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Do you think Lawrence would be a good place to retire?
Asked at Massachusetts Street on January 4, 2007
“I’m going to say no. It gets cold, there’s ice and you’d slip and break your hip. This is a young town for young people, but I wouldn’t retire anywhere but the Midwest because of the people.”
“I would say so. Any college town is a great place. It keeps you young.”
“Yeah. If you like the small community aspect but still want to live in the city.”
“Sure, if you really like 18- to 25-year-olds, a diverse and interesting community, high rent and political intrigue.”
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Comments
Bone777 11 years, 3 months ago
I will have to decide if I will retire with my mothers family at Oak Hill or my fathers-side at Memorial Park.
Decisions, decisions...
juscin3 11 years, 3 months ago
We USED to go to En Tire. But after the last experience with them, we don't think we will go back. Sadly cuz we liked doing business with them. Will not go back to someone when the employee lies to you and then tried to save his butt from it.
sublime 11 years, 3 months ago
I love Lawrence but I think Miami would be the best place to retire.(due to the climate)
juscin3 11 years, 3 months ago
Oops, forgot to answer the question. No I would not retire here. Heck we're moving this weekend. That should say something about this town! LOL
jonas 11 years, 3 months ago
I don't think so. I've run over a lot of squirrels in Lawrence and I'm afraid that when I retire, they are just going to go nuts on me.
Linda Aikins 11 years, 3 months ago
Yes, if you can afford it! New tires can be very expensive, if you get the good ones.
ms_canada 11 years, 3 months ago
R_I - what has got you up so early or are you just going to your sheets late?????
jonas 11 years, 3 months ago
I've posted today? I just woke up! What the hell is going on? Ubermime, you better not have anything to do with this!
breeze 11 years, 3 months ago
So, Ceallach, do you want to retire in San Juan because of the cheese enchiladas at Garza's Cafe? Or is it the chile de arbol table salsa at Irma's? Either one would be good enough for me! And then there's always El Pato.
trinity 11 years, 3 months ago
i will likely retire in the very same county i was bornded in-franklin.
yeah i know, yawn, lol
sgtwolverine 11 years, 3 months ago
R_I, I'd have a hard time living in a place whose name included the word "desert." I think maybe the only appeal to Palm Desert would be its proximity to the amazing Joshua Tree National Park. Otherwise, if I were to consider living in California -- not my first choice -- I'd probably consider the northern end of it first.
I would probably enjoy living out west, but I'd be more likely to choose places like Colorado or Utah, I think.
imastinker 11 years, 3 months ago
No way I'd retire here. It's too expensive, and the parts of town which are good for a retired couple (downtown) are taken over by thugs. In the good parts of town, you have to drive everywhere. A good place to retire is within walking distance of everything you need.
ms_canada 11 years, 3 months ago
Well, it would be a long way for me to go just for a new set, but what is the going price of a set of new tires down there and can a northerner get such a thing as winter tires from a place that really has no winter to speak of? And here is your bit of levity for today. Another of the piddling and picayune of 2006.
Barfly Norm Peterson of Cheers was overheard to say, "It's a dog eat dog world out there and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear."
ohjayhawk 11 years, 3 months ago
I think Lawrence would be a nice city in which to retire. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. However, all of my immediat family is here, and most of my wife's immediate family is here. So, we'd probably end up living in Ohio somewhere.
ohjayhawk 11 years, 3 months ago
Oh, and I never had to worry about re-tiring while in Lawrence... I didn't have a car while I was out there!
jonas 11 years, 3 months ago
Me Ubermime?! Nice Das. When I realized that I left myself signed on to your computer, I knew you would try something.
