Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
It'd be interesting to one the breakdown of Europeans vs Americans in this thread. It's probably 90/10. That's why I live in the city also fuck HOA's
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do you live within walking distance of supermarket/grocery store?
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Go_Ly_Dow
Member
I remember once watching a great YouTube vid (can't remember what it was called) which demonstrated that US towns and citys just weren't made for walking for the most part like in Europe and Japan.
Amenities like shops either required walking long distances or walking beside very busy roads. So a lot of Americans who may want to walk from A-B would still drive because of this.
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Trogdor1123
Member
I have 2 within 15 minutes… I still drive
Fbh
Member
I live in a relatively small town so almost everything relevant is a 5-10 min drive (or 15-30 min walk) away.
There is one big chain supermarket in town and a bunch of smaller mom and pop grocery stores. I mostly buy from the mom and pop places because not only do I prefer supporting small business, but for some reason they are usually similarly priced (and even cheaper in some stuff) than the bit chain supermarket.
There is one big chain supermarket in town and a bunch of smaller mom and pop grocery stores. I mostly buy from the mom and pop places because not only do I prefer supporting small business, but for some reason they are usually similarly priced (and even cheaper in some stuff) than the bit chain supermarket.
Heimdall_Xtreme
Hermen Hulst Fanclub's #1 Member
Two minutes
Comfortgel
Member
Suburban United States here. I can walk to the c-store in about ten minutes for absolute necessities, or walk to the big supermarket in about 45 minutes (in good weather) if need be. Usually I just stop at a different supermarket that the missus and I really like on the drive home from work. I usually hit the "good" market daily since it's convenient.
Paltheos
Member
There's a convenience store about 5 minutes away but it's very limited in stock so not really. The closest supermarket on foot is almost 20 minutes away and they're lacking in some degrees - their produce is garbage, last time I tried it.
I usually drive to the Stew Leonard's (a small chain in the tristate area) that tends to carry higher quality stuff. My branch is about a 20 minute drive. It's generally supplanted Whole Foods and Trader Joe's as my go-to quality supermarket. Love Stew's.
I usually drive to the Stew Leonard's (a small chain in the tristate area) that tends to carry higher quality stuff. My branch is about a 20 minute drive. It's generally supplanted Whole Foods and Trader Joe's as my go-to quality supermarket. Love Stew's.
John Marston
GAF's very own treasure goblin
Everything I need is within 10 minutes walking distance.
Smaller family owned grocery store 5 minutes away.
Bigger corporate grocery store & pharmacy 10 minutes.
Also Tim Horton's and nice fast food spots.
Funeral home 10 minutes away when I'm done
Smaller family owned grocery store 5 minutes away.
Bigger corporate grocery store & pharmacy 10 minutes.
Also Tim Horton's and nice fast food spots.
Funeral home 10 minutes away when I'm done
BlackTron
Member
I guess it's comforting to know that if I didn't have my car for some reason I could walk there, but I completely abuse this Aldi that's 3 minutes away including traffic light.
I stock less groceries than before I moved here and just treat that as my storehouse. Run out of ketchup, be back with it 10 minutes later, from the cheapest source possible, so why think ahead anymore...of course I don't get all my food there, but damn it's convenient. Usually you pay extra for that, so I just completely turned my brain off.
I stock less groceries than before I moved here and just treat that as my storehouse. Run out of ketchup, be back with it 10 minutes later, from the cheapest source possible, so why think ahead anymore...of course I don't get all my food there, but damn it's convenient. Usually you pay extra for that, so I just completely turned my brain off.
poodaddy
Member
Guess It depends on what you mean by walking distance. I'm in Maine, and I'm not rural here, but the states kind of rural in general. The grocery store is here in town, but it's like two miles away. I know thats not bad at all, but I don't always feel like a four mile walk to get some produce and ingredients for a stew, so I'll often drive. I keep telling my wife this area is ripe and ready for a local grocery store that leans more health foodish, as we're right in the downtown area and I know a lot of these college kids here would prefer to just walk from their apartments a quarter mile to the store and grab all they need rather than drive 5 minutes out to the store. I kinda wanna start one myself but.....eh, I don't know the business enough.
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StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Regarding walking vs driving.
I get a sense Europeans may prefer walking or biking to shops since they arent buying tons of stuff at once. Nobody is going to walk or bike 40 minutes carrying tons of stuff. US and Canada areas are often strip mall based and a lot of people like buying stuff at Costco or Home Depot etc... which require a car or SUV to handle it all. And then jam in all that food into their fridge, freezer and perhaps extra standalone freezer in the basement. Stock up on shit in one trip instead doing many smaller trips.
Also, most provinces/states have 4 seasons. When bad weather/snow happen virtually nobody is walking/biking for errands (especially if its heavy) unless by coincidence they live super close to the stores or are a downtowner where there's lots of shops in walking distance every block.
