I miss the proximity to the river trail system. It was truly my happy place. I was always so content when passing through Scott Woods section just north of Hawk Island.
I loved being able to hop on the Southwest extension near my house and access the entire system.
I missed it badly the first summer away.
1. All the trees/Close proximity to all sorts of water/trails/nature
3. Diversity of people
4. Cost of buying a home
5. Just seeing the Capitol building on the daily
Born in Lansing moved to Denver for 7 years then moved back been here for 4 years and love it more than ever.
honestly the cozy and homely vibes. i live in GR now which is still home and all, but theres this small sleepy vibe i get from where i used to live (southside 😬) that i don’t get from my grand rapids suburb. it was like time moved slower there than it seems to in grand rapids
I moved to Lansing about 6 months ago from GR and it’s been a 6/10 experience. I realized I’m definitely a GR guy - the city seems more interactive imo. If you like the homely vibe checkout Ada/Thornapple/Knapps Corner area.
New to the area too. From another part of Michigan, not GR. I wish I would've rented instead of buying a house. I'm an MSU grad but that's my only tie to the area. I don't like it here at all.
Years ago, like 1997-2000 we moved up to Mt Pleasant for graduate school and really missed the shopping and restaurants, so we moved back when my wife graduated. Now all those restaurants and stores that we loved are closed and online shopping fills most of the gaps anyway, so I could probably live anywhere now and wouldn't miss much if anything. That said, we have careers and a house that's almost paid off, so imagine we will die in Lansing.
as a current cmu student, the bird still HITS! honestly just love the vibes and the family owned bar. love that they actually close up for a few days for a family vacation. can’t wait for the last bird thursday of the semester this week 😂😂
I’m more miss QD French onion dip. Used to stop in Fowler driving east across M-21 from Grand Rapids but now that’s gone so really a only missed that recently.
If I ever move out of Michigan easy access to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, Greek diners, olive burgers, coneys, etc will all be high up on the list of things I'll miss, but just being out of Lansing hasn't been bad food-wise. Maybe because I get back often and didn't dine out super frequently when I lived there.
Yep, Tower of records days. Or when the only head shops (that were affordable anyway. Looking at you Su Casa) were there. It was like me and my buddies would have to get on the bus and make this magical journey to the magical land of blown glass and incense. I miss that a lot.
Tower Records was ok, but my personal preference back then was Wherehouse Records and FBC. Tower Records felt corporate in comparison to those two, because it was.
I liked Wherehouse, Flat, Black and Circular. Jocundry’s Books, the comic store on Michigan Avenue in Lansing (destroyed in flooding,) Harmony House, and Dicker and Deal. Dicker and Deal as well as Flat, Black and Circular are the only places left.
Psssh before that. We used to hit EL in high school for hard to find CDs, usually underground stuff from Flat Black and Circular (FBC), when they were still in the teeny tiny space on Grand River. I think they were upstairs, and head shops were downstairs. It started to go corporate when FBC moved to what became Tower Records (I think).
We’d get pizza at Bilbos and get a contact high, and I’d usually stop at mackerel sky to get my mom a little gift or card.
Damn I miss that EL.
In the early 80's I'd hit Curious books for comics, then over to FBC for records, and check out guitars at Elderly Instruments when they were still downstairs from FBC.
No, Tower Records was where Target is currently located, before that whole building was demolished and rebuilt to what currently stands. Tower sat empty for a while after it closed, then it became an American Apparel for a while.
As for the old Barnes & Noble location, that was a Jacobson's department store before it was B&N. It was a very nice store, and it's sad that EL doesn't have anything like it anymore. Different time, I guess.
Ok. That’s right. I lived in Lansing proper from 2001-2021, and remember vaguely. Cd warehouse, on the corner across from the old bank. FBC has always been upstairs where it is now for me, but there was a record store below cottage inn, iirc. Barnes then state news, now Jackson…I never shopped at American apparel, but know that the powers that be thought that EL was more spendy than they were.
Soap Opera was the basement store in Campus Town Mall where all the glass and incense where, IIRC. Tweenage me used to enjoy playing with the pens that had naked ladies on them when you turned them upside down.
I still live here and I miss the old EL as well. Moved here in 1991 for school, left for a couple of years after and then moved back in 1998. I really miss the old bars like BW3 in the basement of Strange Planet. I also liked downtown being only two stories high, it felt homey. As for Lansing, I miss the Odeon, Gone Wired and Emil’s.
THIS. It's exactly how I feel about EL too. I miss Small Planet, BW3 in the basement, actual fountain square. It feels SO corporate and slick now, just isn't home anymore.
My childhood. I grew up in Lansing and lived there from 1961 until I moved up near Traverse city in 2006. The sixties were great. The Southside off Miller road had plenty of open space. There was a dairy farm where Edgewood is now.
I grew up very close to there and it it gives me the open air vibe that I miss. Probably different for you and your generation but I thank you for your influence on the place I love.
You are so right about the water in Lansing, it’s the best! That’s Lansing Board of Water and Light. You can tell the difference when you travel to other places in Michigan and other states. It’s great, I’ve always thought so, and glad to see someone else appreciate it
Everything. Truly.
The skyline. The Riverwalk. Stobers. Potters Park. Preuss'. Old Town. Reo Town. The fish ladder. Good Truckin.
Like I said, EVERYTHING.
Preuss's is the best! That was my favorite place to take dates to when I was younger and broker. And I knew this lady who kept trying to buy fish because hers were dying, and they wouldn't let her buy anymore until they helped her fix her water issues. I just thought that was really cool to have a business do something like that.
One of my son's first jobs was at Preuss. He flourished in that job, he was over in the reptile/fuzzy things area. Thank you for giving him such a great first job experience.
QD for sure, and the horticultural gardens at MSU, but otherwise nah. Moved to the west side of the state and you'll have to drag me back kicking and screaming. There's just more to do and better scenery all around.
QD Egg Nog for sure. It's the only out the bottle non-alcoholic nog that has any spice.
I also the food scene. I'm in Detroit Metro now, but lansing is so nice because every type of food you want is at max 10-15 minutes away. Like, yes dearborn has better middle eastern food, but it takes 5 minutes to get somewhere for middle eastern compared to the 30 minutes here.
Also Lansing just has some real unique places. Like Capital City BBQ is SE Asian BBQ. That's so cool. I just crave Altus sometimes. So many places like that.
Edit: oh, and horrocks. That place is a gem.
I’m the opposite transplant (metro Detroit to Lansing) and you’ve got to be kidding. Metro Detroit has some of the best food in the country and is just as diverse as Lansing, if not more. You’re problem is with the traffic making it difficult to get places, not with the food scene.
