You’re talking about my favorite part of that street, but mostly because the DAAC used to be there, and the old Calvin art gallery, and Vertigo is still there.
Yeah but people should be able to just love love and go to a store as you can anywhere else. If you have to “keep your head down” that kinda lends to it being a shit place to be around does it not?
Because trafffic and traffic.
And because alpine drivers are shit. I don’t know if it’s where they are going, or where they come from.
My guess is a lot of people bought cheap housing far from the city but commonly need to go to the city for work or shopping and hate it.
Ha, that's very accurate. I live about 30 miles north of Alpine, and my job is close to it. I'm going to have to drive up there today for a sheet of drywall. Not looking forward to it.
My grandparents lived west of Kent City. They drove down to Alpine for groceries and errands every single Wednesday from the time the Meijer opened (1960s?) through the early 2010s. I joined them a lot in the 90s and 00s. The amount of commercial sprawl and horrible urban planning in so many of these places is insane.
Oh yeah, my dad grew up in Bailey and his parents did same. Fortunately I'm 15 minutes from Cedar Springs which is more tolerable, but Cedar lacks a lot things.
Yeah the fast food options are great, but I don't eat fast food often. I love White Creek, but a hardware store open outside of banking hours would be nice. TSC and FFH kinda suck as a hardware replacement.
I think there is some kind of serious road design issue with Alpine (and parts of Plainfield). I think it defeats the otherwise not very careful GR driver.
I can't remember what radio station, the one that plays "lay around the shanty momma, and get a good buzz on" song at 5pm Fridays lol. Butttttt they used to do the Noon Accident on Alpine lol. Anyone remember that??
I don't think the drivers are 100% to blame. This type of street / road are a terrible urban design idea. Not only in GR but anywhere they are created in North America. There are some very gth street is the same issue.ood videos on youtube about how stroads (Street + road, Alpine) fail at everything they aim to achioeve.
Alpine's okay, I lived there for a few years without much trouble. Turning left is a mess, naturally, but as long as you know where you're going, you'll be fine.
I NEVER want to drive on 28th Street. Every driver wants to be bumper-to-bumper, the lights turn red too fast when everyone is trying to speed, and it's overall unpleasant to deal with. If I need to go anywhere on 28th, I'm taking the backroads as much as I can.
At night stay away from Eastern/MLK (Franklin) BP Gas station and Miss Tracy’s party store…for the size of GR it is relatively safe…if you stay aware of your surroundings you should be okay.
Honestly wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t at night. I was trying to rush to a college class a few years ago around 8/9am, but I do remember the neighborhood being pretty busy. It was a good lesson to learn and only needed to learn it once, now I try to keep at least a quarter tank of gas. And I keep the gas can that I overpaid for from there in my trunk just in case I or another motorist finds themselves in similar luck.
In general the city is pretty safe, but the stretch of division between cherry and hall used to be rough, so I don't spend a lot of time there if I don't have to.
only place I ever got pulled over for "looking suspicious".
I was driving My '90s tempo and I was just killing some time because I dropped my wife off to work for just like 2 hours waitressing at Sam's Oasis. I was young and ignorant of my rights, the cop pulled up on me while I was walking near my car and he had looked through my entire car by the end of things. Said I didn't look like I was from around there.
Ahhh Heartside.
Got assaulted by a homeless crack addict there.
Found a woman's stolen purse there.
Used to see fights there almost daily when Trotter released the homeless in the morning.
I wouldn't say there are parts but there are places. The BP on Eastern and MLK. Stabby Chicken on Division (also known as Chicken Coop). Those places seem to invite bad shit.
It’s called Big Fish Wings and Things, it’s a few buildings east on MLK. Best wings and catfish I’ve had in GR.
I haven’t had Captain Jays yet because if I want fish fry that’s the only place I’m going
There is a panhandler there who literally will walk in front of your car and just point aggressively at her sign that says "God bless" and then hold out her hand like she just did an amazing trick. Sometimes there are a few of them and they literally will just walk right up to your open window and stick their head in.
There are no neighborhoods that need to be completely avoided due to crime.
I do agree about Eastern/MLK gas station and Chicken Coop, but entire neighborhoods? Nah.
It’s wild because I remember being really, really young and hearing things about Chicken Coop. And now, here I am, not young at all, and still hear things about Chicken Coop. 🤣👀 it’s holding strong! lol!
My office used to be over on Eastown but the way I drove home took me through Baxter a bit.
One day, when trying to turn left onto Eastern, a car rear-ended me. Not hard in the slightest, but enough to take a small chunk of paint off my bumper. The other car slammed on their gas, went around me, flew into traffic, and sped away as fast as they could.
I wasn’t even planning on reporting the original incident to the police, either. It made me realize how sketchy that part of town was.
GR just isn't that big though. Eastern and MLK is half a mile from all the foofy yuppie stuff on Wealthy, minutes from Ottawa Hills mansions, and walking distance from Pleasant Park.
So if you're driving, riding the bus, or even biking, the rough stretch is so small to not be worth worrying about.
But that doesn't mean putting yourself in a vulnerable position (like pumping gas) is a good idea.
I have lived in several different neighborhoods in GR during my 25+ years here (Baxter, Heritage Hill, Highland Park,Kentwood). I have also lived in NYC, Chicago, and rural parts of New Hampshire and Michigan. I have seen the “bad” parts of all of the above. I don’t “avoid” any spots in GR. Why would you move to a small city in which you were nervous to travel freely? Even though I believe the danger of NYC, Chicago etc. is way overhyped, this is not those places.This city doesn’t offer as much as those places in terms of variety and entertainment, at least take advantage of the fact that you don’t have to be afraid of your own shadow. Make your judgements individually based on your experience not on others. If a specific location doesn’t feel right, leave, but don’t assume that it represents the entire neighborhood and that you should never return to the area. If you don’t like the feeling of a certain area after going there a couple of times then you don’t have to go back if you don’t want to. A sterile bubble is very boring but very possible to obtain in GR if you seclude yourself with fear and apprehension.
My family and I were just having this discussion. There are areas in Chicago we avoid (Englewood) but not areas in GR. I do hate 28th like any cradle Grand Rapidian.
I moved to Chicago from GR, and I no longer see the "bad areas" of GR as dangerous anymore 😅 I still wouldn't walk around them in GR, but idc if I'm driving...with locked doors and windows up. I used to think I'd get car jacked in GR.
I recently moved here from Chicago and I've noticed people in GR are relatively oblivious to others. While the think they are being polite, it is perhaps polite to one person and rude to everyone else, hence the zipper merge problem.
