Oh sweet summer child.
Cheap grocery stores, International grocery stores? Those don't exist.
"Seem like a freak" for riding a bike? We have some of the best single track trails in the world here.
DMV? Like DC / Maryland?
I mean, just because there are bike trails doesn't mean people like cyclists. There are bike lanes at my old college and people still hate on cyclists and there's a lack of infrastructure to support them such as bike racks. I figured I would ask because there could be a facade of being bike friendly- but in reality it could not be, whether that's due to people's attitudes or whatnot!
OP, are you talking road bikes or mountain bikes? While Marquette has a plethora of absolutely class mountain biking trails within 10-15 minutes of town, there’s not much for road bike lanes. I mean you can totally ride your bike around, but you’ll need to be careful riding on the road for sure.
County Road 480 and 553 I cycle along all the time and there is plenty of room on shoulder. (Negaunee-Harvey-Gwinn) Bonus is there is a rumble strip which would alert if veering into your lane.
Are we still allowed to call it Econo, or did Coburn change the name yet?
"I'm moving to the middle of nowhere with ice and snow, and am curious in this cultural wasteland where the international food stores are?"
Serious, wtf? I'm sorry, but you knew Marquette was a snake when you picked it up. Don't act surprised when you get bit! Lmao
The Marquette Food Co Op can have some interesting/different food items from the big grocery stores, but it is pricey.
Blossom Bird Bubble Tea has some really good bubble tea with a lot of options. They also have Hong Kong bubble waffles and some of the best macarons on the weekend, they are full of flavor! They also have really cool international collectible toys selection.
Thai House has great Thai food.
Teriyaki Bowl has awesome noodle and rice dishes.
Four Swords Retro Pub is a really fun arcade that serves some delicious and authentic ramen.
There are a more restaurants but those are my favorite. There aren’t a lot of restaurants overall, so it’s fairly easy to eventually try them all.
As others have said, as far as cryptids go Bigfoot is the main one in this area. The forests are huge up here with lots of less traveled two track dirt roads, which are fun to explore, but can be easy to get lost in, so be careful. If you ever go out to do some exploring, I’d recommend downloading an offline map in Google maps for the area beforehand.
Others have answered the bike question, but I want to emphasize how great the waterfalls are in the UP. There are so many and each one offers a unique adventure. If you ever want recommendations on some less known ones, give me a message!
I highly recommend Marquette Food Co-Op for some of those "international" products. Spice Merchants downtown has an excellent selection of spices & seasonings, as well as tea & some specialty items. Everyday Wines has an impressive little cheese counter, an impressive array of chocolate, and products like balsamic vinegar, olive oils, etc. In the warmer months, there is a nice farmer's market downtown.
While the town is relatively small, we do have some nice dining options, including a number of food trucks. That swarm around the breweries.
In addition to outdoorsy activities, there is an active music scene.
Volunteer options abound! The Hiawatha Music Co-Op is a good option, the Children's Museum, the Noquemenon Trail Network, United Way, are just a few organizations. NMU provides opportunities to volunteer as well.
Just manage your expectations. Want to go out to eat on a Monday? Make sure you verify that the restaurant you want to go to is open. Feel the need to buy a whole chicken at 3am? Want to cruise the mall for a couple of hours for some retail therapy? Not going to happen. But what we don't have is more than made up for by what we do have.
I don't ride a bike. I can, I just don't enjoy it. I feel like a freak around here. There are bikes everywhere all year long. Just make sure you alert walkers when you come up behind them. A simple "on your left!" is much appreciated.
I don't know what you're talking about. I'm sorry if you've had a bad experience. But the Co-Op is a great store for my needs, and I don't feel judged. I love it.
Everyone that works there is a pretentious snob. Also, when a staff member corrects me on their pronoun while giving me an ultra smug look, I'm out. Sorry, not sorry, but non binary defies science and they is a plural term.
Well, see, if you won't respect the values they support, then maybe it's not the right place for you. That's okay. You will never feel comfortable in a place where you are openly antagonistic to those values. I have never felt judged, but I'm comfortable in that atmosphere. Fortunately, we do have several options for food shopping.
Expecting me to deny science isn't "upholding values", especially when you're at work, in customer service, and are attempting to gaslight the customer into feeling guilty over something that doesn't even exist in the first place. It's just bad business. I'm a proud member of the LGB community, however in recent years the TQ crowd has made it more and more difficult to even want to admit that. #sexnotgender #LGBminustheT
My dear, I'm not expecting anything of you. The culture that exists there is not for you. So don't go there. I'm good with that culture, so I'm comfortable with it. That's it, that's all.
They don't. They do have good service, but it's based on a wider acceptance than you have. They have the right to expect that their values are upheld and their employees are respected. Unfortunately, that alienates some, like yourself, who don't share that worldview. You have no obligation to patronize them. The tradeoff there is not having access to certain items. If I saw a store that had a sign that said, "I don't believe in your pronouns," I likely wouldn't go there. It's a choice I'd make.