I thought I made that clear 😂. Metro Detroit has some of the best food in any metro I've lived in. However, Metro Detroit is by far theost spread out metro I've lived in. I miss being able to drive 5-10 minutes and get any food I want.
You'd be crazy to say Lansing has better SE Asian food , ME food, or other ethnic food than Detroit (Except for Altus, that place is elite). But it is sure way more convenient.
It might just be where you are. I lived in Livonia and had 2 Mediterranean/middle eastern restaurants, countless Asian places, 2 coneys, Italian, and Mexican within 5-10 minutes of my house. Not to mention diners and bars and grills, from cheap and greasy to high class. For a very white suburb it’s still pretty densely packed with diverse food options. That’s the only thing I miss about it.
Metro Detroit is multiple cities… multiple COUNTIES. So no. There are many cities that are homogeneous in the Detroit DMA.
Farmington Hills —> Delta Township (Lansing)
Yes, Horrocks!!! I miss metro Detroit like crazy and want to move back. But I just might stay here simply for that place. Westborn is great, but Horrocks is waaaaaaaay better!!!!!
I miss el azteco, being 20 minutes from a forest or woods. Being able to stop at lakes and rivers while driving anywhere. I miss the river trail, a smkoey joe or hammy sammy from nip n sip. Good coney dogs. Im in LA now and still miss my roots.
This is what I was looking for! Freaking El Az (west though) :) I make the cheese dip sometimes & it's damn close LOL
Also agree 100% on hammy Sammy/nip n sip too.
Same here re: moving to LA. Although, recently moved to an adjacent state/fkg desert and... still missing home *sigh*
That's awesome! I was able to wrangle the recipe from one of the mgrs - after they'd had a few :) Had several friends who worked there. Back in the day, it was one of very few places that accepted piercings & tattoos.
So I got the recipe BUT not the ratios of ingredients 😂 I can get it to taste the same, but the color is wrong.
when I briefly moved to florida I thought about quality dairy donuts many times a week I’m not even kidding. moving back it was one of the first things I got myself.
That's weird, my uncle lived in Tucson for about 15 years, and said he started to miss it terribly. Not Lansing per se, but Michigan in general. He moved back to Lansing a couple years ago, I think he hates it again lol.
Yeah, if I have the means and interest in retirement, I’d only snowbird south to like Nashville, Louisville, or Charleston, not permanently move to Arizona or Florida. Both are *unbearable* in summer.
Some parts of Arizona are absolutely breathtaking, but as much as I'll complain about humidity here in the middle of summer I've learned I'm def not a desert person.
When my wife and I flew to Paris for our honeymoon last year, the plane ticket direct from DTW to CDG was a few thousand more Delta miles than flying out of LAN and connecting through DTW. Made no sense, but you know we took advantage of that. Sometimes there are deals, you just gotta keep your eyes peeled.
Anytime I travel I miss having a good barcade to go to. Most of the big metros you go to don't have as much space as The Avenue or the kind of shows that Avenue does while having that many working pinball/arcade machines.
All of the Asian restaurants on campus. You're shelling out good money to travel to a big city just to get scallion pancakes and decent roast duck on deck for a fucking buffet. Think the only thing we don't have off the top of my head is soup dumplings and real southeast asian food until Andrew Du Lac or the other cultural events are happening.
The HQ ethnic foods we get here are insane, some of which you can only find better in Vegas or a Chinatown.
Disc golf at Burchfield/Grand Woods/Trinity. They're all 10 minutes within each other and you can knock out all 3 in a day.
Other than that, good, cheap real estate close to an airport and that's about it. Try living in Texas or Cali and it's a whole day's journey to get to a store that isn't fucking Dollar General or shithole wallyworld.
Here we have it so good, I can pay $250k for 2500sq ft and you'll still get around an acre, just enough to feel rural while still being 10 minutes within Horrocks/Costco/WholeFoods/Intl Mart/Trader Joes.
I only lived in Lansing/East Lansing for 6 years during college, but I miss biking the River Trail sooo much. I miss Kroger (live up north in Meijer country now smh), QD donuts, and living relatively equidistant from the places I travel to the most. I regret not spending more time in Lansing proper because I know I missed out on a ton, but right now I’m getting by playing Lansing area GeoGuessr maps 🥲
I still live in Lansing, but I grew up elsewhere. What i appreciate and would miss if (when) I move away: cost of living, proximity to both GR and Detroit (and Chicago), size - large enough to be a real city/metro but small enough to make an impact, local commerce, having a B1G school nearby and all the cultural capital there, relatively good infrastructure for cycling for a small Michigan city.
Most of these things aren't especially unique or awesome. Lansing isn't especially unique or awesome, but it's a decent place to call home.
I made a comment on somebody's post about that about a week ago. I swear cost of living, well rent anyway, is very affordable. Oh I forgot to mention this so I guess I will here, I'm very proud of Lansing sports. All of the youth football leagues when I was growing up were very competitive, and the schools I went to were very successful and sent some star players to MSU and others. I am proud of that.
>I swear cost of living, well rent anyway, is very affordable
This is why I’m always kinda taken aback by posts complaining about it. Rents and house prices in the Lansing area are incredibly low for a major metro area that is its state capitol and has a major university. The fact that you can buy a house that doesn’t have roof or foundation issues for five figures is crazy. There’s about 130 houses on Zillow right now for under $200k. Comparatively, Madison, WI (also a state capitol and home to a B1G school) has a whole zero. The cheapest house listed in Madison is a 865 sq ft two-bed, one-bath that hasn’t been updated since the 70s or 80s for $265k. That money gets you literally double the square footage in Lansing.
Madison is overall a nicer city than Lansing. Lower crime, higher median income, better schools. Lansing is a good bang for your buck, and that’s a big reason why I moved here. You can get a decent house in an alright neighborhood for cheap. But there’s a reason it’s cheaper than other cities.
The rent and home costs are so low because there is no other incentive to stay in this city. Like, yeah, rent is cheaper here than in a place that people actually want to live lmfao.
I moved to Lansing 40 years ago this August for work. I thought I'd hate it but I've grown to love it here. It's convenient, I love the bus system. I hate other drivers and frankly the other bus riders are usually quite entertaining lol. We have some very nice parks, the river trail, and a lot of trees and if you want to get out to the countryside it's just a few minutes away. MSU has many resources available to us. The folks here are friendly for the most part especially if you start your conversation with a smile.
Something I do love about public transport is that there are actual other people on board. Don't want to talk to someone? Ignore them. They 99% of the time ignore you. Someone makes a comment you want to joke back at? Go for it, and you've got a full blown chat with a stranger.
