Hater Mail

by The Flossip on July 2, 2012

in Things to do in Florence, SC

I have been writing this site over 6 years and I often get what I call “Hater Mail.”  They hate me, or Florence, or their own life.  I usually just delete it and move on. But here is an example of what comes into my inbox.  Thanks Nancy L. for giving me a good laugh.  You see Nancy– you are missing the point.  Florence is great to those of us who love it here and love each other.  Direct link to the comment.  Note that she also commented again to be CERTAIN that I saw her venom.  Happy Monday!

 

NANCY L July 1, 2012 at 12:17 am

I MOVED TO FLORENCE 10 YRS. AGO…..AND THERE WAS NOTHING HERE ….I AM STILL A NATIVE NEW YORKER/NEW JERSEYITE…..FLORENCE NEEDS EVERYTHING. !! WE NEED A WHOLE FOODS, AN EARTHFARE, A WORLD MARKET, A CARRABBAS, AND A DAVE AND BUSTERS. WE NEED A DILLARDS’, MACY’S, BY THE WAY I TRAVEL TO COLOMBIA TWICE A MONTH FOR MY FOOD SHOPPING. I GO TO PUBLIX, AND FRESH MARKET AND OPENED ANOTHER FRESH MARKET STORE IN MYRTLE BEACH, AND IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE A GRAND OPENING OF WHOLE FOODS.IN COLOMBIA…..SO WHY ARE WE ALWAYS IN THE MIX OF WONDERING WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET IN FLORENCE….. IS IT A SECRET???? AND YES WE DEFINATELY NEED A PUBLIX HERE. SO WAKE UP FLORENCE…… WE ARE IN THE 21ST CENTURY….AND ONE MORE THING, THIS DOWNTOWN FLORENCE REGENTIFICATION WHEN IS THAT GOING TO CHANGE TO A CLEAN, NORMAL MODERN DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN!!!! SINCE YOU BUILT A HUUUUGGGGEEEE LIBRARY, BIGGER THAN THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHY CAN’T YOU FIX FLORENCE AND GIVE THE PEOPLE OF FLORENCE THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD ENJOY AND LOVE.AND NEED. THINK ABOUT IT …..PEOPLE IN HIGH PLACES.THE ONE’S MAKING THE PLANS AND DECISIONS. STOP BEING SOOOOOO OLD FASHIONED…. MOVE ON TO THE BETTERNESS FOR FLORENCE AND IT’S PEOPLE. END OF DISCUSSION……

 

 

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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

1 janet matthews December 2, 2012 at 1:36 pm

yes , there are some nice places to eat and movies, i’d really like to see like another MR MARKS open up my daughter loved it. there is not much other than parks for kids to do i have a teen daughter and she is very bored around here. there is not much for the older kids/teens to do . younger kids the parks, skating, but we do need more family oriented places in florence. i wish we could have a frankies fun park here like columbia has, rather than have to drive 2hrs.. also we have bowling but can get expensive. i hope we get some family entertainment here.

2 S.J. July 11, 2012 at 8:12 pm

Wow. COLOMBIA is a very far way to travel for groceries. Did you mean Columbia?? I am also from the north and miss some things about it (like a great bagel), but Florence is growing. Why do you need so many places to eat and shop? Can’t you cook? Oh and the library is not the biggest library ever built…but it is nice and my children love it. I do sometimes wish there were some more activities for families like mini-golf, museums, concerts, etc.. but Florence is central to a lot of bigger cities. Life is what you make of it. Be grateful for what you have. Is there someone keeping you here against your will??? If not, make a change. Life is too short to be so unhappy.

3 Hope July 2, 2012 at 4:07 pm

I’m not quite sure why this rant was aimed at the Flossip.
To the point: I have been in Florence for 33 years and like you, I would love to have these great retailers. I admit, at times, it can be a bit frustrating. I’ve moved away twice, both times to much larger cities, but somehow I seem to return to good ole Florence. I’ve learned that the place you call home is what YOU make of it! When you choose to spend all of your energy focusing on the things we don’t have, you fail to see the nice things Florence does offer. Bottom line: I don’t know your situation, but if you dislike the area that much, quite possibly you should look for another place to call home.
Also, in my experience, you can find here (Ovis Hill Farm, SC Real Foods, The Healthy Food Store, and The Vitamin Shop) or order (Amazon) just about anything you could purchase at Earthfare or Whole Foods. And, you have the great ability to eat directly from numerous farms vs. off a chain store shelf. I’d choose farm fresh any day!

4 Page July 2, 2012 at 1:24 pm

Some people are so out of touch with reality that it’s sad. What if you were just grateful for what you already have for once? There are many people living on this planet that don’t even have running water.

If you don’t like Florence, move somewhere else; I promise you will find something you don’t like regardless of where you live.

5 Tim July 2, 2012 at 12:39 pm

I recently located last June to Florence from Madison, WI. Now, Florence is certainly not Madison but it does have it’s charms. I like the new initiatives downtown (museum, PAC, Library, etc) and I think it will succeed. Especially since they are working on legislating change instead of hoping. We’re a long way away from what most of us think Florence can be but it certainly is a nice place to live and work.