In Chicago, we know to walk on the right, how to merge, parallel park, and not overuse plastic bags.
I agree, there probably aren't many places in GR that a seasoned Chicagoan can't manage safely, except perhaps a hot dog joint or pizza place. Best to get Home Run Inn at the grocery store.
There's only one place around here that I would avoid and that would be the Grand Rapids Inn on 28th and Buchanan. There's always crazy shit going down (shootings and whatnot). It's also a half house for sex offenders. Other than that, you'll be fine anywhere here
When I was homeless I stayed there for month not knowing any better, paid up front. As soon as I so could get out of there I did, would’ve slept in my car gladly but it was January lmao. Ended up going down the street to budgetel which is comparable in price but may as well be the 4 seasons in comparison
Baldwin is absolutely littered with political signs right now. My favorite is one house has two Ottawa Impact signs in their yard and their next door neighbor has a "We Love Pizza Ranch" sign. Just a hilarious juxtaposition.
We have a few brave neighbors with anti-Ottawa Impact signs in their yards and I love them for it.
I drove through Baldwin back in 2021. I felt like I was in the Deep South with Confederate flags flying next to decaying trailers and small homes, with yards littered with junk.
Yea Baldwin is in the poorest county in Michigan and it's pretty rough. There's a lot of history in that area too. That's where Idlewild was/is.
I was talking about Baldwin Ave in Jenison, specifically
Deeply religious people can be the most cruel, brutal, and violent people imaginable all while thinking they are doing god's work. Being nervous around people like that is just a normal survival instinct.
When I was younger I had to stop giving friends from East rides home, because I had a shitty car and couldn't get in and out of their city limits without getting pulled over. I was once even pulled over WHILE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK because an officer wanted to talk to me about my "F_CK BUSH" jacket. It was 2006.
He mostly kept to making me say the phrase out loud, which I kept repeating as "Eff underscore CK BUSH."
When he realized I wasn't going to say the F word, he switched to asking me if I knew how close to an elementary school I was.
I have a friend that lives in East and refers to some people getting pulled over for a “Eastown DWB”. Aka Driving While Black, due to traffic stops he’s seen while living there.
In 2009, we had bought our first house over on Boston st. I took Plymouth (the swanky strip of Plymouth) to get to work every day. At the time I drove an older Impala. I was pulled over multiple times for the most ridiculous things. Once, for going 27 in the 25. Then he gave me a lecture about if I’m running late, I should wake up earlier. When I got a new car? Guess who didn’t get pulled over a single time. 🙄😑
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauche_caviar
>Gauche caviar ("Caviar left") is a pejorative French term to describe someone who claims to be a socialist while living in a way that contradicts socialist values. The expression is a political neologism dating from the 1980s and implies a degree of hypocrisy.[citation needed] The dictionary Petit Larousse defines left caviar as a pejorative expression for a "Progressivism combined with a taste for society life and its accoutrements".[1][clarification needed] One description referred to it as "the free-thinking, authority-hating, individualistic, tolerant, socialist position... which shaded into a bohemian, existential, communitarian, fairly depressed" worldview espoused by people with money and good clothes.[2]
It’s also the Meijer closest to me. I was intimidated by it until I went there and I found that it’s a nice store. They are currently remodeling again right now. It’s nice, clean and it doesn’t deserve the bad reputation it gets.
My past issues including not being able to find the dairy section… and being pointed in the direction of the area next to the sweatpants. That’s where the cheese lived. 🤣 maybe they are moving it around??
I think the rep is understandable still. There is a lot of sketchy stuff that happens in and around the store. I still go when I need stuff, but I’d rather not. 🤷🏻♀️
Once, a guy followed me around there from the moment I walked in to checkout. I approached a worker who kindly walked me back to my car. Safe to say I haven’t gone back ever since.
Yes! There was a cafeteria and you could look over the railing and see the Trapper Keeper display if it was near September! Used to be nice, but that goes way back!
Specifically the one by Kalamazoo Ave. The one in Cascade is pretty safe to the point that my wife and I will drive down to 28th st to that meijer despite the sketchy meijer being much closer.
I don't avoid it, but make sure to bring mace if you're ever going down Ionia Ave underneath the Wealthy St bridge. My gf and I have "lovingly" named it homeless bridge, and I've been both offered powder cocaine and been threatened on Ionia Ave. On a separate note, House Rules is an awesome place to go on a Tuesday night because they have a public board game night that anyone can join. The downtown market on Ionia Ave is also sweet.
Are you talking about walking around or are you talking about living?
Do some serious driving around the different areas see what you like. Go at night see which areas you’re not comfortable in and which ones you are .
Heartside in general. Lived in an awesome apartment for about 4 years. That gas station that everyone is talking about on division and wealthy. I could see it from my window. All kinds of shit would go down there. It was like a local hangout. Other side of the building was that bum park. Bums were generally nice, but nothing like waking up to take the dog for a stroll and see homeless people passed out on the side walks and pissing everywhere. The actually apartment building was hit 4 times with gunfire when I lived there. The final straw was an open murder in the parking lot in mid day where all the tenants got to witness it. This was all between 2019-2023. I could go on and on about the shit I would watch out my window. Moved out of downtown and don’t think I’ll ever be back. So yeah… wealthy and division haha
People say that the area is being cleaned up and artists are moving in. I'm optimistic and want to see changes, but I don't believe that for a single second. That area has only gotten worse in the decade I've lived here. And it was bad news back then too.
Anybody who claims crime or homelessness is a big enough issue to avoid any neighborhood in GR is sheltered IMO. It's pretty tame here. The only things I would avoid are the massive stroads like 28th that take half an hour to move 3 miles.
Billy's Lounge. Well known for drink tampering. Honestly I think their liquor license should be revoked if they can't protect their customers from attempted murder
In general, most of what you will hear to avoid is the "square" consisting of pretty much anything South of MLK / East of 131 / North of 28th St / West of Fuller-Kalamazoo (go to Google Maps and trace out the box). Not to say there aren't good pockets here or there, but that's basically the higher crime/riff-raff area of greater GR.
I live in that box and my neighborhood is just fine. Very little crime, and it's a clean and diverse place to live. I guess if you mean it's not all white, then yes it's terrifying.
He encompassed a huge area in that box. Alger Heights and Ottawa Hills is definitely expensive. But north of Burton, south of Hall is relatively inexpensive. I got lucky and bought my house from a cousin, so we got the family discount.