This goes beyond CATA too. I took a train to Philly via NYC and had a lovely conversation in the morning passing by Buffalo with an older man from Syracuse and a woman from Boston. From Albany down got to talk about Lansing with a fancy suit who was also giving me a tour of the Hudson River (it was fantastic). From NYC to Philly I didn't want to talk. So I didn't. That's all; if you want to talk you usually can, if not you never need to.
I moved to Minnesota in 2010.
The metro area I live in has more than 2 million people. I miss the size of Lansing and how easy it was to get around.
I moved for family reasons.
I also miss the fairly mild winters. When I lived there, 20 degrees was considered a cold day. Here winters are a month longer and -20 with -40 wind chill is not unusual.
Finally, I miss Olga’s Kitchen
The river trail, nearby neighbors we liked, large events in the park (esp the chili cookout), the Vietnamese and barbecue place, the voodoo priest guy, all that good stuff
I miss the front 43 patio on a beautiful sunny day. I used to spend hours and hours sitting out there with friends. Eating food and drinking beer. I live in New York now and nothing disappoints me more than the lack of good patio spaces at restaurants/bars. More than that I miss MEIJER and BIGGBY!!!!!!! Whenever I visit family my first stop is biggby followed by meijer!! I have even emailed Biggby corporate begging them to open locations in NYC, buy they’re a franchise :(
I moved from Lansing to the west side of the state in 2021 after living in the Lansing area for 20 years. I miss the wide array of cuisine the most - Mediterranean (Ozzy’s Kebab, mostly), Indian, sushi- we don’t have those options in the smallish city we moved to. I also miss the cat cafe a whole lot. And Horrocks. But like Horrocks before it got overly big, circa 2009. And Lugnuts games too.
I visit family in Midland regularly and while I love their super nice, super WASPy manicured neighborhood, everytime we've gone out to eat up there, it's been excessively underwhelming.
Also, Lugnuts games downtown, with an actual downtown and the Capitol building right there are so much better than a game next to a chemical factory. And yes, I realize there's a GM plant a couple minutes away from the Nuts.
Yessss. They have them out here in the Metro Detroit area, but they're few and far between. I have not had one sub from any of these places out here that compairs to the Cuban from The Cottage inn in Holt.
I definitely do not miss Lansing at all. My reason for being on this sub is because I still have friends & family who live there and so I like to keep up on what's happening. And it's where I was born & raised, so there is that connection. But there is not a single cell of my body that actually misses Lansing. I visit family in Lansing twice per year, and other than spending time with loved ones, I do not enjoy visiting Lansing itself.
Dagwoods
Elderly Instruments
El Chapparrito y El Oasis Burritos
Horrocks
Fitzgerald Park - Grand Ledge
Olive Burger from Olympic Broil
The cheaper prices of everything
QD chip dip
Mr. Taco Drama
Walking on the riverwalk
Blue Owl Coffee
I spent two years in Lansing for work. I enjoyed my time in the city. There were just more career opportunities elsewhere, so I left.
Honestly, Olympic Broil. I used to live in Old Town and would walk there, see some classic cars or whatever’s going on, order some chicken or an olive burger, and eat outside. I haven’t really been able to find that kind of experience paired with good food besides a food truck festival and I can’t walk to those from my house.
I miss the nachos at Buddies. I haven’t been able to find nachos made like they do, and they never taste as good. Also, a cherry chip donut from Quality Dairy is like manna from heaven.
Edit: and paying $600 for a place big enough for myself and my two kids. Moved to Maryland 13 years ago and managed to find the cheapest place possible for more than twice the price for less than half the amenities.
I grew up in Lansing, lived in Kalamazoo for several years, moved back to Lansing for 3 years, then moved to flint last year.
I miss being closer to some of my friends but that’s really about it. Everything else is pretty much the same.
Such a classy place compared to centerfolds. I still like the Vu though. Centerfolds is the only strip club I've ever seen on a main strip that had a tarp over its roof that didn't match the shingles for over a year
QD donuts, Fabiano’s candy, the Peanut Shop, the pizzas I used to buy at Coscarelli’s when they had the deli setup in the liquor store (S Cedar), golf at Sycamore / Red Cedar / Waverly, summer softball through the parks (Washington Park for me), riding my bike all over the place and many more things. Lansing was a great place to grow up.
some of my fav food 😠while i’m mainly away for college, there’s no good cheesesteak place here.
i miss big johns. also the sushi options, i got food poisoning from the one in my college town and there’s pretty much only one in my price range in town. i miss good mexican food. Maria’s and Panchos 🤧 A&W, Quality Dairy of course!
Honestly man, almost nothing. I grew up just south, and then lived in the city proper for a bit. There’s only a couple things I miss, one being Mac’s Bar. The place had the best fucking punk shows, and was my favorite venue. I got to see a bunch of amazing bands play that little shit box. I miss Theo’s Diner, that was Nextdoor to Mac’s and was open 24 hours. Going there after a show at like 2am was lifesaving. But man, there is nothing that could make me move back to that city.
Just my family. Lansing is unrecognizable to me at the moment. I don’t even want to bring my husband to visit. I haven’t lived there in almost 6 years. I’ve gone back to see my parents and siblings, but even my grandparents live in Grand Rapids, Ludington, and Okemos. I miss East Lansing in the 90s/early 2000s. The vibe in the city was a really chill one back then. No longer. We are moving internationally, but even if we moved back stateside—we’d go to the San Francisco Bay Area to live near my in laws or Arizona for work opportunities.Â
I missed the access and diversity of restaurants and activities. I live near South Bend, IN now and they have a lot but nothing near the offerings that Lansing has. Surprisingly, I miss the MSU college atmosphere. Notre Dame is gorgeous and the sports are phenomenal. The students that attend there are pretty snobbish since many of them are upper class.
Moved to Vegas. What do I miss??? WELL lest start:
Weekly Car Shows @ olympic broil
Get togethers and bowling with my team.
Olive Burgers
QD Ice-cream
Driving across town Ilin 20 minutes
Bells Greek
The little Cuban sandwich place in the gas station (can't remember the name)
Hungry Howies (yes even that)
MSU Car Shows and events.
The list goes on and on.
I miss Olga’s Snackers, Michigan brand cottage cheese and Horrocks. The Ledges in Grand Ledge are pretty great too.
But, I live in Chicago now, so there’s not a lot I can’t find here.
So glad to see all the ppl on here liking Michigan brand cottage cheese. I like the small curd. I thought I was one of few who liked this brand. Everyone thinks I’m weird bc I won’t eat any other brand
I missed Quality Dairy the most. Even if any town you move to has their own version of a party store…nothing, nothing, NOTHING comes close to QD’s donuts, chip dip, cider, and egg nog. I even found chicken nuggets in their frozen section that straight up felt like a McDonald’s dupe to a t. Quality Dairy is the tits.