Kat Christian 11 years, 3 months ago
NO WAY.... this town is too, much too geared to the younger crowd. It's even losing its appeal to the family environment. Clean up Lawrence - get rid of the big party clubs downtown- like Last Call, Granada and that other one - we don't need them. All they do is draw in the wrong kind of people, violance and drunks. I do not plan to retire here - no way. Don't get me wrong I like this town for it's size, but it has changed muched in the 9 years I've been here and I don't like the way it is changing.
bevy 11 years, 3 months ago
I will retire to a tropical island after I win the lottery. My personal masseur, Ramon, will see to my every comfort including my daily dose of strawberry daiquiri. When not lounging poolside, I will be jetting around the globe seeing all the places I've always wanted to go. Ramon will carry my luggage and rub my feet. I might come home for a Jayhawks game once in a while.
Sigh....only 35 years of work to go....or until I hit the big one.
sgtwolverine 11 years, 3 months ago
I hope to retire in Michigan. Or, if I put down roots elsewhere (I love Michigan, but you never know what might happen), I hope to retire where I've put down roots. I don't want to start all over again when I retire. That's not appealing to me.
So if I lived in Lawrence, my answer would probably be yes.
Ceallach 11 years, 3 months ago
Mac Davis almost got it right. But when I die you can bury me, in San Juan, Texas . . . . in my jeans :) I know, the question was about retiring and not death, but in my case the former will probably be ushered in by the latter :\
Linda Aikins 11 years, 3 months ago
We'd love to have you Sgt! But by the time you retire, we will be on non-stop drool mode.
Ms_Canada, you can check with a place called En-tire. They do OK and their name is quite clever (they work on your entire car!).
I heard this morning that the last time we had measurable snow here was December 2005. Pitiful.
ms_canada 11 years, 3 months ago
Oh oh, I just discovered that I had already sent you the Norm Peterson quote so here is another from Eleanor Roosevelt. "I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.' Hope that doesn't offend any Lawrencians
sunflower_sue 11 years, 3 months ago
Retirement: Depends on if we out-live the hubby's family.
I re-tire at D&D. I always get prompt, friendly service. They get all of my business. (And you can walk over to Milton's while you wait.)
ladysilk 11 years, 3 months ago
Nope...can't afford to retire here. I am leaving this summer. They have ruined this town.
cutny 11 years, 3 months ago
Lawrence is a grand place, though it's expanding a bit too fast for my taste. Off to the right...you're free to leave aren't you?
GreenEyedBlues 11 years, 3 months ago
"Sure, if you really like 18- to 25-year-olds, a diverse and interesting community, high rent and political intrigue."
I'm not sure if Carrie Lindsey is saying that she doesn't like these things, or if she's just listing some of the more prominent aspects of Lawrence life, good and bad. A case can be made for either, although the fact that she comes from Lawrence would indicate that she doesn't seem to mind.
userid 11 years, 3 months ago
we ALWAYS re-tire at Garber Auto. Family owned and HONEST. Retired in Lawrence!
Kyle Neuer 11 years, 3 months ago
Not to knock Larryville, but retiring along the Northern Cali coast sounds sweet.
BorderRat 11 years, 3 months ago
Sunflower_sue, nice plug for a great business. When I lived in Lawrence I would "re-tire" there also. As for when I actually retire, I'm thinking of Green Valley/Shauarita, Arizona. Low taxes, lots of sunshine, great golf and age restricted neighborhoods.
ohjayhawk 11 years, 3 months ago
BorderRat - My aunt and uncle just had a house built in Green Valley. They are not living down there permanently yet (all 4 of their parents are still living), but they love the area and get down there as much as they can.
Ceallach 11 years, 3 months ago
Breeze, all of the above! There is an El Pato about 3 blocks from home -- a whole different world of drive-thru Mexican food. Hopefully I will be there Spring Break :)
sunflower_sue 11 years, 3 months ago
A friendly reminder:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8574515984097771637&q=ben+lounsbury
disclaimer: may suck a few minutes away from your day.
sgtwolverine 11 years, 3 months ago
Py, I knew you'd be able to reinforce my love for Michigan.