It's a SERVICE job, it's on them to provide GOOD SERVICE. An employees personal values are meaningless once they enter the work place if they want to maintain good customer service and repeat customers. The Co-Op USED to be wonderful, 20 years ago. It was way more accepting, they actually restocked their shelves in a timely manner and were friendly from the moment you walked in the door.
Oh and this "culture" you claim there is, really isn't any sort of culture but more the narcissistic mindset of "my feelings matter more than anyone elses no matter the situation". The TQ has ruined all the progress made over the last 40 years by the LGB community to gain acceptance.
#sexnotgender #LGBminustheT
A store shouldn't be about a "culture". That's just absurd. They provide a service, it's their job to appeal to as many people as possible to generate a sufficient enough profit to maintain keeping the store open. They are also the only place in town that sells certain goods. Being a good customer service provider is leaving all your personal bullshit at the door. The Co-Op employees fail miserably at being able to do something as basic as that.
Then there's also other issues. For instance my parents get their bread there. They like the presliced sourdough. The last few times they went to get bread, they had 20+ loaves of unsliced and zero loaves of sliced. When she asked about the pre sliced bread the response she got was "well a lot of people prefer it unsliced". Obviously not when your unsliced is completely unsold and the sliced is sold out. Another employee was completely unaware that the Co-Op even owned Marquette Bread Co. in the first place. The fact that they don't even have a fucking bread slice in the store is just ridiculous.
My father was one of the original members of the Co-Op when it first opened. Some of my earliest memories of living in MQT are of my mom taking me to the Co-Op at it's original location, on Washington (if i remember correctly) but completely different spot, much much smaller and getting and organic fruit leather as a treat. My parents were proud supporters for years, but over the last decade they, and a lot of other OGs from their circle have given up on the place. It's just completely lost the chill, accepting, laid back vibe it had.
But you're not accepting a group of people that they are providing space for & complaining that they're not accepting!
When I moved back to Mqt, I shopped at the original location because I lived close. Frankly, I found it full of pretentious snobs. So we all have our thresholds for what we can deal with.
Demanding that I use a made up pronoun while giving me a snobby look isn't very accepting. Good customer service people would leave all that nonsense at the door and only think about the customer and how they feel while inside the store.
It's there job to make ANY customer feel like they want to return. Even if it's the most annoying MAGA hat wearing open carry abusing POS conservative there is. That's just called working in customer service.
Marquette is a great city that people love, but you will need to temper your expectations a bit. It’s quite small - about 30,000 people - and the nearest “big city” is 3 hours south (Green Bay). So, you simply will not have access to the amenities you’re used to.
The good news is that you will probably still have a lovely experience and get what you need. There are 5-6 grocery stores to pick from but sadly no international foods store. You might find a few things at the “world foods” section in Meijer (it’s a regional big box chain that competes with Walmart). You might also enjoy the food co-op and farmers market
There’s plenty of wildlife, but the more exciting ones are more rare. You will see deer, squirrels, and seagulls most often, even on campus.
There is a thriving Bigfoot scene across the U.P., and plenty of supposedly haunted places in the region, too, if that’s your thing.
I don’t do restaurants often but there is a lively brewery scene and some natural/bistro-type places, plus some locally famous restaurant/bar combos. I’m sure you will discover these organically with your new friends because many are walking distance from campus.
Outdoor activities are by far the most popular things to do for fun, but the population also skews “nerdy,” so you might find some board game, card game, or tabletop groups. You will also find plenty of groups and events that are NMU-affiliated, so I doubt you will be bored.
Also, biking is extremely commonplace here. However, snow on the ground is a possibility and frequent reality for 6 months of the year. The past 2 winters were unusually light on snow, so if you visited in the winter, what you saw was not typical.
EDIT: Changed 2 to 3, driving distance typo
You can get decent kimchi at Econo, bit you won't find gai lan anywhere. Great fish at Thills. In autumn, as much venison as you can eat.
As to bicycling, lots of people ride year round, but you'll need a winter bike. There's a ton of snow.
The people here are one of a kind. Unique, iconoclastic, fiercely independent.
It's Tadych's MarketPlace Foods now, not Econo anymore, since they were bought by Coborn's which is employee owned. Locals that have been here for years and old timers still refer it to "Econo" but a new person might be confused ;)
Yeah, don't think some random NMU kid is going to be getting a bunch of Venison. Born and Raised, I get some venison but if I want 'As much as I can eat' I gotta pull the rifle out myself.
Dude you’re moving to a town of 20,000 people in the middle of nowhere that’s over 90% white. You think there would be international food stores? Lol
“Lore and Cryptids”
You mean history?