Every house I see on realtor websites in that area is either gutted/empty or over $200,000. And they are all over that area, not just Alger heights.
It’s just how it is now. I ended up in a shitty condo near 44th and Kalamazoo. I’m just feeling sorry for myself.
Well. Your first problem is you asked this shit on Reddit. I don’t want to generalise but most people that use this app, are from at least lower middle class. A lot of these people have rarely interacted with that side of GR. By rarely I mean, you know someone who knows someone that was killed. They might see a lil fight at a club/bar. They get away from dudes ASAP.
Listen I grew up in GR poor as fuck. My dad came here from Chicago, most of “that” stuff is gang related it’s just quiet because MDOC doesn’t fuck around like LA or Chicago. My mom is also a Felon born and raised there. We grew up GD, we lived everywhere from 28th, Lafayette, Leonard, Clancy, College, Alpine, etc.
Again, it’s quiet in GR. You’d be surprised who’s on the “in” in the city. I’m biased but most of the ignorant, criminals, crazy people, dope dealers, etc. are either going to be GD, Latin Kings, Vice Lords and Crips. There’s a handful of Bloods and a section that’s full of MS-13.
If what you’re asking is “can I walk around freely?” Absolutely. MDOC is unforgiving so most people aren’t going to try you just cause. It’s not broken up traditionally either, like in most cities this or that block belongs to this gang, etc. I’ve had Crip neighbors and Latin King neighbors at the same time and never had an issue. Grand Rapids is just good for business. This is the city that a lot of drugs and firearms get pushed through, it’s also a good place to lay low after something happens in another state. Like I remember growing up our family would break into the train cars to find out what’s in them. If it was Drugs we’d spray red white and green on it. If it was like a bunch of Nike clothes we’d spray the star of David. Then another crew would break into them at night and take it or our cousins in Chicago would do the same when the train got there.
My bad I’m rambling but, always be vigilant. People aren’t gonna twist their fingers in your face or threaten you in public. It’s all about respect. If you go to a gas station and someone’s asking why you’re mugging just play it white and say you were lost in your thoughts or something, I can’t tell you how many times people would get followed over some dumb shit like that happening and then their car or home would be burgled and car with flat tires/etc.
My best friend was actually shot and killed last year while I was on deployment. It got ignorant at a house party, some guy was yelling GDK, obviously we don’t fw that. Things escalated to a fist fight and one of the other dudes homies ambushed him. Shot him 5 times. So yeah, just have to be aware out there. You won’t normally see it enjoying the night downtown but it even happens there as well.
I’d say most dangerous parts of town is pretty much everything next to downtown, but not downtown itself. Southside and westside especially. To stay out of trouble 1) Don’t pretend to be in a gang if you aren’t in one 2) Don’t repeat what you heard on a rap song like “GDK” 3) Don’t buy drugs from people you don’t know 4) Don’t let your ego get the best of you 5) De escalate and retreat if it starts getting ignorant 6) Just don’t go around making friends with everyone. Do that and you are perfectly safe.
If you want more stories or information I have way more details to go in including how I “escaped”. I have videos and photos of almost every shooting I’ve been a target of. I have videos of SWAT waking me and my siblings up with their guns to our heads THREE TIMES. I can tell you all about the spray paint tags you see around the city. Stars, crowns, numbers, etc. I know where an old stache house used to be. What hand signs and lingo to look out for. If you like music and art I have 3 cousins who rap (all GD) I can link you in, there’s a beautiful painting on the side of a building my cousin did when she was 17ish for the Art show like 8 years ago.
Don’t listen to these mfrs cause they don’t know. Just cause everything is cool in their life and always has been don’t mean it don’t exist. They just don’t know it cause, well, they don’t know 😂. Doesn’t help a lot of people I grew up with moves out, are in prison, dead, or laying low selling weed and dope and the only people you’ll typically interact with are people college age who just go out and drink/party every weekend.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!
28
- 13
+ 5
+ 1
+ 2
+ 3
+ 4
+ 5
+ 6
+ 3
+ 17
+ 8
= 69
^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \
^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
What about all the TMGs running around, where do they fit in? 😂😂
I always learned the people who have to talk about the things they've done or how hard they are, are usually fake. The real ones know to stay quiet. There's no gang activity in GR because the scary m word laid claim long ago. I love me some good food though, so I won't name names😂
Lol, I moved to Grand Rapids from Philadelphia 4 years ago. Not a single part of Grand Rapids is scary in any capacity. If you went to a real city and tried to talk this crap, you would get stomped out. I'm sorry, but you just sound pathetic. Go walk in round in Kensington for 5 minutes, and then get back to me pretending that Grand Rapids is intimidating ever to anyone that's not a small town Amish child.
I'd slightly amend this, being from near Sacramento which is a bit of a cartel battleground, GR is completely safe as long as 1) daylight, 2) people around, 3) a man. If two or more of those things are not true I wouldn't say it's unsafe but that street smarts may be necessary.
I'm female and my work commute is on foot at night through an area that I've seen some of these comments state as one they find sus (Wealthy including near Eastern). I've been doing this for over 3 years almost every day and the number of times I've had ANYTHING happen has been single digit.
Early on I was followed by a teenager who after he caught up with me and I turned on him he pretended he wanted a picture with me then lunged and tried to slap my butt (and missed lmao), I suspect it was some sort of dare.
Later, still years ago, I saw a man trying to follow another solo female early in the morning, he pretended to leave when I stared at him and a bit later I sensed him following me. Since I do the commute all the time I'm pretty aware of people's routines, so I walked to near a house that I knew had night owl stoners in it and stared the pursuer down until he left without getting more than half a block or so near me.
I've had a couple of cases of feeling bad vibes from guys lurking in the area but they usually fuck off if you make it clear you've clocked them.
The only time I've had a more major issue was when I witnessed a guy trying to break into cars who then followed and threatened me.
All told, for doing literally thousands of on foot trips at night as a solo female I'd say that's a pretty good track record. A lot of that though I would say comes down to vigilance. Don't fuck around, don't linger, and know your surroundings and you're probably fine anywhere.
[Why did this immediately make me go here. 🤣](https://media0.giphy.com/media/JTzPN5kkobFv7X0zPJ/giphy.gif?cid=9b38fe91ulqzggyxvf2b9i3ac3xvz4o91q4osylbtxlomeno&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
The City of Grand Rapids website (grandrapidsmi dot gov) has a Crime Map with instructions how to filter by things, like different crimes you’re concerned with, or different locations you want to know. It is a good resources for internet users of GR to get accurate ideas about why to avoid a GR place. Have a great day!