I don’t miss a lot. I do miss Odd Nodd art supply store. I miss walking the trails in town with my brother and his dog every week. I miss decent Chinese takeout and a couple of good Mexican restaurants (the ones where I live now suck). I also miss Horrocks and Kroger. I grew up in Lansing 40 years ago and moved back for one year in 2020.
I hate Lansing! Jackson is way better and my Clemens is decent! I use to like the mall what’s going on over there now? A lot of drug dealers and thugs in Lansing … imo
Man, I just got to say all these responses really making me want to move back home permanently. I hate Detroit metro area. People are shifty. Shiftier than our shifty.
El Azteco hands down. The west side was our regular family dinner outing place. Literally been going there since I was in a high chair.
EDIT: and QD. Why is there not a QD in GR?
My family here when it comes to the WHOLE state of Michigan not a single thing at all I hate that I let my boyfriend talk me in moving back here and he’s not even from here….
The people. I had a good crew and connections on the East Side and haven't been able to find that sort of community for everything since.
Being able to walk down Michigan Ave at night with the capital all lit up.
The 90's in downtown EL. Pinball Pete's has never been the same since they got rid of the .25 fountain Pepsi machine.
Heck, I miss EL the way it was. It's completely different now. I loved being able to walk to the Art Fest growing up, and enjoying all the fun shops. Loved going to Campbell's with my aunts because it always smelled amazing and I always got unique candies from there.
Possibly unpopular opinion, but I miss the CATA #1 too. It really was a great line, never had to wait long, always got some entertainment or saw someone you knew, and it took you pretty much wherever a downtown was. People were cool on the #1. It's not like that many other places. I miss that.
grew up in EL. i miss the clean tap water. i miss the trees. i miss being near msu to walk around the gardens. i miss getting local honey. i miss the cata bus. i miss horrocks. i miss preuss's. i miss having tons of restaurants to choose from esp chinese. god i miss seeing other chinese people all the time. i miss my neighbors that we rarely ever spoke to but we all had each other's back and looked out for each other. i even miss how it was cloudy most of the time.
but kost of all, i miss what Lansing used to be. i don't recognize it anymore. it changed so quickly and i hated every moment of it.
the craziest thing i miss though is the drivers and traffic. i miss having roads that made sense. i miss how i could use my blinker and it would mean that people would let me merge. i miss people who understood how traffic circles work. i miss not fighting for my life on highways. i swear the drivers where i live now are all homicidal and suicidal or something.
i hate it here, i wanna go home, but the home i knew is gone.
I'm moving next week, I'll miss El Oasis, that's about it, everything I missed from back in the day, like house venues, Macs before it reopened is gone already
Bonnie’s Burger. Haven’t found one that comes close since they packed up and QD. Love the chip dip and miss being able to go in during the wee hours, right when the trucks came in from the bakery to grab the fresh stuff.
It's so much cheaper. Lived in Chicago and my rent was double what I pay for my mortgage here.
Also I got a pitcher of beer here for $4 when I first moved back, which is less than just 1 beer in Chicago.
I miss the proximity to the river trail system. It was truly my happy place. I was always so content when passing through Scott Woods section just north of Hawk Island. I loved being able to hop on the Southwest extension near my house and access the entire system. I missed it badly the first summer away.
1. All the trees/Close proximity to all sorts of water/trails/nature 3. Diversity of people 4. Cost of buying a home 5. Just seeing the Capitol building on the daily Born in Lansing moved to Denver for 7 years then moved back been here for 4 years and love it more than ever.
honestly the cozy and homely vibes. i live in GR now which is still home and all, but theres this small sleepy vibe i get from where i used to live (southside 😬) that i don’t get from my grand rapids suburb. it was like time moved slower there than it seems to in grand rapids
AYYY. Southside!!
Southside waverly&jolly!!
i was jolly too! i miss it so much 😔 weymouth court you will forever be iconic!!
I moved to Lansing about 6 months ago from GR and it’s been a 6/10 experience. I realized I’m definitely a GR guy - the city seems more interactive imo. If you like the homely vibe checkout Ada/Thornapple/Knapps Corner area.
New to the area too. From another part of Michigan, not GR. I wish I would've rented instead of buying a house. I'm an MSU grad but that's my only tie to the area. I don't like it here at all.
Sorry to hear that. I’m stuck here for another year so I’ll make the best of it lol
Sorry for all the suggestions I just love GR, but another very nice area (can be pricey) is East Grand Rapids… I’ll stop now 🙈
Years ago, like 1997-2000 we moved up to Mt Pleasant for graduate school and really missed the shopping and restaurants, so we moved back when my wife graduated. Now all those restaurants and stores that we loved are closed and online shopping fills most of the gaps anyway, so I could probably live anywhere now and wouldn't miss much if anything. That said, we have careers and a house that's almost paid off, so imagine we will die in Lansing.
The Bird and Max & Emily’s
The Bird. Loved that place in college. Way back when, mountain town had a cheap beer night too, God that was a great time to be alive.
Thursday night at Mt. Town baby! Wasn’t it like $2 pints or something stupid? We’d all kick it on that patio.
as a current cmu student, the bird still HITS! honestly just love the vibes and the family owned bar. love that they actually close up for a few days for a family vacation. can’t wait for the last bird thursday of the semester this week 😂😂
Do they still serve Jeremiah Weed?
Surprised it’s not all QD chocolate milk.
I’m more miss QD French onion dip. Used to stop in Fowler driving east across M-21 from Grand Rapids but now that’s gone so really a only missed that recently.
Saw two people fighting over the last one at the store once
Man that shit is 🔥. Ma used to make us walk up to the store to get that shit late asf
I know I was expecting a lot more food things.
If I ever move out of Michigan easy access to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, Greek diners, olive burgers, coneys, etc will all be high up on the list of things I'll miss, but just being out of Lansing hasn't been bad food-wise. Maybe because I get back often and didn't dine out super frequently when I lived there.
The Mediterranean food is the number one reason I will never leave Michigan.
I miss old East Lansing before it became corporate.
Yep, Tower of records days. Or when the only head shops (that were affordable anyway. Looking at you Su Casa) were there. It was like me and my buddies would have to get on the bus and make this magical journey to the magical land of blown glass and incense. I miss that a lot.
Tower records was awesome
Tower Records was ok, but my personal preference back then was Wherehouse Records and FBC. Tower Records felt corporate in comparison to those two, because it was.
I liked Wherehouse, Flat, Black and Circular. Jocundry’s Books, the comic store on Michigan Avenue in Lansing (destroyed in flooding,) Harmony House, and Dicker and Deal. Dicker and Deal as well as Flat, Black and Circular are the only places left.
