 20, 2010 at 4:14 am
Looks like you’ve got your “life plan” all sorted out… at least for the short term. That’s good that you have direction and you know what you want. My advice is there really is no perfect place and you’ll have to forge your own paradise where ever you are at now (Location). But I also remember my early 20’s and I totally understand you 100%. Well good luck to you. I really hope you find what you are looking for to make you happy.
July 20, 2010 at 7:22 am
Maybe the Walgreen’s close to your grandma’s house would be a good start. That way, you’d minimize your commute, and after you move out you can still be close enough to stop in and check on her.
July 20, 2010 at 10:23 am
dickheaded, huh? that’s a new one. GFY
July 20, 2010 at 11:45 am
Hello, from a former Fayettevillian. Depends on what part of that mediocre nightlife you participated in in Fayetteville – George’s? Hog Ridge? Street busking? Arsaga’s coffee shop? I might be able to tell you where to start for sure if I knew which venues to plant you next to.
As for Walgreen’s, they’re everywhere.
I’d suggest Minneapolis to start, that was where I started. I live in St. Paul now, but hey it’s a downer to drive everywhere. You’d network more and get more into music if you could walk to the neighborhood bar/venue. Try Uptown to start (like asad said), it’s surprisingly safe. It’s full of younger, post-college or never-went-to-college kids, as well as folks who can afford expensive houses. It’s right where this Fayettenam vet wanted to be after leaving AR.
I’m not so sure about not having friends, though – I had a network shortly after moving here, but it was only because I frequented the same places over and over again – people don’t trust strangers here, it was an odd thing after so much open acceptance in Fayetteville. The culture shock was amazingly huge. I never thought it would be, but dang if it wasn’t.
Good luck.
July 20, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Hooray, a “moving to Minnesota post”! MNSpeak is finally returning to it’s former glory!
@champs the phrase is “Haters gonna hate”. Could you try to be any less cool?
Also, I just bought everyone in this thread a round of sarcasm.
July 20, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I would LOVE to hear from anyone who ended up moving here based on any advice gleaned from a “moving to MN” thread on MNspeak. We could use some feedback.
July 22, 2010 at 8:23 am
Thank you so much guys for your replies!
I’ve been doing a bunch of research on the cities and have been itching to find a forum or somewhere to ask real citizens of the city on their opinions to some of my notions or questions
i sent out a few emails to about 8 stores in Minneapolis!
I talked to the manager at Hennepin, he might need me in the coming weeks.
and then I heard from a Walgreens on Central Ave. and 27th…he told me it was kinda of a crummy neighborhood though..
I plan on making my move within the month and I’ll keep everyone posted and if you wanna meet up for a drink in the near future, it can be possibility!
@Marenbot – I’m the kind of guy that bounces around checks out various venues in Fayetteville..the scene is kind of unpredictable in where some nights are really great and then most nights are kinda bland… Its better than nothing! – How long ago did you move from Arkansas?
Also, I’m curious as to knowing how the dating scene is up in Minneapolis…