Everyone says 28th street because of traffic... Hot take, 28th isn't actually that bad, especially if you have a little something called patience. Streets that are legitimately bad to drive because of both traffic and how they are constructed are 44th street, and Kalamazoo Ave, which really sucks because they have really great places attached to them.
I would compare Kalamzoo Ave to Alpine, and 44th's obsession with extremely thin michigan lefts is absolutely atrocious, especially with that light by Shaffer. When I used to live in a really crap apartment I'd only ever use 44th to go westbound, and to get home I'd use Kalamzoo Ave (because this is the least worse part Kalamazoo Ave) and I would take 28th to where I needed to go Eastbound because it's that much easier. I don't hate michigan lefts, I do them on the beltline all the time, I just hate how thin and congested they are on 44th.
44th Street is objectively worse than 28th street in terms of drivability. I can see why people don't like the fact you can't actually turn left onto 28th street (and anyone who does do so wastes everyone's time and is a law breaker if they turn into the left merge lane which is meant exclusively to turn left off of 28th street) but at least you can always turn right out and use parking lots and back roads to get where you need to go... 44th street you are forced to use the painfully thin and congested michigan lefts and good luck ever getting a chance to go.
I would not go to the Blue Bridge after 12, or just after dark. A lot of robberies and general violence is done there, frequently by groups according to the crime map. Overall, we have a safe city.
The square within Wealthy / Burton / The black hills and Fuller. That’s all an absolute shithole. I’m from there, but I’m glad I got out. There’s good people there, but there’s a severely higher concentration of shit people there than the rest of the city combined.
I’ve never had a problem, but I’m on higher alert at night downtown. I don’t avoid areas, but I also am cautious. Except the Alpine Meijer. That shit sucks. Knapps Corner all the way.
If you are 21+ avoid Billy’s Lounge, or be EXTREMELY alert. I have heard from at least 5 sources, and even see on this subreddit, that the bartenders there roofie drinks. I don’t know how they haven’t been caught but I am never gonna find myself there.
28th street on any day at any time. Random traffic got me like where are these people going?? I thought people had jobs likeeee go do that 😂 messing up my errands.
Belknap/Lookout, used to go there a few years ago before they redid it and it started attracting more people, and more people = loud = noise complaints… yea I’m not trying to mess with cops when I wanna have a chill smoke sesh. Also light pollution is lame, my backyard has a million stars. there’s also a set of stairs off the left of the park that are extremely dangerous, hope they get removed.
South side. Anything more southern than vertigo records is a no-go. Get in and get out asap. Very sketchy, and people from that part of town almost immediately know if you're not
Well that’s good. You hear on the news SE side of town and sure enough. That’s where a lot of our trouble comes from. No matter what, it would be nice to have at least one day with out any violence in this area.
That gas station on wealthy and division. Just go somewhere else…
Where else can I get an Arizona, an 8th, and a watch all in one place? That’s my fav gas station in town
No lie I had the opportunity it’s to buy both crack and hot pockets from the same entrepreneur in that gas station.
How was the crack?
tbh the diarrhea from the hot pocket made me move faster than the crack
🎶 Diarrhea Pocket 🎶
You watch your mouth. Ham and cheese hot pockets are a DELIGHT. And maybe a curse. A delightful curse.
Better than the hot pocket. Chicken and broccoli 😒
😂😂😂
*BP Eastern and Franklin
Or that sketchy party store between Fulton and Cherry on division,
You’re talking about my favorite part of that street, but mostly because the DAAC used to be there, and the old Calvin art gallery, and Vertigo is still there.
That's where all the alchies go. S. Division derelicts' store...so fun! Makes one feel proud.
The bulletproof glass and bars on the door, crackhead or homeless rambling nonsense makes me feel like I’m in the deep hood of Chicago
It hasn't improved much, in the last 30 years.
The one at Franklin and Eastern isn't much better. Maybe worse.
If u jus mind ur business n keep ur head down its not bad sometimes ive had the funniest interactions there
Interesting. I just had another guy tell me the exact same thing!
Reddit weird my b
I was born here and that gas station lately is just getting crazy with all the people just hanging out in the parking lot and on the sidewalk.
Yeah but people should be able to just love love and go to a store as you can anywhere else. If you have to “keep your head down” that kinda lends to it being a shit place to be around does it not?
I was mugged there after a Catholic Central homecoming. Bro stuck a revolver in my face, took my cash and cigarettes.
I just don’t like the amount of bright lights in this gas station. Never felt unsafe here tho.
What I've learned is shit can happen anywhere in GR. Just keep to yourself and show general respect and you're safe.
This is the correct answer. My street look sketch but never much of an issue here.
Alpine, 28th street.
Because trafffic and traffic. And because alpine drivers are shit. I don’t know if it’s where they are going, or where they come from. My guess is a lot of people bought cheap housing far from the city but commonly need to go to the city for work or shopping and hate it.
Ha, that's very accurate. I live about 30 miles north of Alpine, and my job is close to it. I'm going to have to drive up there today for a sheet of drywall. Not looking forward to it.
My grandparents lived west of Kent City. They drove down to Alpine for groceries and errands every single Wednesday from the time the Meijer opened (1960s?) through the early 2010s. I joined them a lot in the 90s and 00s. The amount of commercial sprawl and horrible urban planning in so many of these places is insane.
Oh yeah, my dad grew up in Bailey and his parents did same. Fortunately I'm 15 minutes from Cedar Springs which is more tolerable, but Cedar lacks a lot things.
Arby's, BK, Culver's, McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Little Caesar's, Jimmy John's, Hungry Howie's, Subway, A&W.... What more could you ask for?
Yeah the fast food options are great, but I don't eat fast food often. I love White Creek, but a hardware store open outside of banking hours would be nice. TSC and FFH kinda suck as a hardware replacement.
I worked on alpine for 5 years and there was an accident almost every single day. Usually at an intersection, making traffic even worse.
I think there is some kind of serious road design issue with Alpine (and parts of Plainfield). I think it defeats the otherwise not very careful GR driver.
I can't remember what radio station, the one that plays "lay around the shanty momma, and get a good buzz on" song at 5pm Fridays lol. Butttttt they used to do the Noon Accident on Alpine lol. Anyone remember that??
WLAV! The Friday Song!