I get a sense Europeans may prefer walking or biking to shops since they arent buying tons of stuff at once. Nobody is going to walk or bike 40 minutes carrying tons of stuff. US and Canada areas are often strip mall based and a lot of people like buying stuff at Costco or Home Depot etc... which require a car or SUV to handle it all. And then jam in all that food into their fridge, freezer and perhaps extra standalone freezer in the basement. Stock up on shit in one trip instead doing many smaller trips.
Also, most provinces/states have 4 seasons. When bad weather/snow happen virtually nobody is walking/biking for errands (especially if its heavy) unless by coincidence they live super close to the stores or are a downtowner where there's lots of shops in walking distance every block.
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Jayjayhd34
Gold Member
30 sec away
Sunkrest
Member
10 minutes on foot to small local store, I almost never go there. 5 minute car ride to a bigger store, only when I need something fast. 25 minute car ride to the nearest mall with the biggest grocery store in the area, I do almost all my shopping there, once or twice a week.
I live in rural Poland.
I live in rural Poland.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
On a side note, there is one super small strip mall a 5 min walk away, but it only has a variety store, dry cleaners, pizza shop and a few other tiny shops.
I did it once but never again..... one time I decided to get my dry cleaned shirts and pants on foot. I always pick it up on my way home from work. But one day I decided to walk as it was nice weather. I carried home probably around 3 shirts and 3 pants in see-through plastic wrap. No doubt I must had looked like a retard doing it. lol
I did it once but never again..... one time I decided to get my dry cleaned shirts and pants on foot. I always pick it up on my way home from work. But one day I decided to walk as it was nice weather. I carried home probably around 3 shirts and 3 pants in see-through plastic wrap. No doubt I must had looked like a retard doing it. lol
I kind of live in the perfect hub to access multiple things.
5 minutes walk I get 3 local supermarkets with a butchers shop, pharmacy and other small shops and even local restaurants.
10 minute walk the other way is another local supermarket with a pharmacy and local shops.
5-10 minute walk the other way is 2 local shops.
5-10 minutes on bus one way can get me to the town where there is a shopping centre with multiple large scale supermarkets and other shops.
10 minutes on bus the other way gets me to another town with pretty much the same.
It's really the perfect spot, where I live.
5 minutes walk I get 3 local supermarkets with a butchers shop, pharmacy and other small shops and even local restaurants.
10 minute walk the other way is another local supermarket with a pharmacy and local shops.
5-10 minute walk the other way is 2 local shops.
5-10 minutes on bus one way can get me to the town where there is a shopping centre with multiple large scale supermarkets and other shops.
10 minutes on bus the other way gets me to another town with pretty much the same.
It's really the perfect spot, where I live.
Gp1
Member
Let's expand the answer a little considering what I use
Less than 5 min (in reality the vast majority is less than 2):
2 supermarkets, 2 bakeries, greengrocer, butchery, hair salon, 3 good pubs, 1 gym, 1-2 really good restaurant, pet shop, etc.
5/10 (max) minutes walk: countless Restaurants, pharmacy store, gyms (Pilates, 1 Gracie Barra BJJ, etc), 2/3 other big supermarkets including a wholesale equivalent of Costco/Walmart, a whole shopping center, one huge country club (tennis, golf, bjj, boxing, Muai Thai, swiming, gym, physiotherapy, etc.), etc.
But I tend to drive for groceries because I usually do it for a week/15 days, yet everything still is close enough to walk if you need something fast.
Great neighborhood at all. Central, almost all the houses are 3+ dorms upper midclass, almost every neighbor is a family or a old couple (very important, no noise beside some pesky dogs or me screaming at my online teammates
), still feels like the burbs but with everything around or in it.
Less than 5 min (in reality the vast majority is less than 2):
2 supermarkets, 2 bakeries, greengrocer, butchery, hair salon, 3 good pubs, 1 gym, 1-2 really good restaurant, pet shop, etc.
5/10 (max) minutes walk: countless Restaurants, pharmacy store, gyms (Pilates, 1 Gracie Barra BJJ, etc), 2/3 other big supermarkets including a wholesale equivalent of Costco/Walmart, a whole shopping center, one huge country club (tennis, golf, bjj, boxing, Muai Thai, swiming, gym, physiotherapy, etc.), etc.
But I tend to drive for groceries because I usually do it for a week/15 days, yet everything still is close enough to walk if you need something fast.
Great neighborhood at all. Central, almost all the houses are 3+ dorms upper midclass, almost every neighbor is a family or a old couple (very important, no noise beside some pesky dogs or me screaming at my online teammates
), still feels like the burbs but with everything around or in it.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Sounds like you live in a great area.Let's expand the answer a little considering what I use
Less than 5 min (in reality the vast majority is less than 2):
2 supermarkets, 2 bakeries, greengrocer, butchery, hair salon, 3 good pubs, 1 gym, 1-2 really good restaurant, pet shop, etc.
5/10 (max) minutes walk: countless Restaurants, pharmacy store, gyms (Pilates, 1 Gracie Barra BJJ, etc), 2/3 other big supermarkets including a wholesale equivalent of Costco/Walmart, a whole shopping center, one huge country club (tennis, golf, bjj, boxing, Muai Thai, swiming, gym, physiotherapy, etc.), etc.
