Strong possibility of moving to the US

[thatitalian]

Well,

I recently got an opportunity at work to move to the US next year which I would like to take.

I would be based in St. Louis, Missouri and would like to know what this state is like? Is anyone here from there? What are the best websites to look for a home?

More importantly, what is the availability of arcade parts from there!?

GO RAMS! LOL.

Thanks guys!

[Nemss316]

I am from St. Louis, Mo. Well, techically, I live about 15 mins east of St. Louis, in Illinois. There are a couple good arcade vendors located here:

The Juke Box Doctor
314-962-8836

He sometimes has pretty good deals on older PCB's and arcade parts that can be hard to find.

Another good source is:

Arcade Amusements Plus owned by Bill Striler
314-401-9346.

He also sells arcade parts, older cabs, etc.

SuperAuctions makes a stop twice a year in Belleville, IL. Its very easy to get to, and I can keep you updated on the dates they will be in town. They actually will be here on the third Saturday of this month, and then will most likely return early next year. They auction off a ton of arcades, jukeboxes, etc.

This is a great area. The city does have a couple of bad spots, mainly North St. Louis city, and South Counties. If you are going to be located downtown, I would highly recommend looking in IL, and making the commute over. There is a train that runs through the city. If you are an IT guy, you will most likely be located out in West County, which you will want to look out there, as the commute will be rather long. I work for Bank of America, and do network monitoring for all of the ATM's located in the US. If you have any questions at all, feel free to PM me.

What will you be doing in St. Louis??

And one more thing: if you come to St. Louis, its not about the Rams here: its all about the St. Louis Cardinals!

[HaRuMaN]

hmm... how are you going to ship your arcade machine?  

[divemaster127]

St. Louis, MO is a great city.  I live within 6 hrs.
dm

[thatitalian]

Well my brother has kindly agreed to adopt it until I return. Of course he is more happy about it than I am! Don't worry though, I am still going to build my project as soon as my exams finish, which is in 3 weeks!

I am a finance guy! I will be working as an auditor.

Thanks for the heads up Nemss, might look into Illinois.

What is the property like over there, specifically, what are the best sites I should be looking on?

GO CARDINALS INSTEAD OF RAMS! (LOL)

[Martijn]

Well my brother has kindly agreed to adopt it until I return. Of course he is more happy about it than I am! Don't worry though, I am still going to build my project as soon as my exams finish, which is in 3 weeks!

I am a finance guy! I will be working as an auditor.

Thanks for the heads up Nemss, might look into Illinois.

What is the property like over there, specifically, what are the best sites I should be looking on?

GO CARDINALS INSTEAD OF RAMS! (LOL)

phew, almost thought you wouldn't build your marvel cab.. 

[Nemss316]

You can check bnd.com, that the Belleville News Democrat, there's a real estate section in there for rentals, or buying. StlToday.com is another great site for checking out homes. Or, if you are for sure looking, I have no problem helping out, just let me know what you'll be looking for as it gets closer, and I get let you know what I find.

[ChadTower]

First thing you want to learn about St Louis is that you shout GO CARDINALS instead... if you want to convince people you have been there all along buy yourself a Brett Hull jersey.

[Nemss316]

Its true. Opening day for baseball is truly the city's biggest event all year long here. No one works that day!

[ChadTower]

...and you still support Mark McGwire even though you won't say that outside of Missouri.

[thatitalian]

phew, almost thought you wouldn't build your marvel cab.. 

That is not about to happen! If I build it, they will come.....

You can check bnd.com, that the Belleville News Democrat, there's a real estate section in there for rentals, or buying. StlToday.com is another great site for checking out homes. Or, if you are for sure looking, I have no problem helping out, just let me know what you'll be looking for as it gets closer, and I get let you know what I find.

Cheers for the help Nemss!

[web.geek]

And one more thing: if you come to St. Louis, its not about the Rams here: its all about the St. Louis Cardinals!

I've only ever driven through St. Louis (and only once), but I can tell you the Rams suck. Even the transplanted football Cardinals (who also suck, but are now out here in Arizona) beat the crap out of them last week 

if you want to convince people you have been there all along buy yourself a Brett Hull jersey.

Better yet, get Bernie Federko, Al MacInnis, Brian Sutter, or my favorite...CUJO   

[Ummon]

And one more thing: if you come to St. Louis, its not about the Rams here: its all about the St. Louis Cardinals!

I've only ever driven through St. Louis (and only once), but I can tell you the Rams suck. Even the transplanted football Cardinals (who also suck, but are now out here in Arizona) beat the crap out of them last week 

?? I thought the cardinals have been in Pheonix since the 80s at least. Maybe the 70s.