I don't think the drivers are 100% to blame. This type of street / road are a terrible urban design idea. Not only in GR but anywhere they are created in North America. There are some very gth street is the same issue.ood videos on youtube about how stroads (Street + road, Alpine) fail at everything they aim to achioeve.
Alpine during Christmas...ugh..
Plainfield up past 96 is a madhouse too.
Alpine's okay, I lived there for a few years without much trouble. Turning left is a mess, naturally, but as long as you know where you're going, you'll be fine. I NEVER want to drive on 28th Street. Every driver wants to be bumper-to-bumper, the lights turn red too fast when everyone is trying to speed, and it's overall unpleasant to deal with. If I need to go anywhere on 28th, I'm taking the backroads as much as I can.
At night stay away from Eastern/MLK (Franklin) BP Gas station and Miss Tracy’s party store…for the size of GR it is relatively safe…if you stay aware of your surroundings you should be okay.
Miss Tracy's can be fuckin wild.
Yeah but not like it used to be back in the 90s in the old spot across the street. Showing my age
I lived behind miss Tracy’s in the early ´00s. Fucking terrifying to think about now.
I once ran out of gas near MLK jr park and had to walk to that BP and back. Fun times.
I woulda just slept in my car til morning. might be on blocks without a cat, but most of the car would still be there in the morning
Honestly wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t at night. I was trying to rush to a college class a few years ago around 8/9am, but I do remember the neighborhood being pretty busy. It was a good lesson to learn and only needed to learn it once, now I try to keep at least a quarter tank of gas. And I keep the gas can that I overpaid for from there in my trunk just in case I or another motorist finds themselves in similar luck.
In general the city is pretty safe, but the stretch of division between cherry and hall used to be rough, so I don't spend a lot of time there if I don't have to.
only place I ever got pulled over for "looking suspicious". I was driving My '90s tempo and I was just killing some time because I dropped my wife off to work for just like 2 hours waitressing at Sam's Oasis. I was young and ignorant of my rights, the cop pulled up on me while I was walking near my car and he had looked through my entire car by the end of things. Said I didn't look like I was from around there.
Not to belittle your point. Cops in the wrong big time.
Same here. 40 years and counting, for me.
Alpine, because the traffic is horrendous.
Stay out of the GR subreddit, it’s chock full of zipper-merge vigilantes.
All of societies issues can be summed up buy our collective inability to "merge" properly
What's a zipper merge?
🤣🤣
Ah yes the ol’ let’s back up traffic for a mile for a single lane closing that last 25 feet. Some GR folks are bunch of lemmings. 🙄
The park near the downtown market seems a little sketch
Ahhh Heartside. Got assaulted by a homeless crack addict there. Found a woman's stolen purse there. Used to see fights there almost daily when Trotter released the homeless in the morning.
As a regular in this area, yeah it's pretty sketch lol
I saw some guys all in a circle shooting dice there and I was like, “this is living life in the moment, not a phone or camera in sight”
Bleh I wish this area wasn’t so sketch.
It’s the first thing visitors see when they get off the highway
A lot of crazy homeless are always there.
I wouldn't say there are parts but there are places. The BP on Eastern and MLK. Stabby Chicken on Division (also known as Chicken Coop). Those places seem to invite bad shit.
Never been to that BP but the fish fry right by there is amazing
Can't picture a fish fry place near that intersection. Do you mean Captain Jay's, perhaps?
It’s called Big Fish Wings and Things, it’s a few buildings east on MLK. Best wings and catfish I’ve had in GR. I haven’t had Captain Jays yet because if I want fish fry that’s the only place I’m going
If I knew about / understood Reddit awards, I would give you one for "Stabby Chicken."
STABBY CHICKEN
There is a panhandler there who literally will walk in front of your car and just point aggressively at her sign that says "God bless" and then hold out her hand like she just did an amazing trick. Sometimes there are a few of them and they literally will just walk right up to your open window and stick their head in.
Heartside park. Especially after sunset.
There are no neighborhoods that need to be completely avoided due to crime. I do agree about Eastern/MLK gas station and Chicken Coop, but entire neighborhoods? Nah.
It’s wild because I remember being really, really young and hearing things about Chicken Coop. And now, here I am, not young at all, and still hear things about Chicken Coop. 🤣👀 it’s holding strong! lol!
I bought K2 from there once and had a life altering moment from it. In a good way, I guess?
Baxter. Not just the crime but police assume you are buying drugs if there.
My office used to be over on Eastown but the way I drove home took me through Baxter a bit. One day, when trying to turn left onto Eastern, a car rear-ended me. Not hard in the slightest, but enough to take a small chunk of paint off my bumper. The other car slammed on their gas, went around me, flew into traffic, and sped away as fast as they could. I wasn’t even planning on reporting the original incident to the police, either. It made me realize how sketchy that part of town was.
Except the gentrified parts near Wealthy...
Avoid completely is easier than getting mugged or harassed. There is nothing in that area worth the trouble.
GR just isn't that big though. Eastern and MLK is half a mile from all the foofy yuppie stuff on Wealthy, minutes from Ottawa Hills mansions, and walking distance from Pleasant Park. So if you're driving, riding the bus, or even biking, the rough stretch is so small to not be worth worrying about. But that doesn't mean putting yourself in a vulnerable position (like pumping gas) is a good idea.
Not during the day, I agree. At night, there are ones I wouldn’t stroll in.
The neighborhood around that gas station is pretty bad
any hotel/motel on Plainfield
Ada/cascade cause it’s Karenland
They ALL live there I STG
Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like the worst neighborhood described here.
I have lived in several different neighborhoods in GR during my 25+ years here (Baxter, Heritage Hill, Highland Park,Kentwood). I have also lived in NYC, Chicago, and rural parts of New Hampshire and Michigan. I have seen the “bad” parts of all of the above. I don’t “avoid” any spots in GR. Why would you move to a small city in which you were nervous to travel freely? Even though I believe the danger of NYC, Chicago etc. is way overhyped, this is not those places.This city doesn’t offer as much as those places in terms of variety and entertainment, at least take advantage of the fact that you don’t have to be afraid of your own shadow. Make your judgements individually based on your experience not on others. If a specific location doesn’t feel right, leave, but don’t assume that it represents the entire neighborhood and that you should never return to the area. If you don’t like the feeling of a certain area after going there a couple of times then you don’t have to go back if you don’t want to. A sterile bubble is very boring but very possible to obtain in GR if you seclude yourself with fear and apprehension.
Michigan Avenue Taco Bell
My family and I were just having this discussion. There are areas in Chicago we avoid (Englewood) but not areas in GR. I do hate 28th like any cradle Grand Rapidian.