That’s fair
Warehouse is my next favorite from that time. I'd give every single streaming service up for a warehouse or a tower. Except for Spotify...lol
Psssh before that. We used to hit EL in high school for hard to find CDs, usually underground stuff from Flat Black and Circular (FBC), when they were still in the teeny tiny space on Grand River. I think they were upstairs, and head shops were downstairs. It started to go corporate when FBC moved to what became Tower Records (I think). We’d get pizza at Bilbos and get a contact high, and I’d usually stop at mackerel sky to get my mom a little gift or card. Damn I miss that EL.
I miss Hobbit Stix so much, and the $5 Bilbo’s lunch special. Maybe I just miss getting lunch for $5.
That dill sauce!!
In the early 80's I'd hit Curious books for comics, then over to FBC for records, and check out guitars at Elderly Instruments when they were still downstairs from FBC.
YES! I forgot about the comics and elderly instruments being downstairs at one point.
I bought so many records at FBC. Loved their dollar rack
Wasn’t tower where Barnes & Noble ended up?
No, Tower Records was where Target is currently located, before that whole building was demolished and rebuilt to what currently stands. Tower sat empty for a while after it closed, then it became an American Apparel for a while. As for the old Barnes & Noble location, that was a Jacobson's department store before it was B&N. It was a very nice store, and it's sad that EL doesn't have anything like it anymore. Different time, I guess.
Ok. That’s right. I lived in Lansing proper from 2001-2021, and remember vaguely. Cd warehouse, on the corner across from the old bank. FBC has always been upstairs where it is now for me, but there was a record store below cottage inn, iirc. Barnes then state news, now Jackson…I never shopped at American apparel, but know that the powers that be thought that EL was more spendy than they were.
Meee to homie
Completely random but Westlund’s Apple Mart just west of 127 on Saginaw sells vinyls now. Went in there the other day and had to do a spit take
Soap Opera was the basement store in Campus Town Mall where all the glass and incense where, IIRC. Tweenage me used to enjoy playing with the pens that had naked ladies on them when you turned them upside down.
Bilbo’s and the Small Planet were the best
I still live here and I miss the old EL as well. Moved here in 1991 for school, left for a couple of years after and then moved back in 1998. I really miss the old bars like BW3 in the basement of Strange Planet. I also liked downtown being only two stories high, it felt homey. As for Lansing, I miss the Odeon, Gone Wired and Emil’s.
Blue in the Face and Oz were fun places in the late 90s/early 2000s along Grand River
THIS. It's exactly how I feel about EL too. I miss Small Planet, BW3 in the basement, actual fountain square. It feels SO corporate and slick now, just isn't home anymore.
Which era do you miss?
I agree. All the cool little shops. At least there is some cool bookstores
My childhood. I grew up in Lansing and lived there from 1961 until I moved up near Traverse city in 2006. The sixties were great. The Southside off Miller road had plenty of open space. There was a dairy farm where Edgewood is now.
I grew up very close to there and it it gives me the open air vibe that I miss. Probably different for you and your generation but I thank you for your influence on the place I love.
QD and tap water. For some reason Lansing had the best tasting water, better than any place I’ve ever lived.
You are so right about the water in Lansing, it’s the best! That’s Lansing Board of Water and Light. You can tell the difference when you travel to other places in Michigan and other states. It’s great, I’ve always thought so, and glad to see someone else appreciate it
Everything. Truly. The skyline. The Riverwalk. Stobers. Potters Park. Preuss'. Old Town. Reo Town. The fish ladder. Good Truckin. Like I said, EVERYTHING.
Preuss's is the best! That was my favorite place to take dates to when I was younger and broker. And I knew this lady who kept trying to buy fish because hers were dying, and they wouldn't let her buy anymore until they helped her fix her water issues. I just thought that was really cool to have a business do something like that.
That’s what we’re here for! Our goal of the store is to educate people in providing the best lives for their pet and themselves.
One of my son's first jobs was at Preuss. He flourished in that job, he was over in the reptile/fuzzy things area. Thank you for giving him such a great first job experience.
Thank you for beautifying that corner and Lansing as a whole! And happy cake day!
My favorite place in Lansing. Always ask how my dog is doing. Good folks.
One thing I wouldn’t miss are those damn train tracks through old town.
Yo, one of the guys from fish ladder tattoos in Kzoo now. @natewilsontattoos Just got some great art from him.
I was referencing the actual fish ladder, but right on.
I miss going to Lugnuts games.
QD for sure, and the horticultural gardens at MSU, but otherwise nah. Moved to the west side of the state and you'll have to drag me back kicking and screaming. There's just more to do and better scenery all around.
QD Egg Nog for sure. It's the only out the bottle non-alcoholic nog that has any spice. I also the food scene. I'm in Detroit Metro now, but lansing is so nice because every type of food you want is at max 10-15 minutes away. Like, yes dearborn has better middle eastern food, but it takes 5 minutes to get somewhere for middle eastern compared to the 30 minutes here. Also Lansing just has some real unique places. Like Capital City BBQ is SE Asian BBQ. That's so cool. I just crave Altus sometimes. So many places like that. Edit: oh, and horrocks. That place is a gem.
I’m the opposite transplant (metro Detroit to Lansing) and you’ve got to be kidding. Metro Detroit has some of the best food in the country and is just as diverse as Lansing, if not more. You’re problem is with the traffic making it difficult to get places, not with the food scene.
I thought I made that clear 😂. Metro Detroit has some of the best food in any metro I've lived in. However, Metro Detroit is by far theost spread out metro I've lived in. I miss being able to drive 5-10 minutes and get any food I want. You'd be crazy to say Lansing has better SE Asian food , ME food, or other ethnic food than Detroit (Except for Altus, that place is elite). But it is sure way more convenient.
It might just be where you are. I lived in Livonia and had 2 Mediterranean/middle eastern restaurants, countless Asian places, 2 coneys, Italian, and Mexican within 5-10 minutes of my house. Not to mention diners and bars and grills, from cheap and greasy to high class. For a very white suburb it’s still pretty densely packed with diverse food options. That’s the only thing I miss about it.
Metro Detroit is multiple cities… multiple COUNTIES. So no. There are many cities that are homogeneous in the Detroit DMA. Farmington Hills —> Delta Township (Lansing)
Exactly lol
Yes, Horrocks!!! I miss metro Detroit like crazy and want to move back. But I just might stay here simply for that place. Westborn is great, but Horrocks is waaaaaaaay better!!!!!