But I tend to drive for groceries because I usually do it for a week/15 days, yet everything still is close enough to walk if you need something fast.
Great neighborhood at all. Central, almost all the houses are 3+ dorms upper midclass, almost every neighbor is a family or a old couple (very important, no noise beside some pesky dogs or me screaming at my online teammates
I've always lived in the burbs away from the action, but close enough to shops. I do miss Costco though. Was near one at my old place.
I always prefer quiet streets as you got no derelicts, beggars, or thugs around. A weed shop just opened at one of the strip malls near me, but hopefully that doesnt lead to anything. My buddy who lives downtown always said once those weed shops were allowed to open, you'd get way more shady guys hanging around those corners. But hopefully one shop doesn't do anything.
Lucky for me, my neighbourhood has some dog walkers, but I dont think there is one house nearby that has a dog because I never hear one except for one time years back some renters nearby had a dog. But once they left, it's super quiet and a safe neighbourhood. The kind of area people leave their stuff outside or garage open and nobody steals anything. When I moved to the area long time ago, I ordered a bunch of stuff from Amazon and Bed Bath Beyond as new gear. All the boxes would be sitting on my porch (in total plain view) when I'd get home from work no problem..
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SirKicksalot
Member
I am blessed to live within walking distance of multiple Lidls. Peak European experience.
rm082e
Member
American in suburb here:
It's about a half mile to the nearest gas station, and a little over one mile to the nearest store that has anything more than packaged junk food. It used to be 2+ miles but my area is in development and they recently put in a nice big grocery store a little closer. I never walk to any store though. Walking is just for exercise and stress relief.
It's about a half mile to the nearest gas station, and a little over one mile to the nearest store that has anything more than packaged junk food. It used to be 2+ miles but my area is in development and they recently put in a nice big grocery store a little closer. I never walk to any store though. Walking is just for exercise and stress relief.
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AndrewRyan
Member
Used to have a convenience store 1 minute away and was a life changer. Especially since it was off the ocean so you didn't want to lose your parking during summer. One of those stores that carried a little of everything for the locals.
Also lived a few blocks away from a major grocery store which made it easy to stop on the way home, but not as useful as living right next to one. Used to walk the dog and ride a bike there but more for exercises since the neighborhood wasn't the best.
Also lived a few blocks away from a major grocery store which made it easy to stop on the way home, but not as useful as living right next to one. Used to walk the dog and ride a bike there but more for exercises since the neighborhood wasn't the best.
DeceptiveAlarm
Gold Member
I have a 20 minute drive to get to a real grocery store. I think Dollar general is like 10 mins away.
bitbydeath
Member
I’m in the suburbs so about a 20min walk from a large grocery store, and other things like the gym, doctors, hair dressers, chemist, newsagency etc
30 mins in the other direction gets me to a large shopping centre with a 100 or so stores.
30 mins in the other direction gets me to a large shopping centre with a 100 or so stores.
Dr. Suchong
Member
UK here.
Yes, and it's most convenient on an evening because it's getting pretty risky to be out on the streets at night.
I make a point of walking near the supermarket to avoid the danger...
Well, it's a "Safeway" innit?
One for UK gaffers
Yes, and it's most convenient on an evening because it's getting pretty risky to be out on the streets at night.
I make a point of walking near the supermarket to avoid the danger...
Well, it's a "Safeway" innit?
One for UK gaffers
EverydayBeast
ChatGPT 0.1
I would say living near a store is nice, it’s brought up when buying a house. There’s grocery stores scattered all around my house, I love walking there when the weathers right, if I’m busy it’s with the car.
DeafTourette
Perpetually Offended
Sort of. By foot, it's about a 20 min walk. Much better than where I used to live in GA over a decade ago.
notjeffgoldblum
Member
I'm from southern USA, there's at least 3 Dollar General stores within 3 minutes of me anywhere I go.
John Marston
GAF's very own treasure goblin
"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.’ – Steven Wright
Muffdraul
Member
A little over a block from my home is a 'Jons Marketplace' which is pretty much strictly food... and a floral dept for some reason. Not even a 5 min walk. But if I need toilet paper, cleaning supplies, cat food or litter etc then I have to get in the car and go to a full-on supermarket.
Sardaukarama
Member
I live in a rural area so its a 15 minute drive to the gas station ,then if you fancy a grocery trip or a shopping mall then add on another 30 mins.
I cannot imagine living here 100 yrs ago it would be a bloody nightmare getting the newspaper lol
I cannot imagine living here 100 yrs ago it would be a bloody nightmare getting the newspaper lol
Same here. COULD walk it if I absolutely had to, but it's far enough that I wouldn't want to, especially carrying groceries on the way back.
My folks live where you could go everywhere on a golf cart. They refuse to get one but that would be my ideal way to live. You can't get a DUI for drinking while golf carting....can you?