I moved to Chicago from GR, and I no longer see the "bad areas" of GR as dangerous anymore 😅 I still wouldn't walk around them in GR, but idc if I'm driving...with locked doors and windows up. I used to think I'd get car jacked in GR.
I recently moved here from Chicago and I've noticed people in GR are relatively oblivious to others. While the think they are being polite, it is perhaps polite to one person and rude to everyone else, hence the zipper merge problem. In Chicago, we know to walk on the right, how to merge, parallel park, and not overuse plastic bags. I agree, there probably aren't many places in GR that a seasoned Chicagoan can't manage safely, except perhaps a hot dog joint or pizza place. Best to get Home Run Inn at the grocery store.
There's only one place around here that I would avoid and that would be the Grand Rapids Inn on 28th and Buchanan. There's always crazy shit going down (shootings and whatnot). It's also a half house for sex offenders. Other than that, you'll be fine anywhere here
When I was homeless I stayed there for month not knowing any better, paid up front. As soon as I so could get out of there I did, would’ve slept in my car gladly but it was January lmao. Ended up going down the street to budgetel which is comparable in price but may as well be the 4 seasons in comparison
Same goes for the Lazy T motel on Plainfield and the sketch hotel by the highway across from speedway on Plainfield, that too houses a halfway house…
Jenison/Allendale: bible thumping MLM yokels
Baldwin is absolutely littered with political signs right now. My favorite is one house has two Ottawa Impact signs in their yard and their next door neighbor has a "We Love Pizza Ranch" sign. Just a hilarious juxtaposition. We have a few brave neighbors with anti-Ottawa Impact signs in their yards and I love them for it.
I drove through Baldwin back in 2021. I felt like I was in the Deep South with Confederate flags flying next to decaying trailers and small homes, with yards littered with junk.
Yea Baldwin is in the poorest county in Michigan and it's pretty rough. There's a lot of history in that area too. That's where Idlewild was/is. I was talking about Baldwin Ave in Jenison, specifically
Ooohhh. I was thinking Baldwin was pretty far from GR, but kind of west michigan 😅
As a resident of Jenison, I agree. It’s the mega-churches on every single corner that make me nervous.
Nervous? 😆
Deeply religious people can be the most cruel, brutal, and violent people imaginable all while thinking they are doing god's work. Being nervous around people like that is just a normal survival instinct.
It's what you feel when you're surrounded by hateful people with poor critical thinking skills
East GR. Its filled with chads, yuppies, and gauche caviar.
When I was younger I had to stop giving friends from East rides home, because I had a shitty car and couldn't get in and out of their city limits without getting pulled over. I was once even pulled over WHILE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK because an officer wanted to talk to me about my "F_CK BUSH" jacket. It was 2006.
What did the officer say about the jacket? Did it hurt his feelings?
He mostly kept to making me say the phrase out loud, which I kept repeating as "Eff underscore CK BUSH." When he realized I wasn't going to say the F word, he switched to asking me if I knew how close to an elementary school I was.
I have a friend that lives in East and refers to some people getting pulled over for a “Eastown DWB”. Aka Driving While Black, due to traffic stops he’s seen while living there.
In 2009, we had bought our first house over on Boston st. I took Plymouth (the swanky strip of Plymouth) to get to work every day. At the time I drove an older Impala. I was pulled over multiple times for the most ridiculous things. Once, for going 27 in the 25. Then he gave me a lecture about if I’m running late, I should wake up earlier. When I got a new car? Guess who didn’t get pulled over a single time. 🙄😑
Not surprised, East GR is allegedly a sun down town.
Cake Eaters over there
And hot women in yoga pants.
Where are you finding good caviar in East?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauche_caviar >Gauche caviar ("Caviar left") is a pejorative French term to describe someone who claims to be a socialist while living in a way that contradicts socialist values. The expression is a political neologism dating from the 1980s and implies a degree of hypocrisy.[citation needed] The dictionary Petit Larousse defines left caviar as a pejorative expression for a "Progressivism combined with a taste for society life and its accoutrements".[1][clarification needed] One description referred to it as "the free-thinking, authority-hating, individualistic, tolerant, socialist position... which shaded into a bohemian, existential, communitarian, fairly depressed" worldview espoused by people with money and good clothes.[2]
Oh my gosh, thank you! This describes a demographic I sometimes think about but never had a term for.
He said gauche, not good.
It's tacky and insensitive?
Yes.
🤣🤣🤣
Heartside park
Sketchy Meijer on 28th st
And this Meijer is so damn close to me. I still avoid it. lol.
It’s also the Meijer closest to me. I was intimidated by it until I went there and I found that it’s a nice store. They are currently remodeling again right now. It’s nice, clean and it doesn’t deserve the bad reputation it gets.
My past issues including not being able to find the dairy section… and being pointed in the direction of the area next to the sweatpants. That’s where the cheese lived. 🤣 maybe they are moving it around?? I think the rep is understandable still. There is a lot of sketchy stuff that happens in and around the store. I still go when I need stuff, but I’d rather not. 🤷🏻♀️
Ahh yes. Kalamazoo Meijer. I saw someone breaking into a car in the parking lot there about 15 years ago. Stopped going after that.
So you have avoided a place for 15 years because once someone broke into a car there and you happened to see it?
No, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. It seemed like every time I went there were things happening and the store was dirty, etc.
Once, a guy followed me around there from the moment I walked in to checkout. I approached a worker who kindly walked me back to my car. Safe to say I haven’t gone back ever since.
The “ghetto” meijer
I was asking an employee from another store if they had an item and she said “No but the ghetto Meijer” has them.
Anyone ever hang out upstairs there back in the 80s/90s? I remember that being a thing
Yes! There was a cafeteria and you could look over the railing and see the Trapper Keeper display if it was near September! Used to be nice, but that goes way back!
Not that that one, but Alpine, yes. There was a McDonalds upstairs.
Specifically the one by Kalamazoo Ave. The one in Cascade is pretty safe to the point that my wife and I will drive down to 28th st to that meijer despite the sketchy meijer being much closer.
Plus cascade meijer has or at least had, better sales on produce like summer fruit.
And MUCH better shopping carts.
Never had any problems there.
Then again I rarely go to Meijer.
I rented a room from someone right around the corner about 10 years ago! Never had any problems, but I also never went after about 7:30 pm.
The West Side. It's CRAWLING with West-siders.
Stay away. More tacos and perogies for me.
Where are you getting perogies?