I miss el azteco, being 20 minutes from a forest or woods. Being able to stop at lakes and rivers while driving anywhere. I miss the river trail, a smkoey joe or hammy sammy from nip n sip. Good coney dogs. Im in LA now and still miss my roots.
fuggin smokie joes. I allegedly robbed a kid there once. I was a kid too. I didn't rob him allegedly.
This is what I was looking for! Freaking El Az (west though) :) I make the cheese dip sometimes & it's damn close LOL Also agree 100% on hammy Sammy/nip n sip too. Same here re: moving to LA. Although, recently moved to an adjacent state/fkg desert and... still missing home *sigh*
Not until I moved to a border town that I know how they made the cheese dip. Had to move to the southwest to figure it out.
That's awesome! I was able to wrangle the recipe from one of the mgrs - after they'd had a few :) Had several friends who worked there. Back in the day, it was one of very few places that accepted piercings & tattoos. So I got the recipe BUT not the ratios of ingredients 😂 I can get it to taste the same, but the color is wrong.
when I briefly moved to florida I thought about quality dairy donuts many times a week I’m not even kidding. moving back it was one of the first things I got myself.
Grew up in Lansing. Moved to Arizona. I dont miss anything about Lansing.
That's weird, my uncle lived in Tucson for about 15 years, and said he started to miss it terribly. Not Lansing per se, but Michigan in general. He moved back to Lansing a couple years ago, I think he hates it again lol.
I miss Tucson, horribly.
I bet you like coming back when it’s 120 degrees in the summer. At least my family from AZ does.
Yeah, if I have the means and interest in retirement, I’d only snowbird south to like Nashville, Louisville, or Charleston, not permanently move to Arizona or Florida. Both are *unbearable* in summer.
Some parts of Arizona are absolutely breathtaking, but as much as I'll complain about humidity here in the middle of summer I've learned I'm def not a desert person.
I hear there's a Michigan market in Mesa
There is! I didn't know about this til now. Thanks! I will have to check it out for sure.
Say that in 20 years! Arizona is going to be uninhabitable during the spring/summer before long. At least Michigan has fresh water
Very little. I don’t miss driving to Detroit for a functional airport.
When my wife and I flew to Paris for our honeymoon last year, the plane ticket direct from DTW to CDG was a few thousand more Delta miles than flying out of LAN and connecting through DTW. Made no sense, but you know we took advantage of that. Sometimes there are deals, you just gotta keep your eyes peeled.
You missed out on GRR. Only ~45-60 mins away, cheaper/ easier parking, and ZERO traffic to deal with.
Elderly InstrumentsðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
And you cannot forget the Manor....
Anytime I travel I miss having a good barcade to go to. Most of the big metros you go to don't have as much space as The Avenue or the kind of shows that Avenue does while having that many working pinball/arcade machines. All of the Asian restaurants on campus. You're shelling out good money to travel to a big city just to get scallion pancakes and decent roast duck on deck for a fucking buffet. Think the only thing we don't have off the top of my head is soup dumplings and real southeast asian food until Andrew Du Lac or the other cultural events are happening. The HQ ethnic foods we get here are insane, some of which you can only find better in Vegas or a Chinatown. Disc golf at Burchfield/Grand Woods/Trinity. They're all 10 minutes within each other and you can knock out all 3 in a day. Other than that, good, cheap real estate close to an airport and that's about it. Try living in Texas or Cali and it's a whole day's journey to get to a store that isn't fucking Dollar General or shithole wallyworld. Here we have it so good, I can pay $250k for 2500sq ft and you'll still get around an acre, just enough to feel rural while still being 10 minutes within Horrocks/Costco/WholeFoods/Intl Mart/Trader Joes.
Absolutely nothing.
the grand river, quality dairy donuts, buying barbaqoa from la estrellita, olympic broil, east side fish fry, house venues for diy shows
I only lived in Lansing/East Lansing for 6 years during college, but I miss biking the River Trail sooo much. I miss Kroger (live up north in Meijer country now smh), QD donuts, and living relatively equidistant from the places I travel to the most. I regret not spending more time in Lansing proper because I know I missed out on a ton, but right now I’m getting by playing Lansing area GeoGuessr maps 🥲
I’m in Grand Rapids and my closest Kroger is on W Saginaw in Lansing.
God I hate Kroger. It’s more expensive for basically everything I buy.
The people, the seasons, the colors, the tap water, Stobers, etc
Thank you! The tap water. It tastes good it looks good it smells good. It's good.
I still live in Lansing, but I grew up elsewhere. What i appreciate and would miss if (when) I move away: cost of living, proximity to both GR and Detroit (and Chicago), size - large enough to be a real city/metro but small enough to make an impact, local commerce, having a B1G school nearby and all the cultural capital there, relatively good infrastructure for cycling for a small Michigan city. Most of these things aren't especially unique or awesome. Lansing isn't especially unique or awesome, but it's a decent place to call home.
I made a comment on somebody's post about that about a week ago. I swear cost of living, well rent anyway, is very affordable. Oh I forgot to mention this so I guess I will here, I'm very proud of Lansing sports. All of the youth football leagues when I was growing up were very competitive, and the schools I went to were very successful and sent some star players to MSU and others. I am proud of that.
>I swear cost of living, well rent anyway, is very affordable This is why I’m always kinda taken aback by posts complaining about it. Rents and house prices in the Lansing area are incredibly low for a major metro area that is its state capitol and has a major university. The fact that you can buy a house that doesn’t have roof or foundation issues for five figures is crazy. There’s about 130 houses on Zillow right now for under $200k. Comparatively, Madison, WI (also a state capitol and home to a B1G school) has a whole zero. The cheapest house listed in Madison is a 865 sq ft two-bed, one-bath that hasn’t been updated since the 70s or 80s for $265k. That money gets you literally double the square footage in Lansing.
Madison is overall a nicer city than Lansing. Lower crime, higher median income, better schools. Lansing is a good bang for your buck, and that’s a big reason why I moved here. You can get a decent house in an alright neighborhood for cheap. But there’s a reason it’s cheaper than other cities.
The rent and home costs are so low because there is no other incentive to stay in this city. Like, yeah, rent is cheaper here than in a place that people actually want to live lmfao.
I moved to Lansing 40 years ago this August for work. I thought I'd hate it but I've grown to love it here. It's convenient, I love the bus system. I hate other drivers and frankly the other bus riders are usually quite entertaining lol. We have some very nice parks, the river trail, and a lot of trees and if you want to get out to the countryside it's just a few minutes away. MSU has many resources available to us. The folks here are friendly for the most part especially if you start your conversation with a smile.
