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MineralMan

(149,461 posts)
4. That was one of my long-time, unfulfilled dreams.
Sat May 3, 2025, 03:24 PM
May 3

I and my wife were always self-employed as freelance magazine writers. That meant we could live anywhere and do our work. So, I often dreamed about buying a small retail-below/living space above buildings in a downtown area in a smaller community. We'd have our offices downstairs and live above them.

We went as far as looking around for such a thing. It turned out that there were many such places all over the country in small to mid-sized towns. And, best of all, most of those buildings were selling for less than we had paid for the house we were living in. We rented office space in the same town, too, just to have some separation from life and work.

Somehow, inertia kept us from buying such a building, although I kept looking at them and talking about the idea. Now, we're retired, so there's no point to it any longer. But, I still sort of wish we had followed through with that.

Recommendations

5 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Hoping we don't revert to the 'company store' form of living, but I tend to trust COSTCO Attilatheblond May 3 #1
Most of the apartment buildings being built here GenThePerservering May 3 #2
I've lived in an apartment over stores BonnieJW May 3 #20
So did I. Furnished, two bedrooms, utilities included in rent, huge living room, high ceilings, $60 per month. Midnight Writer May 3 #22
My family lived over a steakhouse in Brooklyn musette_sf May 3 #3
Or Chicago. greatauntoftriplets May 3 #13
That was one of my long-time, unfulfilled dreams. MineralMan May 3 #4
I tried to do that when I moved to my current city bhikkhu May 3 #8
Ah, city rules. That's always a potential problem. MineralMan May 3 #10
Costco is a fantastic corporation. I wish more were like them JanMichael May 3 #5
Agreed. 👍 underpants May 3 #6
It would make shopping very convenient Meowmee May 3 #7
I've suggested Costco and Walmart do this for years; it makes so much sense for everyone GulfofMexico May 3 #9
Walmart doesn't have the same business ethos as Costco, which is a notably good employer Hekate May 3 #17
That's been the standard in new development in ATL for 20 years. Ursus Rex May 3 #11
This message was self-deleted by its author GulfofMexico May 3 #12
It is the norm where my wife and I live obamanut2012 May 3 #14
My grandmother, great aunt and one renter lived above the family store/business peggysue2 May 3 #15
These are all over L.A. chowder66 May 3 #16
It's common here in Florida madville May 3 #18
Hoorah! Sadly, Americans cling to the suburban model but it's relatively new and unsustainable. CoopersDad May 3 #19
I visited a "stacked" strip mall once and thought it was cool. forgotmylogin May 3 #21
Its been a thing for s while Cosmocat May 3 #23
Apartments over retail intelpug May 3 #24
My mother and her family lived above a little grocery store.. ananda May 3 #25
We have them JustAnotherGen May 3 #26
When I was a kid my dads MuseRider May 3 #27
I am so proud of my store Tree Lady May 3 #28
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