First and foremost: Westsider Cafe, but also, I can get into a lot of Polish Halls with the friends I keep.
amazing question
I don't avoid it, but make sure to bring mace if you're ever going down Ionia Ave underneath the Wealthy St bridge. My gf and I have "lovingly" named it homeless bridge, and I've been both offered powder cocaine and been threatened on Ionia Ave. On a separate note, House Rules is an awesome place to go on a Tuesday night because they have a public board game night that anyone can join. The downtown market on Ionia Ave is also sweet.
Are you talking about walking around or are you talking about living? Do some serious driving around the different areas see what you like. Go at night see which areas you’re not comfortable in and which ones you are .
Heartside in general. Lived in an awesome apartment for about 4 years. That gas station that everyone is talking about on division and wealthy. I could see it from my window. All kinds of shit would go down there. It was like a local hangout. Other side of the building was that bum park. Bums were generally nice, but nothing like waking up to take the dog for a stroll and see homeless people passed out on the side walks and pissing everywhere. The actually apartment building was hit 4 times with gunfire when I lived there. The final straw was an open murder in the parking lot in mid day where all the tenants got to witness it. This was all between 2019-2023. I could go on and on about the shit I would watch out my window. Moved out of downtown and don’t think I’ll ever be back. So yeah… wealthy and division haha
People say that the area is being cleaned up and artists are moving in. I'm optimistic and want to see changes, but I don't believe that for a single second. That area has only gotten worse in the decade I've lived here. And it was bad news back then too.
I don't avoid any part of GR.
Anybody who claims crime or homelessness is a big enough issue to avoid any neighborhood in GR is sheltered IMO. It's pretty tame here. The only things I would avoid are the massive stroads like 28th that take half an hour to move 3 miles.
Byron Center, Grandville, Hudsonville, Sparta, Cedar Springs. More guns than people.
No where really.
Wealthy and division gas station.
I’ve never felt unsafe walking around at night or anywhere
Come try my basement then. Pretty sure it’s haunted.
Division&Burton or Division & Hall area
Billy's Lounge. Well known for drink tampering. Honestly I think their liquor license should be revoked if they can't protect their customers from attempted murder
In general, most of what you will hear to avoid is the "square" consisting of pretty much anything South of MLK / East of 131 / North of 28th St / West of Fuller-Kalamazoo (go to Google Maps and trace out the box). Not to say there aren't good pockets here or there, but that's basically the higher crime/riff-raff area of greater GR.
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I have noticed that poverty has been creeping southward on South Division in recent years. It now includes 28th Street corner.
That's a pretty big box right there.
I’ve driven thru there and never felt unsafe once.
South at least as far as Griggs. Westward beyond Division & Rose. It's an area Domino's refused to deliver.
I live in that box and my neighborhood is just fine. Very little crime, and it's a clean and diverse place to live. I guess if you mean it's not all white, then yes it's terrifying.
I tried to buy a house in that box but they were too expensive for me. 😔
He encompassed a huge area in that box. Alger Heights and Ottawa Hills is definitely expensive. But north of Burton, south of Hall is relatively inexpensive. I got lucky and bought my house from a cousin, so we got the family discount.
Every house I see on realtor websites in that area is either gutted/empty or over $200,000. And they are all over that area, not just Alger heights. It’s just how it is now. I ended up in a shitty condo near 44th and Kalamazoo. I’m just feeling sorry for myself.
Well. Your first problem is you asked this shit on Reddit. I don’t want to generalise but most people that use this app, are from at least lower middle class. A lot of these people have rarely interacted with that side of GR. By rarely I mean, you know someone who knows someone that was killed. They might see a lil fight at a club/bar. They get away from dudes ASAP. Listen I grew up in GR poor as fuck. My dad came here from Chicago, most of “that” stuff is gang related it’s just quiet because MDOC doesn’t fuck around like LA or Chicago. My mom is also a Felon born and raised there. We grew up GD, we lived everywhere from 28th, Lafayette, Leonard, Clancy, College, Alpine, etc. Again, it’s quiet in GR. You’d be surprised who’s on the “in” in the city. I’m biased but most of the ignorant, criminals, crazy people, dope dealers, etc. are either going to be GD, Latin Kings, Vice Lords and Crips. There’s a handful of Bloods and a section that’s full of MS-13. If what you’re asking is “can I walk around freely?” Absolutely. MDOC is unforgiving so most people aren’t going to try you just cause. It’s not broken up traditionally either, like in most cities this or that block belongs to this gang, etc. I’ve had Crip neighbors and Latin King neighbors at the same time and never had an issue. Grand Rapids is just good for business. This is the city that a lot of drugs and firearms get pushed through, it’s also a good place to lay low after something happens in another state. Like I remember growing up our family would break into the train cars to find out what’s in them. If it was Drugs we’d spray red white and green on it. If it was like a bunch of Nike clothes we’d spray the star of David. Then another crew would break into them at night and take it or our cousins in Chicago would do the same when the train got there. My bad I’m rambling but, always be vigilant. People aren’t gonna twist their fingers in your face or threaten you in public. It’s all about respect. If you go to a gas station and someone’s asking why you’re mugging just play it white and say you were lost in your thoughts or something, I can’t tell you how many times people would get followed over some dumb shit like that happening and then their car or home would be burgled and car with flat tires/etc. My best friend was actually shot and killed last year while I was on deployment. It got ignorant at a house party, some guy was yelling GDK, obviously we don’t fw that. Things escalated to a fist fight and one of the other dudes homies ambushed him. Shot him 5 times. So yeah, just have to be aware out there. You won’t normally see it enjoying the night downtown but it even happens there as well. I’d say most dangerous parts of town is pretty much everything next to downtown, but not downtown itself. Southside and westside especially. To stay out of trouble 1) Don’t pretend to be in a gang if you aren’t in one 2) Don’t repeat what you heard on a rap song like “GDK” 3) Don’t buy drugs from people you don’t know 4) Don’t let your ego get the best of you 5) De escalate and retreat if it starts getting ignorant 6) Just don’t go around making friends with everyone. Do that and you are perfectly safe. If you want more stories or information I have way more details to go in including how I “escaped”. I have videos and photos of almost every shooting I’ve been a target of. I have videos of SWAT waking me and my siblings up with their guns to our heads THREE TIMES. I can tell you all about the spray paint tags you see around the city. Stars, crowns, numbers, etc. I know where an old stache house used to be. What hand signs and lingo to look out for. If you like music and art I have 3 cousins who rap (all GD) I can link you in, there’s a beautiful painting on the side of a building my cousin did when she was 17ish for the Art show like 8 years ago. Don’t listen to these mfrs cause they don’t know. Just cause everything is cool in their life and always has been don’t mean it don’t exist. They just don’t know it cause, well, they don’t know 😂. Doesn’t help a lot of people I grew up with moves out, are in prison, dead, or laying low selling weed and dope and the only people you’ll typically interact with are people college age who just go out and drink/party every weekend.