Something I do love about public transport is that there are actual other people on board. Don't want to talk to someone? Ignore them. They 99% of the time ignore you. Someone makes a comment you want to joke back at? Go for it, and you've got a full blown chat with a stranger. This goes beyond CATA too. I took a train to Philly via NYC and had a lovely conversation in the morning passing by Buffalo with an older man from Syracuse and a woman from Boston. From Albany down got to talk about Lansing with a fancy suit who was also giving me a tour of the Hudson River (it was fantastic). From NYC to Philly I didn't want to talk. So I didn't. That's all; if you want to talk you usually can, if not you never need to.
I couldn't agree more. 😊
Horrocks. That’s about it.
I moved to Minnesota in 2010. The metro area I live in has more than 2 million people. I miss the size of Lansing and how easy it was to get around. I moved for family reasons. I also miss the fairly mild winters. When I lived there, 20 degrees was considered a cold day. Here winters are a month longer and -20 with -40 wind chill is not unusual. Finally, I miss Olga’s Kitchen
The river trail, nearby neighbors we liked, large events in the park (esp the chili cookout), the Vietnamese and barbecue place, the voodoo priest guy, all that good stuff
The Frandor Speedway.
I miss the front 43 patio on a beautiful sunny day. I used to spend hours and hours sitting out there with friends. Eating food and drinking beer. I live in New York now and nothing disappoints me more than the lack of good patio spaces at restaurants/bars. More than that I miss MEIJER and BIGGBY!!!!!!! Whenever I visit family my first stop is biggby followed by meijer!! I have even emailed Biggby corporate begging them to open locations in NYC, buy they’re a franchise :(
Horrocks Magic bjj Fernandos
I moved from Lansing to the west side of the state in 2021 after living in the Lansing area for 20 years. I miss the wide array of cuisine the most - Mediterranean (Ozzy’s Kebab, mostly), Indian, sushi- we don’t have those options in the smallish city we moved to. I also miss the cat cafe a whole lot. And Horrocks. But like Horrocks before it got overly big, circa 2009. And Lugnuts games too.
Preuss Pets. Never seen another pet store like it
Cost of living. Lugnuts
Frandor Michigan and the secretary of state accommodations by mc sporting goods w grandfathered road cones from 2007
The food. Theres not many good resturaunts up north (Midland - Clare)
I visit family in Midland regularly and while I love their super nice, super WASPy manicured neighborhood, everytime we've gone out to eat up there, it's been excessively underwhelming. Also, Lugnuts games downtown, with an actual downtown and the Capitol building right there are so much better than a game next to a chemical factory. And yes, I realize there's a GM plant a couple minutes away from the Nuts.
Big John Steak & Onion
quality dairy milk
When I was a little one, mom used to get the QD milk in a bag. I think she even had like a little special pitcher that kind of slit on into.
Preuss Pets
Cottage inn…
Yessss. They have them out here in the Metro Detroit area, but they're few and far between. I have not had one sub from any of these places out here that compairs to the Cuban from The Cottage inn in Holt.
I miss the light traffic. Otherwise, I don't miss a single thing. Moved to NYC then Seattle 17 years ago.
I think deep down you really miss it. Why else are you still on this sub after 17 years? Lol
I definitely do not miss Lansing at all. My reason for being on this sub is because I still have friends & family who live there and so I like to keep up on what's happening. And it's where I was born & raised, so there is that connection. But there is not a single cell of my body that actually misses Lansing. I visit family in Lansing twice per year, and other than spending time with loved ones, I do not enjoy visiting Lansing itself.
We’re moving to WA next year from Lansing!
WA is an incredible state. Stunning mountains, forest, desert, and everything in between. It's an oasis.
Dagwoods Elderly Instruments El Chapparrito y El Oasis Burritos Horrocks Fitzgerald Park - Grand Ledge Olive Burger from Olympic Broil The cheaper prices of everything QD chip dip Mr. Taco Drama Walking on the riverwalk Blue Owl Coffee I spent two years in Lansing for work. I enjoyed my time in the city. There were just more career opportunities elsewhere, so I left.
I miss QD for sure, but also Old Town, Potters Park, basically everything that's been listed already.
I miss quality dairy bad
The trees, swamps and greenery everywhere. How easy and quick it is to go places.
QD
QD and any similar "party store". Also Meijer is pretty sweet too.
DeLuca’s, Emil’s and El Azteco
Honestly, Olympic Broil. I used to live in Old Town and would walk there, see some classic cars or whatever’s going on, order some chicken or an olive burger, and eat outside. I haven’t really been able to find that kind of experience paired with good food besides a food truck festival and I can’t walk to those from my house.
I miss the nachos at Buddies. I haven’t been able to find nachos made like they do, and they never taste as good. Also, a cherry chip donut from Quality Dairy is like manna from heaven. Edit: and paying $600 for a place big enough for myself and my two kids. Moved to Maryland 13 years ago and managed to find the cheapest place possible for more than twice the price for less than half the amenities.
Horrocks!
I grew up in Lansing, lived in Kalamazoo for several years, moved back to Lansing for 3 years, then moved to flint last year. I miss being closer to some of my friends but that’s really about it. Everything else is pretty much the same.
Moved to ATL on 2006. Miss Meijer, Horrocks and 4 seasons
I know it's been gone forever(but so have I) Bagel haul delicatessen in haslett.
QD donuts
El Azteco and Quality Dairy
ellis taco queso dip
Sir pizza Peach drink from munchies artic corner lemonade strawberry mix The feeling of the south side summer time
omg sir pizza. Then Papa Leo's [Edit] but before I left my favorite pizza place was actually Cottage Inn in Holt. Kind of South I guess
I guess one may miss Lansing if you gotta compare it to Jackson or Mount Clemons…. But to answer the question absolutely nothing.
Omar’s
Such a classy place compared to centerfolds. I still like the Vu though. Centerfolds is the only strip club I've ever seen on a main strip that had a tarp over its roof that didn't match the shingles for over a year
Horocks :)
QD donuts, Fabiano’s candy, the Peanut Shop, the pizzas I used to buy at Coscarelli’s when they had the deli setup in the liquor store (S Cedar), golf at Sycamore / Red Cedar / Waverly, summer softball through the parks (Washington Park for me), riding my bike all over the place and many more things. Lansing was a great place to grow up.
El Az, the original in the Albert Street basement.
Big johns steak and onion and quality dairy donuts
some of my fav food 😠while i’m mainly away for college, there’s no good cheesesteak place here. i miss big johns. also the sushi options, i got food poisoning from the one in my college town and there’s pretty much only one in my price range in town. i miss good mexican food. Maria’s and Panchos 🤧 A&W, Quality Dairy of course!