[web.geek]

?? I thought the cardinals have been in Pheonix since the 80s at least. Maybe the 70s.

Yeah, they moved to AZ (as the Phoenix Cardinals) in 1987. They became the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. I didn't mean to imply that it was a recent move, just that they suck and they beat the Rams last week.

[BASS!]

I'm not even from there and no one even thought to mention www.craigslist.com :-)

[shmokes]

I've always heard that St. Louis is really lame.  Never been there.  And god knows everybody and their dog tried to warn me off Miami before I came out here, but I think Miami is pretty freaking great.

[Nemss316]

Miami has Dexter...better be careful!

[ChadTower]

Utah crapping on Missouri... gotta love that.   

[clok]

Rams do not suck (been a fan since the early 80's) funny how everybody loved um when they where winning and hate um now all the RAMS shirts when they won (band wagon people suck more then any football team)..  They are a pretty sub-par team this year, but even then are better then the old cards.. lets count Superbowl wins, or apperances, playoff wins, or apperances?  Um.. Cards suck (the football team).

Remeber if you only like somebody when they win, your a ---auto-censored---     I have passed through ST Louis a few times, seemed nice to me. But (other then football team opinions) the ST Louis people should be filling ya in on that stuff.

You want some info on US.. we are no where near as bad as the rest of the world see's us, our goverment seems to have its fingers in alot of cookie jars, but suprisingly when we stay out of stuff the rest of the world wonders why we dont do somthing (so danged if you do, danged if you dont). I think the worst thing about US you will notice is the different things that are taboo.. Reliegion and Sex are way more taboo over here, you dont make the fun of religion (in jest) like you do over there, and Sex.. wow.. shoot somebody and you go to jail a year and get out in 6 months, get caught with a hooker and your life is over.. (exageration, but you may get the point). We have far to many people who worry about stuff they never see or that wont effect them. We do tend to have a "me, me, me" attuitude sometimes.. walk into any wallmart to see this in action. it will be a big change, but hopefully after time, one you wont regret. Just remeber for every "bad" person/thing you encounter, there will be 10 good ones if you give people/things a chance.

Clok

[thatitalian]

To be honest I like Americans. Some of them are a bit oblivious to the rest of the world, but then so are some of the country bumpkins in the UK. Especially in London. Some people are complete ---Cleveland steamer--- heads here!

All in all yanks seem generally happy people (I hope that is natural, and not pill driven ).

It is just a pretty scary thought of moving to somewhere I have never been. Sure, I have been to the US around 6 times, just never St Louis. New York, Washington DC, LA, Florida (North and South), San Francisco and Vegas. They all seemed nice, apart from New York, which was just another London but with American accents!

[pinballwizard79]

Warning, STL is far from comparable to Vegas, San Francisco & all the other cities you mentioned.

STL has a very high crime rate with lots of violence in & around the city.

Like it was said earlier, move into the IL side suburbs or head west towards or past St. Charles (but get an ipod because traffic is horrible). If you are closer than 15 minutes to East St. Louis or North City (the areas on the news EVERY night with ANOTHER shooting) then you are not far enough.

Then again, not all you "blokes" live in Buckingham palace either so I may be preaching to the choir. Some of us Americans think you all drink tea & live in castles........but I know better & since you work in finance you may already be a gangster (says a 5 year veteran from Countrywide Financial, formerly traded as CHL:)

Anyway, its cool, I live there & have for 29 years.

www.cppinball.com (website not updated with full/correct game list....its way better) is a pretty cool attraction & the owner will sell or find you anything you want (good dude too). A short drive (couple hours) to KC takes you to a few arcade dealers but it seems they get everything from the superauctions which seem to happen darn near every few months in IL it seems.

I wont be your friend though until you get a decent arcade/pinball collection acquired though 

You sure you dont work for EnBev?

 

[thatitalian]

Hahahaha! No I don't.

Well, at don't plan on getting shot and if you have been there for 29 years and nothing has happened to you (and I hope nothing happens to you for another 29 years) then it should be fine but thanks for the heads up! I will have to speak to my company about the possibility of expensing a body guard, and maybe getting a moat to go with my castle!

I am however worried for my girlfriend who will be joining me!

I was hoping to be your friend, after all, when I get there you will be the only guy I know who will have an arcade machine for me to play with!

[pinballwizard79]

I tell you what, send your girlfriend over first & then maybe we can be friends later 

LOL, JK man

I mean inbev earlier too btw......dogh!

[shmokes]

Utah crapping on Missouri... gotta love that.   