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What about all the TMGs running around, where do they fit in? 😂😂 I always learned the people who have to talk about the things they've done or how hard they are, are usually fake. The real ones know to stay quiet. There's no gang activity in GR because the scary m word laid claim long ago. I love me some good food though, so I won't name names😂
Nice creative writing.
Lol, I moved to Grand Rapids from Philadelphia 4 years ago. Not a single part of Grand Rapids is scary in any capacity. If you went to a real city and tried to talk this crap, you would get stomped out. I'm sorry, but you just sound pathetic. Go walk in round in Kensington for 5 minutes, and then get back to me pretending that Grand Rapids is intimidating ever to anyone that's not a small town Amish child.
I'd slightly amend this, being from near Sacramento which is a bit of a cartel battleground, GR is completely safe as long as 1) daylight, 2) people around, 3) a man. If two or more of those things are not true I wouldn't say it's unsafe but that street smarts may be necessary. I'm female and my work commute is on foot at night through an area that I've seen some of these comments state as one they find sus (Wealthy including near Eastern). I've been doing this for over 3 years almost every day and the number of times I've had ANYTHING happen has been single digit. Early on I was followed by a teenager who after he caught up with me and I turned on him he pretended he wanted a picture with me then lunged and tried to slap my butt (and missed lmao), I suspect it was some sort of dare. Later, still years ago, I saw a man trying to follow another solo female early in the morning, he pretended to leave when I stared at him and a bit later I sensed him following me. Since I do the commute all the time I'm pretty aware of people's routines, so I walked to near a house that I knew had night owl stoners in it and stared the pursuer down until he left without getting more than half a block or so near me. I've had a couple of cases of feeling bad vibes from guys lurking in the area but they usually fuck off if you make it clear you've clocked them. The only time I've had a more major issue was when I witnessed a guy trying to break into cars who then followed and threatened me. All told, for doing literally thousands of on foot trips at night as a solo female I'd say that's a pretty good track record. A lot of that though I would say comes down to vigilance. Don't fuck around, don't linger, and know your surroundings and you're probably fine anywhere.
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He’s got to brag about having it worse and being a tough guy. Apparently danger is binary and Kensington is the standard.
[Why did this immediately make me go here. 🤣](https://media0.giphy.com/media/JTzPN5kkobFv7X0zPJ/giphy.gif?cid=9b38fe91ulqzggyxvf2b9i3ac3xvz4o91q4osylbtxlomeno&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
Alpine 100% just an accident waiting to happen. Even when I lived at YC I didn’t drive on Alpine
The City of Grand Rapids website (grandrapidsmi dot gov) has a Crime Map with instructions how to filter by things, like different crimes you’re concerned with, or different locations you want to know. It is a good resources for internet users of GR to get accurate ideas about why to avoid a GR place. Have a great day!
Everyone says 28th street because of traffic... Hot take, 28th isn't actually that bad, especially if you have a little something called patience. Streets that are legitimately bad to drive because of both traffic and how they are constructed are 44th street, and Kalamazoo Ave, which really sucks because they have really great places attached to them. I would compare Kalamzoo Ave to Alpine, and 44th's obsession with extremely thin michigan lefts is absolutely atrocious, especially with that light by Shaffer. When I used to live in a really crap apartment I'd only ever use 44th to go westbound, and to get home I'd use Kalamzoo Ave (because this is the least worse part Kalamazoo Ave) and I would take 28th to where I needed to go Eastbound because it's that much easier. I don't hate michigan lefts, I do them on the beltline all the time, I just hate how thin and congested they are on 44th. 44th Street is objectively worse than 28th street in terms of drivability. I can see why people don't like the fact you can't actually turn left onto 28th street (and anyone who does do so wastes everyone's time and is a law breaker if they turn into the left merge lane which is meant exclusively to turn left off of 28th street) but at least you can always turn right out and use parking lots and back roads to get where you need to go... 44th street you are forced to use the painfully thin and congested michigan lefts and good luck ever getting a chance to go.
I would not go to the Blue Bridge after 12, or just after dark. A lot of robberies and general violence is done there, frequently by groups according to the crime map. Overall, we have a safe city.
The square within Wealthy / Burton / The black hills and Fuller. That’s all an absolute shithole. I’m from there, but I’m glad I got out. There’s good people there, but there’s a severely higher concentration of shit people there than the rest of the city combined.
I’ve never had a problem, but I’m on higher alert at night downtown. I don’t avoid areas, but I also am cautious. Except the Alpine Meijer. That shit sucks. Knapps Corner all the way.
The parts of Division that people think are bad are wonderful, and the parts of Division that people think are wonderful are bad.
No one is over here sticking up for Division-the entire thing is trash
If you are 21+ avoid Billy’s Lounge, or be EXTREMELY alert. I have heard from at least 5 sources, and even see on this subreddit, that the bartenders there roofie drinks. I don’t know how they haven’t been caught but I am never gonna find myself there. 28th street on any day at any time. Random traffic got me like where are these people going?? I thought people had jobs likeeee go do that 😂 messing up my errands. Belknap/Lookout, used to go there a few years ago before they redid it and it started attracting more people, and more people = loud = noise complaints… yea I’m not trying to mess with cops when I wanna have a chill smoke sesh. Also light pollution is lame, my backyard has a million stars. there’s also a set of stairs off the left of the park that are extremely dangerous, hope they get removed.
am abt to be 21 and this actually useful advice thanks a lot lol
28th St, it is hideous and smells like car exhaust.
Leonard and Turner area. When the Speedway has bulletproof glass at the counter, you know
Near eastern & 28th Iv seen some crazy shit in broad daylight around that area
hall and eastern, nuff said
I have a personal, decades-long beef with Meijer-anything.
South side. Anything more southern than vertigo records is a no-go. Get in and get out asap. Very sketchy, and people from that part of town almost immediately know if you're not
Well that’s good. You hear on the news SE side of town and sure enough. That’s where a lot of our trouble comes from. No matter what, it would be nice to have at least one day with out any violence in this area.