Although I should point out that we have yet to actually experience a real winter this year. It's been in the 40s (sometimes a little warmer, sometimes a little colder) most of the time. Let me put it this way: Mt. Bohemia, a ski hill near the northern tip of the upper peninsula, isn't yet open due to a lack of snow. They don't even have snow guns because they get so much natural snow (amounts rivaling those of ski resorts out west) that they don't need to make any, and they aren't open in early January. Other resorts that do make snow have managed to open (thanks to a cold spot in early December), but for the last couple weeks they've been working hard just to keep a few runs going.
Fortunately, it looks like next week may introduce temperatures low enough to run the snow guns up north. I don't know if the same is true for the southern hills; I can only hope that happens soon.
Anyway, sorry for the ski report. Just an example of the lousy excuse for winter we're having here. But that's just because I like snow; those who don't like snow are happy.
And Py's comments about Michigan weather the rest of the year are correct. It's a nice climate. Especially fall. I love fall.
raerae52 11 years, 3 months ago
If anyone needs tires or any mechanic work for this City with lots of up and down weather visit Vantuyl Auto Center (1711 W 6th St) great service!!!
sgtwolverine 11 years, 3 months ago
Py: those pictures of me skiing were actually taken at Boyne Mountain. It's probably my favorite ski hill in the lower peninsula. (Haven't yet tried any in the U.P.) On Christmas, they had only a few runs open; the rest of the hill had very spotty snow cover (left over from their season-opening 42-inch snowfall in early December) or nothing at all. They say they're still open; I don't know how much snow they've been able to make in the last couple weeks. But like I said, I'm told they're expecting colder overnight temperatures up north next week, so I expect the Boyne properties to utilize their full snowmaking capabilities.
Boyne has a pretty healthy year-round business (and a pretty healthy stable of resorts out west), so I'm pretty sure they can survive one of these winters; I'm more worried about the more independent ski-only places like Nub's Nob or any of the hills down here. I'm hoping this warm winter doesn't kill any of the ski hills.
trinity 11 years, 3 months ago
hah-i'd do purt'near anything for a Klondike bar! :)
tir 11 years, 3 months ago
It's a nice place to live or retire---IF you are well-off. If you're poor, not so much.
Ragingbear 11 years, 3 months ago
I like Rhonda's response "...it keeps you young.".
Oh yes... fresh young bodies.... I shall take their youth by bathing in their blood.... MUHUAWAHA!
Actually, I would say this place is not retirement material at all. That is, unless you are someone that has made enough money to retire by the time your 30.
james bush 11 years, 3 months ago
Nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there........oops that's New York. Lawrence would be a nice place to live, much better than that other liberal bastion.
Celeste Plitz 11 years, 3 months ago
I live in Az already and hate it. Can't wait to move back to Kansas! I'd never retire in Az-waaaay too hot. And it's one big sprawl in the Phoenix area. Maybe northern Arizona would be nice, but then you have to worry about wildfires. You guys complain about Lawrence growing too fast...you haven't visited the Valley of the Sun here. It's frickin' insane. I'd probably settle in the surrounding area about Lawrence, as I am a horse trainer by trade. Maybe even close to Baldwin or something...it's so much cheaper in Kansas than Arizona, we'll be able to get something really nice when we do move.
Kookamooka 11 years, 3 months ago
Lawrence has to mature and evolve before I'll consider retirement here.
JayCat_67 11 years, 3 months ago
I'll second the comment on Garber Automotive. Good work at a reasonable rate. Very friendly. But I think I'd rather retire out in a small farm community. Very quiet and peaceful. Heck, if I could find a job there that would support my family, I'd go now.
southerngirl 11 years, 3 months ago
Oregon coast for me....
Citizen 11 years, 3 months ago
I get my tires in Topeka
toefungus 11 years, 3 months ago
Who can retire? Gotta work every day to pay the property taxes in this state!
not_dolph 11 years, 3 months ago
I used to think it would be a good place to retire.
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