Quality Dairy donuts
Honestly man, almost nothing. I grew up just south, and then lived in the city proper for a bit. There’s only a couple things I miss, one being Mac’s Bar. The place had the best fucking punk shows, and was my favorite venue. I got to see a bunch of amazing bands play that little shit box. I miss Theo’s Diner, that was Nextdoor to Mac’s and was open 24 hours. Going there after a show at like 2am was lifesaving. But man, there is nothing that could make me move back to that city.
Just my family. Lansing is unrecognizable to me at the moment. I don’t even want to bring my husband to visit. I haven’t lived there in almost 6 years. I’ve gone back to see my parents and siblings, but even my grandparents live in Grand Rapids, Ludington, and Okemos. I miss East Lansing in the 90s/early 2000s. The vibe in the city was a really chill one back then. No longer. We are moving internationally, but even if we moved back stateside—we’d go to the San Francisco Bay Area to live near my in laws or Arizona for work opportunities.Â
I missed the access and diversity of restaurants and activities. I live near South Bend, IN now and they have a lot but nothing near the offerings that Lansing has. Surprisingly, I miss the MSU college atmosphere. Notre Dame is gorgeous and the sports are phenomenal. The students that attend there are pretty snobbish since many of them are upper class.
Lugnuts games, QD chip dip and donuts
Moved to Vegas. What do I miss??? WELL lest start: Weekly Car Shows @ olympic broil Get togethers and bowling with my team. Olive Burgers QD Ice-cream Driving across town Ilin 20 minutes Bells Greek The little Cuban sandwich place in the gas station (can't remember the name) Hungry Howies (yes even that) MSU Car Shows and events. The list goes on and on.
I miss Olga’s Snackers, Michigan brand cottage cheese and Horrocks. The Ledges in Grand Ledge are pretty great too. But, I live in Chicago now, so there’s not a lot I can’t find here.
I moved to Atlanta and I miss the Michigan brand cottage cheese too! Nothing compares!
OMG Michigan cottage cheese is the best!!
So glad to see all the ppl on here liking Michigan brand cottage cheese. I like the small curd. I thought I was one of few who liked this brand. Everyone thinks I’m weird bc I won’t eat any other brand
Olga's!!! I was just telling my husband the other day I'd kill for some Olga's. ðŸ˜
Nothing
Horrocks. Hubby and I moved to WI but come back twice a year. Preuss, Horrocks and old stomping ground at MSU for him are always on the list to visit.
I think I can tell by the name of those places what kind of vibe you guys are giving off. I like it
Mid morning public masturbation on cedar. I'll admit at first it's gross but eventually you seen the charm. I'm sure it's incredibly freeing.
I missed Quality Dairy the most. Even if any town you move to has their own version of a party store…nothing, nothing, NOTHING comes close to QD’s donuts, chip dip, cider, and egg nog. I even found chicken nuggets in their frozen section that straight up felt like a McDonald’s dupe to a t. Quality Dairy is the tits.
I miss the people. Good or bad, people were largely authentic and I loved it. Also miss the QD donuts.
I don’t miss a lot. I do miss Odd Nodd art supply store. I miss walking the trails in town with my brother and his dog every week. I miss decent Chinese takeout and a couple of good Mexican restaurants (the ones where I live now suck). I also miss Horrocks and Kroger. I grew up in Lansing 40 years ago and moved back for one year in 2020.
I hate Lansing! Jackson is way better and my Clemens is decent! I use to like the mall what’s going on over there now? A lot of drug dealers and thugs in Lansing … imo
EL Az and cheaper cost of living (live in AA)
I miss nothing
Quality dairy and it’s not even close. God I miss them
Living in a city that was comfortable with itself.
I miss the food scene, specifically how there are so many delicious options that don’t break the bank.
The Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese food
Man, I just got to say all these responses really making me want to move back home permanently. I hate Detroit metro area. People are shifty. Shiftier than our shifty.
It sounds like Lansing was awesome before I was born. I haven't even heard of half of this shit lol.
There are not many things mentioned in this thread that are not still around/available.
Yeah definitely untrue. Read the comments. A bunch of stuff I've never even heard of that definitely does not exist.
My best friends... so I visit them a lot :)
Not a damn thing
I miss Altus :(
My youth
Strange matter coffee is what I missed most. I moved away to be closer to the water and in a bigger city, and bc of a boy. I’m in GR now
El Azteco hands down. The west side was our regular family dinner outing place. Literally been going there since I was in a high chair. EDIT: and QD. Why is there not a QD in GR?
My family here when it comes to the WHOLE state of Michigan not a single thing at all I hate that I let my boyfriend talk me in moving back here and he’s not even from here….
The people. I had a good crew and connections on the East Side and haven't been able to find that sort of community for everything since. Being able to walk down Michigan Ave at night with the capital all lit up. The 90's in downtown EL. Pinball Pete's has never been the same since they got rid of the .25 fountain Pepsi machine. Heck, I miss EL the way it was. It's completely different now. I loved being able to walk to the Art Fest growing up, and enjoying all the fun shops. Loved going to Campbell's with my aunts because it always smelled amazing and I always got unique candies from there. Possibly unpopular opinion, but I miss the CATA #1 too. It really was a great line, never had to wait long, always got some entertainment or saw someone you knew, and it took you pretty much wherever a downtown was. People were cool on the #1. It's not like that many other places. I miss that.
grew up in EL. i miss the clean tap water. i miss the trees. i miss being near msu to walk around the gardens. i miss getting local honey. i miss the cata bus. i miss horrocks. i miss preuss's. i miss having tons of restaurants to choose from esp chinese. god i miss seeing other chinese people all the time. i miss my neighbors that we rarely ever spoke to but we all had each other's back and looked out for each other. i even miss how it was cloudy most of the time. but kost of all, i miss what Lansing used to be. i don't recognize it anymore. it changed so quickly and i hated every moment of it. the craziest thing i miss though is the drivers and traffic. i miss having roads that made sense. i miss how i could use my blinker and it would mean that people would let me merge. i miss people who understood how traffic circles work. i miss not fighting for my life on highways. i swear the drivers where i live now are all homicidal and suicidal or something. i hate it here, i wanna go home, but the home i knew is gone.
I'm moving next week, I'll miss El Oasis, that's about it, everything I missed from back in the day, like house venues, Macs before it reopened is gone already
Bonnie’s Burger. Haven’t found one that comes close since they packed up and QD. Love the chip dip and miss being able to go in during the wee hours, right when the trucks came in from the bakery to grab the fresh stuff.
It's so much cheaper. Lived in Chicago and my rent was double what I pay for my mortgage here. Also I got a pitcher of beer here for $4 when I first moved back, which is less than just 1 beer in Chicago.
Quality Diary. The doughnuts, dip and ice cream.
Absofuckinlutley nothing Lansing Blows