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Actually, Utah is pretty awesome aside from the people.  Go there for the outdoors and there's nowhere better.  Seriously.  Utah has five national parks, and as many national monuments and state parks that would be national parks if they were in any other state.

[ChadTower]

Utah crapping on Missouri... gotta love that.   

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Who was trying to make a right?   

I was going for a left hook.

[thatitalian]

Well I wouldn't be fired! I work for a global multi billion euro blue chip company (the biggest and most well know in their field) that you would all definitely know. It is a secondment anyway so i would be employed technically by the UK. The only problem is that the audit team is based in St Louis as it is central, allowing easier travel around US and Canada.

But that is a serious bummer to know that! I am actually a little worried...

[ChadTower]

Being a two bit liar is no way to live one's life.

[pinballwizard79]

Unfortunately Jim is right, our murder ratio is nearly 300% above the already very ridiculously high American average.

You cant argue with statistics: http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=St.+Louis&state=MO

Something tells me those numbers have increased lately too by the way, its getting worse here.

Just move out west or to IL, pay the extra money, sit in the traffic & enjoy life.

Missouri isn't bad my friend, we have wineries, malls, fantastic neighborhoods & safe public parks everywhere. Its just important to know that unlike other cities with thriving downtown's STL isn't a cosmopolitan high-rise packed elite snobby city to live in. Its a well forgotten area ignored by the residential & commercial investors since what, 1945?

Also, you wont find a single grocery store or walmart in the city so if the largest blood sucking corporation in our nation says "No thanks" whats that tell you?

Also, get a P90 or M4 carbine right away 

[pinballwizard79]

LOL, btw no one cares about the 100 year old fair 

That was funny though because it is mentioned in visitor guides I think.....so he is sort of right but we don't wear t-shirts that say "I wasnt alive during the fair 100 years ago & all I got was this lousy t shirt".

more stats

"The city of St. Louis has one of the highest per-capita crime rates in the United States.

According to FBI statistics it ranked third in 2005 in the country's highest murder rates for cities above 250,000 (trailing Baltimore, Maryland and Detroit, Michigan).

According to Morgan Quitno's "America's safest/most dangerous cities" report,[1] St. Louis has ranked among nation's worst three in per capita crime - 3rd in 2000, 3rd in 2001, 1st in 2002, 2nd in 2003, 3rd in 2004, 3rd in 2005, and 1st again in 2006. [2]"

[ChadTower]

Its a well forgotten area ignored by the residential & commercial investors since what, 1945?

1946 was a hell of a World Series... it may have saved MLB given the way the game was floundering post WWII.

[hypernova]

Hmmm...nope.  Don't have any more room for any Italians. 

[thatitalian]

Yeah, might have to break out the rocket launcher instead!

Is there a lot of Italians in St Louis? I thought they just stuck to New York! Well, at least that's where some of my family are.

Yeah, I won't tell the locals what I do and I am definitely considering switching sides (to IL) for a better quality of life, oh.. and the fact that I quite like my life and do not want to get killed!!! or  ? I do not want that decision to be made for at least another 50 years!

[MPTech]

Born, raised, schooled, and will probably die in St. Louis, almost 50 years. My 2 children were also born & raised here, but I'm trying to convince them to explore outside of St. Louis.
My father was a city Fire-Fighter so we were required to live "in the city", but we lived on the county line, the middle of the street divided the city and county.
The crime doesn't bother me any more than any other large city, I don't hang out in those areas, and I'm careful.
I've never been robbed or car-jacked and I don't know anyone personally (friends or family) that have either.

I've been to Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Miami, LA, Denver, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City, Philidelphia, Tijuana, Las Vegas, etc etc etc, many many times on business and the bad parts of town are no better or worse. I avoid them all.

I work for an International company and we have many employees from all over the world that have re-located and enjoy St. Louis as home. It's not my first choice, but it's really not bad. Yeah, Rams suck, but how many cities can claim professional football, baseball, and hockey teams!?!?! take your pick! It also has one of the best zoos in the world (thank you 100 year old World's Fair) and several Art, Science and History musuems (also thank you World's Fair).
St. louis also has some excellent hospitals, colleges and universities too! As well as an Outdoor Opera and The Fox theater for plays and music concerts (classical as well as modern music and comedians).
St. Louis is very culturally diverse. (for something different, there is also the Dog musuem, the Bowling Hall of Fame, the Butterfly house, the Botanical Gardens, the Gateway to the West museum and the Arch) There are also several wineries within an hours drive and several Gambling Casinos if you like that too.
Not too far from downtown (still in the city) is an Italian community know as "The Hill" with great dining (although it may not be quite like home for you).
And 2 hours from St. Louis is Lake of the Ozarks and just a little further is Branson and Silver Dollar City.
The thing I do miss most is the Ocean, but the nearby lakes are very nice.

