Palmer, MA

[MJ5150]

I have a job offer in Palmer, MA. I've done some preliminary research on line about the area. Just checking to see if anyone here is from, in, or around the area.

Looking for some ideas on traffic, housing, quality of healthcare, etc. No need for input on schools or the music scene.

-Mike

[Bipslapper]

I graduated from Umass, Amherst in 1990 and went through Palmer many times. Nice town, small rural New England quaintness. Very close to the Mass Turnpike so Hartford, Boston and even New York are not too far away. Good Luck

[Hutzbordello]

im from springfield, ma

Palmer seems to be a nice place, calm hill town

[hover]

I work in Palmer. Write me.

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by hover

I work in Palmer. Write me.

I just wrote you electronically.

-Mike

[anonymous02282011]

I always think of Palmer as a quiet sleepy little town. There's not much going on there, which could be a good thing depending on what you're into.

[MJ5150]

Quiet and sleepy is good at this point in my life. At the same time, I don't want to drive 20-30 minutes just to go to the grocery store or out to dinner.

-Mike

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Quiet and sleepy is good at this point in my life. At the same time, I don't want to drive 20-30 minutes just to go to the grocery store or out to dinner.

-Mike

Palmer's got a Wal-Mart, a Price Chopper, a Big Y, the usual fast food places, and Applebees and Uno's. It's not as sleepy as it's made out to be, but it's not exactly New York city either. Now, if you want sleepy, head up to Route 9 and check out the towns from Ware to Spencer. That's sleepy!

[MJ5150]

Cool, a WalMart and Uno's. I can dig that. The lack of a good coffee shop is bugging me though. I don't always like making my own. Sometimes I prefer to go to a shop and get one.

-Mike

[hover]

Originally Posted by stratovani

Palmer's got a Wal-Mart, a Price Chopper, a Big Y, the usual fast food places, and Applebees and Uno's. It's not as sleepy as it's made out to be, but it's not exactly New York city either. Now, if you want sleepy, head up to Route 9 and check out the towns from Ware to Spencer. That's sleepy!

Palmer does not have a Wal Mart. Ware has a Wal Mart: a mega Wal Mart. They also do not have an Uno's. Holyoke and Sturbridge and Springfield have Uno's. Same with Applebee's. Palmer, after 5 years of exploring the surrounding area, is, yes, very sleepy. I am not disparaging the town, but man, there is just nothing going on. It's frustrating trying to find good lunch options. A good Thai place just openned up (the King and I restaurant). They do have 2 Dunkin Donuts, a Big Y. A major car dealer. A Subway. a CVS. a few interesting restaurants. A Friendly's. 2 industrial parks. Alot of pizza shops. A hardware store or two. A couple diners (one was featured on FOX news a year ago...). A cool bike shop. Not much else out of the ordinary. The only thing Palmer has in its future is the potential for a casino that has been in red tape hell for years now, and will only serve to muddy up the already strained roadways (because of the Pike), and bring in, I hate to say, the riff raff of Springfield.

[Hutzbordello]

Originally Posted by hover

Palmer does not have a Wal Mart. Ware has a Wal Mart: a mega Wal Mart. They also do not have an Uno's. Holyoke and Sturbridge and Springfield have Uno's. Same with Applebee's. Palmer, after 5 years of exploring the surrounding area, is, yes, very sleepy. I am not disparaging the town, but man, there is just nothing going on. It's frustrating trying to find good lunch options. A good Thai place just openned up (the King and I restaurant). They do have 2 Dunkin Donuts, a Big Y. A major car dealer. A Subway. a CVS. a few interesting restaurants. A Friendly's. 2 industrial parks. Alot of pizza shops. A hardware store or two. A couple diners (one was featured on FOX news a year ago...). A cool bike shop. Not much else out of the ordinary. The only thing Palmer has in its future is the potential for a casino that has been in red tape hell for years now, and will only serve to muddy up the already strained roadways (because of the Pike), and bring in, I hate to say, the riff raff of Springfield.

not to go off topic but while springfiled had more of every crime other than murders (compton) in 2006, i love my hometown..........i just hate the ******* people who make it so bad

[hover]

I know my last comment makes me come off as a jerk, but let's be honest. I've been going to Springfield since I was 4 years old. Let's just say I have not felt safe in that town after dark in 5 years. I go out alot with peeps from work....and I always have a wierd, sketchy feeling. Hutz, I invite you to change my opinion. Drinks?

[Hutzbordello]

Originally Posted by hover

I know my last comment makes me come off as a jerk, but let's be honest. I've been going to Springfield since I was 4 years old. Let's just say I have not felt safe in that town after dark in 5 years. I go out alot with peeps from work....and I always have a wierd, sketchy feeling. Hutz, I invite you to change my opinion. Drinks?

lol idk if i would change ur mind, but its a possibility

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by hover

Palmer does not have a Wal Mart. Ware has a Wal Mart: a mega Wal Mart. They also do not have an Uno's. Holyoke and Sturbridge and Springfield have Uno's. Same with Applebee's. Palmer, after 5 years of exploring the surrounding area, is, yes, very sleepy. I am not disparaging the town, but man, there is just nothing going on. It's frustrating trying to find good lunch options. A good Thai place just openned up (the King and I restaurant). They do have 2 Dunkin Donuts, a Big Y. A major car dealer. A Subway. a CVS. a few interesting restaurants. A Friendly's. 2 industrial parks. Alot of pizza shops. A hardware store or two. A couple diners (one was featured on FOX news a year ago...). A cool bike shop. Not much else out of the ordinary. The only thing Palmer has in its future is the potential for a casino that has been in red tape hell for years now, and will only serve to muddy up the already strained roadways (because of the Pike), and bring in, I hate to say, the riff raff of Springfield.

You're right about the Wal-Mart, I forgot it's in Ware, but that's not too far from Palmer. I worked in Palmer for a while - actually, Three Rivers, to be exact - back in the early 90s, but I havn't had reason to go back since then. I figured that they would have had an Uno's by now. But, being a New England town, having a Dunkin' Donuts or two is required!

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by Hutzbordello

not to go off topic but while springfiled had more of every crime other than murders (compton) in 2006.....

Whoa, hold on. You talking the USA or the state? I tried doing some searching for this info, and nothing I found pointed to Springfield as leading the nation in anything crime related for 2006.

-Mike

[hover]

Yeah Mike, Springfield is pretty high up there in those stats, "country-wide".

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by stratovani

...But, being a New England town, having a Dunkin' Donuts or two is required!

I grew up in Medford. New Englanders start to get weirded out if they don't see a Dunkin Donuts and a CVS every few minutes.
Is Papa Gino's still going strong up there?

[dangnewt]

Palmer's original claim to fame was as a railroad town and it has a bit more of a blue collar feel to it than say Wilbraham or Belchertown. It is on the eastern end of Western Mass - so Boston is a tad over an hour away, Worcester probably 30 minutes, Springfield 20 minutes and Amherst 20-25 minutes.

For Massachusetts, housing is pretty affordable there and varied whether you like living near the downtown or in woods.

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

I grew up in Medford. New Englanders start to get weirded out if they don't see a Dunkin Donuts and a CVS every few minutes.
Is Papa Gino's still going strong up there?

Yep, it sure is. Not to sidetrack the thread, but my wife loves Papa Gino's, yet I don't care for it.

Also, don't forget Friendly's and Cumberland Farms AKA Cumby's!

[hover]

There's a Cumby's right across the street from where Mike is lookin.