In Memoriam: Ames Business/Restaurants

I was there at a similar time. It was fun, but as a suburban kid, I felt a little out of place. I guess I shouldn't have based my college decision on my cheering interests that I inherited from an ag family.

Ames is definitely trending toward a more cosmopolitan vibe (relatively speaking), and it will be better for it in the long run. That's not to say I'm not emotionally stirred when I see a kid in full Carhartt with a 30 of Keystone.

I’m going to disagree with “cosmopolitan.” Ames is starting to feel like a suburb. Even the locally-owned restaurants feel like chains!
 
I’m going to disagree with “cosmopolitan.” Ames is starting to feel like a suburb. Even the locally-owned restaurants feel like chains!

Yeah I think we both used that term loosely. Updated is probably more accurate. Ames felt very small and set in its ways when I went to school there.
 
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Yeah I think we both used that term loosely. Updated is probably more accurate. Ames felt very small and set in its ways when I went to school there.

Ames is still set in its ways. Its the battle between being progressive and older people ******** about change and god forbide property taxes go up 46 dollars a year for improvements. This town is bipolar.
 
Ames' problem is old farts have too big of representation and the town has an entire class of "I'm smarter than you so shut up"

I would never want Ames to be Ankeny... But it does need to redevelop itself
I think some of the problem is every time any kind of development is proposed people freak out that Ames is going to magically turn into Ankeny overnight.
 
I think some of the problem is every time any kind of development is proposed people freak out that Ames is going to magically turn into Ankeny overnight.
Oralabor and Deleware are a nightmare but Ames does dumb **** like allow Chick Fil A to have a driveway off Duff 10' from the stoplight.
(Yes I know it's a highway)
 
Oralabor and Deleware are a nightmare but Ames does dumb **** like allow Chick Fil A to have a driveway off Duff 10' from the stoplight.
(Yes I know it's a highway)

This is my new favorite, along with the complete refusal to try to implement access roads along Duff. HOWEVER… it wasn’t all that long ago that Duff was home to a junkyard. Ames is never going to be Ankeny, but should shoot for a smaller approximation Boulder/Iowa City. This Mayor/Council seem to get it.
 
I know what you are saying. That's true. But what I meant was Ames has a high share of it's population coming from those with grey hair. Most living on fixed incomes. Any wind that property taxes are going up or their short commutes everywhere may add a minute or two... They shoot it down

That phrase about older people always pauses me. How many people truly aren’t on fixed incomes. If you are 30 and paid a salary, you are fixed income. The only nonfixed income people are commission people and self employed sole proprietors.
 
That phrase about older people always pauses me. How many people truly aren’t on fixed incomes. If you are 30 and paid a salary, you are fixed income. The only nonfixed income people are commission people and self employed sole proprietors.

I take it as I working age people can always work to make more $$.. People on fixed incomes are usually done working and do not get raises (pensions, SS, etc) or seek supplemental income
 
I think some of the problem is every time any kind of development is proposed people freak out that Ames is going to magically turn into Ankeny overnight.
Lots of those people that "freak out" are, guess what? ISU faculty and staff that populate various decision-making boards in Ames...who want to keep Ames nice and quiet.
 
What was that little bread place on south duff? Talking about it watching NBA playoffs and it’s bugging me!
 
What was that little bread place on south duff? Talking about it watching NBA playoffs and it’s bugging me!
The bread store. ;) That’s what we called it. Think it’s Overflow Thrift Store now.
 
30 yrs ago Ankeny and Waukee were 2A (1A?) schools...now they have 2 4A high schools and Ames had to drop down a level because they can no longer compete in high school sports.

And all the higher priced homes are in the Gilbert school district.

The anti-growth crowd won.

Iowa State just ended up with a bunch crappy apartment buildings all over town since ISU needs the tuition $$$$ to survive.
 
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30 yrs ago Ankeny and Waukee were 2A (1A?) schools...now they have 2 4A high schools and Ames had to drop down a level because they can no longer compete in high school sports.

And all the higher priced homes are in the Gilbert school district.

The anti-growth crowd won.

Iowa State just ended up with a bunch crappy apartment buildings all over town since ISU needs the tuition $$$$ to survive.

You are not wrong on the Anti growth crowd in Ames, but I would bet Ankeny and Waukee would have surpassed Ames anyway.
 
The overflow thirft store was Tobbacco outlet for years, then it moved 10 feet to the new place.
That's the original one. There's been a second Overflow down south for maybe a year?
 

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