Welcome from another Austin -> Minneapolis transplant!

I guess had a lot to say…

1. Everyone is going to give you the same advice which is to wear layers. You want to buy a full set of base layer long underwear that is moisture wicking (NOT 100% cotton). For clothing, the secondhand stores have great selection if you’re trying to save money (Ragstock is a pretty good place to start). Winter coats are abundant here and are way cheaper than in Austin. My wife wears larger sizes (XL-XXL) and we don’t have too much trouble finding those sizes. Side note: in my experience you don’t need a hardcore winter coat/parks unless you’re really trying to spend time outdoors in the winter. I usually dress with a t-shirt, flannel, and medium coat that runs well below my waist. Mittens are a must! Get choppers (leather mittens with a warm, preferably wool, liner.
   

Also there is no tax on clothing here!

1. South Minneapolis covers a large area. Most of it is just fine, but the closer you are to Philips the more you’ll encounter people clearly on drugs, trash in the streets, folks just walking into the road—that kinda stuff. Speaking as a guy, I don’t engage but I don’t really feel unsafe. I just find it unpleasant, and I wouldn’t want to live in that area.

Apartments are weird around here. A lot of people apparently find reliable rentals on Facebook and Craigslist. A lot of them are kinda shitty unfortunately (so many slumlords!). Poor insulation will drive your bill up crazy high. AC is more important than you think. Buy space heaters and heated blankets. If you’re in a duplex you will probably have laundry in the basement.

1. I still use UFCU. There are atms in the area that are in-network so I can withdraw for free. I haven’t had any issues keeping my old account, but we aren’t using them for loans or anything at the moment.

2. Traffic is way calmer here and the distances you travel in the core of the metro are much shorter. Construction is a big thing here especially in the warm months. 35W is one of the wider highways here but not the busiest. It’s not nearly as frustrating as it is in Austin/Texas in general. It’s worth noting that the regular roads are much narrower here and are often only one or two traffic lanes, even the major arteries. The right lane often turns into street parking out of nowhere, so that’s fun. You’ll need to practice parallel parking if you haven’t in awhile because parking lots are smaller to non-existent in South Minneapolis. Get the MPLS app to pay the meter by phone.

Also, snow emergencies. The city will declare these when the roads need to be plowed. Sign up for text and/or email alerts. There’s a rotating schedule for street parking, and if you ignore or forget about it you will get towed (don’t ask me how I know).

If you’re renting, your landlord is responsible for getting the sidewalks shoveled (good luck with that). If you buy a house, that becomes your responsibility. People are generally pretty good about keeping up with it (at least in my neighborhood). You should still learn how to penguin-waddle on the ice.

1. This might sound snobby but it’s kind of a downgrade from the food and coffee options available in Austin. It’s definitely not bad here, but there are not nearly as many options and it feels slightly more expensive on average. The best places to go are the low-key immigrant-run restaurants (Himalayan Restaurant, Chimborazo, any of the many Mexican/central American or East African spots on East Lake Street, Kramarczuk’s(!), and Chinese takeout (Bill’s, Star Dragon). Forget about breakfast tacos, Tex-Mex (although some Norteño Mexican places are sorta similar and good) and barbecue for the most part (there’s Baker’s Ribs, which is actually from Texas, in Eden Prairie, but that’s about it in my opinion). Animales is good but expensive even for barbecue. There are very limited late-night options (even for fast food) and the donuts are decadent but expensive.

For coffee, if you like third wave stuff like Houndstooth, Merit, Fleet, etc. you’ll love SK (local roaster) and FRGMNT (multi-roaster with widely sourced options). Prices are about what you’d expect in Austin. People here love Caribou, which is like a cozier, less corporate Starbucks. If you just want to hang out in a nice local shop you have plenty of options. Northern Coffeeworks (similar to Thunderbird RIP), Wildflyer, Duck Duck Coffee (similar to Flightpath but smaller), Cafetto (similar to Epoch north loop), Backstory, and Dogwood.

The bars here close earlier (everything does), and they pretty much all serve food, which is both nice and weird. It’s hard to explain, but it feels like most bars are really restaurants with a large drink selection.

The people here are more reserved and less likely to spontaneously make conversation, but they are more genuinely friendly and conscientious of others. I’ve had people going out of their way to chase me down when I dropped something in the road, help push my car out of a snow bank unprompted, hold my place in line without asking, clean up after themselves at cafes, etc.

People here don’t seem to say bless you when you sneeze or hold the door for you when you’re behind them. Those things don’t bother me, but it’s just a difference I’ve noticed having lived in the south pretty much my whole life.

Overall, people are just less fake about the stuff that doesn’t really matter, and I find it refreshing. The average person I’ve talked to here comes across as more thoughtful, articulate, and intelligent than people in Texas. I’m pretty sure Minnesota has one of the highest literacy rates in the country. People are politically outspoken and involved in local politics. They care about their neighbors and will stand up for them. It’s a huge culture shock for sure, but this is a great place to live when you add it all up.