I would like a little more vibrant music scene as well as a good place for comedy. However, instead of wishing I am working on making it happen. For those like Nancy who don’t like it here, the answer is simple: go elsewhere. No one like complainers.

All of us need to help support the local businesses that keep Florence interesting.

6 Sammie July 2, 2012 at 11:09 am

Wow! I bet you spend a fortune on air travel, you know going to “Colombia twice a month” and all (it’s Columbia, dear). Nancy, I am a teacher who lives in FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA. Can I please teach you how to compose a proper paragraph? Also, I bet there are lot of people in FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA who would love to help you pack your moving truck.

7 James July 2, 2012 at 10:48 am

Maybe she needs to wake up and learn how to spell. It’s COLUMBIA not Colombia. I think Florence is, and remains, a very progressive Southern city. A possible medcial school in 2014, a new muesum, new retailers (albeit not to Nancy’s caliber)and a thriving civic center that provides nationally acclaimed acts and performers…get me a plane ticket, I’m ready to come home!

8 julie July 2, 2012 at 10:31 am

I have one thing too say.GO back no one holding a gun to your head to stay

9 Ed Cagle July 2, 2012 at 10:23 am

Well Nancy, you either too young to have learned or had parents who missed this part of your education or you have reached the age to not remember certain things (I have that problem occasionally), that cities do not build businesses like Publix, Whole Foods, World Market, Earthfare, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Dave and Bruster’s, Carrabas, etc. Executives of those businesses make those decisions on where to locate and when to do so. However, cities do decide on building public facilities such as the one you mention, our public library (supported by funds from the benevolent Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation). So Ms. Nancy (that’s respectful southern terminology that we southerners use to address ladies), the proper direction for you to address your desire for and dissapointment in those businesses you name not having locations here in Florence is to the leaders of those organizations, not the leaders of Florence or its citizenry. Their addresses are available by doing a websearch via Google, Yahoo or your favorite search engine. Please keep us informed on your progess, we’re rooting for your success. Regards, Ed

10 Angie July 2, 2012 at 10:11 am

People like Nancy need to go back to NY/NJ!!! I bet she doesn’t miss the traffic & pollution!!! I’m from Atlanta, lived in Charleston 10 years & still miss it, lived in Columbia 4 years & hated it! Been here 4 years & it’s OK! ;-)

11 Fran July 2, 2012 at 10:05 am

I am originally from New Jersey and love it here…will never go back up there! All I can say to Nancy L…don’t like it here, leave?? I have been in SC for 15yrs, of that in Florence for 7yrs. I love seeing the chance from when I first got here. I would love a Publix also, lived in Aiken before here and that was my Grocery store of choice. I learned to live without of when visiting my daughter in Columbia I stop to pick up some of my favorites. The Downtown, I’m hoping is going to become the Alley like in Akien. More restaurants are opening/planning to open and they are trying to revitalize Downtown. I also think you are talking to the wrong person, Nancy. Go to a city council meeting to air your griefs or learn to be happy with what you have. If not, change it. End of discussion :)

12 Amy Lauren July 2, 2012 at 9:59 am

… Because the hyperlocal blog scene has the power to do all of this.

Okay, as a Florence resident for 9 years who just moved to Charleston, I’m going to make a few observations on three weeks here and why Florence isn’t such a bad place.

1.) Tons of great restaurants have opened in Florence. When I moved to Florence in 2003, restaurants like Old Europe, Chutnee, Thai House, and Rebel Pie weren’t around. There was no Starbucks and only one local coffee shop. Florence has lost some great businesses but has also gained many. You and Pee Dee Foodie do a great job of keeping people up to date on what’s going on.

2.) There are things going on. A few years ago, there was no Pecan Festival, and now the Pecan Fest is huge! There was also no downtown. My friend volunteered at the Pecan Fest with her sorority in college in 2005, and they were giving the volunteers the shirts and everything because hardly anyone knew and came. Now it’s booming and one of the biggest events in the area. The downtown Farmer’s Market, Art Trail gallery, all great additions.

3.) The mall in Florence is not so bad. I was super close to it in West Florence, and while it’s not the Mall of America, you can, for the most part, get whatever you need there. Sure there’s no Macy’s or Dillard’s, but if you need new shoes to match an outfit, you can pretty much go to the Magnolia Mall area and find what you’re looking for and get back to wherever you live in Florence within an hour or so.

4.) Florence has great gyms for the price. McLeod, Fitness World, Fitness Forum, are all really great places to work out for a reasonable price (I’m so jealous to hear about my friends paying $65 to get a gym membership that includes CrossFit). And Carolina Running Company does a great job of promoting local 5Ks, you can view them all on their website (I haven’t found anything like that here yet).

Can things be improved? Definitely- that’s what we all have to strive for in our lives, jobs, etc, whatever we do. But I will say in the past ten years Florence has come a long way. I miss it and enjoyed the time I lived there, wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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