If you know where you'll be working, I can suggest good / convenient locations to live. The housing is very reasonable compared to most large cities.

Lot of negative comments here from people that just passed thru!
I don't own or carry a gun and I don't live in fear.

Good Luck on your move my friend and don't worry 
PM me if you'd like to visit for dinner (and play some Galaga, DK, PacMan, Joust, Tapper, etc on my Cab with me!)

[Singapura]

Yeah, St Louis is cool. I got my MBA there from Webster University.

[MPTech]

I can't complain either. I got my BA from UMSL (Univesity of MO St. Louis), my MBA frm St. Louis University, and taught graduate and under-graduate courses at SLU for 5 years!  Each was a great experience!

Job market is a little depressing though!  (don't come looking for a job!)

[Singapura]

Not really planning to find a job in the US, especially in banking. I'm fine in Singapore 

[Cakemeister]

From what I understand the weather in St. Louis is terrible. You get the worst of both winter and summer. Blizzards in winter, hot and steamy in summer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missouri#Climate

[MPTech]

I wouldn't say terrible. This last Summer & Winter were both relatively mild. Snowed maybe twice, not as hot as Houston in the Summer.

[Bartman]

I live in the Metro St Louis area as well.  Agreed on the point that some of the negativity are from "pass through's".  One often overlooked point on the crime statistic is that St Louis city proper, does not encompass the surrounding county, like say, Chicago or New York.  So while many crimes happen in the downtown area, the lower crime rates of the surrounding communities do not help to average it out, unlike other large cities.  There are many wonderful area's to live in around St Louis, both west and east (on the Illinois side).  But keep in mind, it is a 'car' town.  Mass transit isn't the best.

Good luck with the move!

Bart

[Flake]

Oh for God's sake people give it a rest.  If you think there are more than a few cities in the US with ideal living conditions your the one kidding yourself.  I live in IL (all 31 years of my life) and have worked downtown STL for 5 years now.  Never have I seen, heard of, witnessed, or experienced any crime, violent or otherwise in that time span.  The actual city of STL isnt all that big and there arent a ton of people living in the city limits so it doesnt take much crime to show a high crime rate.  Like other posters have stated, and like any other city in this country (or world perhaps) there are better communities to live than others.  Also, just as others have stated, that there is riverport ampitheater, savvis center, fox theater and the pageant for music concerts.  All good places to see a show in my opinion.  Its not exactly Red Rocks but what is?  There are 3 professional sports teams, wineries, casinos, plenty of shopping areas, the riverfront, a great zoo, forest park, the bowling hall of fame (hahaha), the hill for italian dining, etc.  The metrolink is decent for transportation if you live in IL as you can take that to sporting events and not bother with driving.  IL actually has lots of nice lakes within an hour or two drive from downtown STL.  Also, depending on where you move to the Hwy 40/64 closing may impact you commute for another year or so.

As far as the weather goes, it can get humid in the summer which in my opinion is the worst aspect of this area.  The winter last from about December through February but it can change dramatically in a matter of a day.  One day its 45, one day its 25.  Summers are pretty dry and until recently winters have been pretty mild as far as snowfall (we got a good deal of snow last year). 

One thing for sure though is dont listen to PinballJim.  That guy has simply regurgitated every stereotype associated with city in his original post.  There's nothing more revealing about someones true knowledge of a situation/environment when they do something like that.  He was here for two years and all of a sudden he's an expert?  Please.  I'm not an expert and I have lived here for 31 years.  Every post I've read from this guy on any subject has been negative so be mindful of that.

Would I recommend another city?  Sure there are better places to live and there are worse places to live.  But dont get the impression that your moving to a economically repressed area with run down housing and bullets flying around you because your not.

As far as arcade parts/supplies.  My best experience has been with super auctions in belleville.  I've been to three of them and come home with treasures 2 out of 3 times.  I just picked up a nice jvl itouch5 from Saturday's auction for cheap.  There were alot of bargains to be had at this one especially if you had your eye on some pinball machines.  I wanted one of the two Terminator 2 pinball machines they had but they were just out of my reach.  You should find out where pinballwizard lives and move right next door.  He has a pretty sweet looking gameroom and enough pinball machines that you could tide yourself over playing his until you got your own. 

By the way when you say you're an auditor, I assume you are referring to internal audit?  I'm an external auditor for a local CPA firm (we dont do publically traded entities) so I could probably relate to your job. 

Anyway, welcome and enjoy the stay.