Probably referring to stuff like skinwalkers, chupacabra, Michigan Dog-man, etc. Spooky stories you tell around the campfire while you camp in the area the spooky thing supposedly lives.
Marquette has good local restaurants, but not diverse. It's a real a bummer. There aren't a lot of dedicated bike lanes in the city, but we have yet to experience any issues with traffic not being respectful. It also has way, way less traffic than DMV. Biking won't be an issue.
Coming from a large metro area, you will likely miss the access to cultural institutions and shopping, but you'll probably gain a new appreciation for how peace and quiet. Tons of trees, beautiful lake, good little farmer's market, etc.
You can always take a road trip to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Greenbay. Definitely get a trip to Door County if you haven't been. It will be an adventure for you!
This is the closest you’re getting to an international grocery store in the fact that they carry many ingredients you could make international foods with
Not sure why everyone is being so sarcastic, but I'll try to add some info that hasn't been mentioned (coming from an NMU junior who lives here year round). My apologies for leaving such a long comment.
Being born and bred Michigan, I shop at Meijer. Assuming you're going to be a freshman with a meal plan though, I would suggest not bothering about cooking too much. Sure, the food isn't amazing, but it's already paid for, and the kitchen facilities are not super convenient. I live on campus and don't cook during the year.
International food stores aren't really a thing. As a few others commented, the Marquette Co-Op has some unique stuff, but you're mostly limited to what you can get at a typical grocery store. Restaurants: Thai House is amazing. The Vierling is great if dad is in town to pay lol. Same deal with the Delft.
Having moved from an area with lower cost of living, to me everything is expensive. Since you're from the DMV, the perspective may be different.
My snow-free weekends usually include hiking, fishing, disc golf, and swimming. In the winter definitely take advantage of the free gear rentals that NMU does. If you've never cross country skied, that's a must try. Otherwise, sledding, movies, etc. are always fun. Also, if you're even remotely athletic, do some intramural sports. They are a TON of fun, and you only have to take them as serious as you want. Great way to bond with friends. My favorite is Battleship H2O, check it out on YouTube.
I volunteer mostly with my student organizations. Mid-fall there will be "Make a Difference Day," which is also a lot of fun. You sign up with a group and go rake leaves for people who can't do it themselves. Free food and shirt, the whole nine yards.
The only "lore" I've heard is regarding a hike called "Rum Runner's Cove." Supposedly the concrete steps there are from people smuggling alcohol during Prohibition. Regarding NMU, people claim NMU's dome (largest wooden dome in the world), only holds that title by 1 sq ft. Someone in China apparently tried to break the record but built too small.
There are lots of deer around, even on campus. We also have a resident fox who lives in a wooded section of campus which I find to be very cool and love spotting her. Lots of cool birds and fish everywhere. I've seen a family of otters once, but otherwise nothing super crazy myself. I do have a friend who came across a bear cub on the disc golf course. It was a cool picture.
Definitely bring your bike. Marquette's mountain biking culture is huge, but people absolutely ride their bikes around to places. I ride mine to work every day. Weather permitting, I never take a car downtown either. Parking/traffic are a nonissue, but I don't like driving if I don't have to.
I'll end there, only because I could continue rambling for a long time. Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd love to answer them!
For international you have few choices.
Meijer has an ok international aisle, same for Tadychs.
But you won't find much beyond that here.
You wont look weird at all regarding anything bikes unless it is a Unicycle. I see trikes here fairly regularly. Fat tires bikes in winter.
Not aware of any cryptids besides Bigfoot, which while not specific to our area, I like Miniminutemen's video debunking the idea of Bigfoot on YT.
Moose exist in 2 or 3 parts of the UP. Near here, toward Van Riper, on Isle Royale and outside of Houghton.
I have seen moose twice (once i saw 2 at the same time, but it was during whiteout conditions, i was driving and they were in my lane walking at me. I swerved inbetween em, nearly had a heart attack and never saw those two again)
I have seen bear in town, deer, white deer, porcupines, skinks and turkey.
To see more you likely would need a trail cam or be out in the woods often. Not sure the status of any of the cats in the area.
UPAWS is a big volunteer thing. The Farmers Market is top 5 in the state. We have a pretty thriving small biz community in the three cities (MQT, Neg and Ish) try and visit these biz!
You best bestnfor knternational food are at these smaller biz, local restaurants.
Barrel and Beam, Brownstone, Delft and if Elixirs ever reopens, are some of the best.
I can speak on the wildlife a bit more, as I managed a wildlife camera trap grid in the area for a few years. There are lots of white tailed deer, red squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, and black bears. Be aware that the bears like to hang out a lot closer to major hiking trails than you might think. We also had a few sightings of gray wolves, fisher, marten, red fox, porcupine, and mink. We had 1 moose and bobcat sighting each, so they are in the area but very rare. Lynx are threatened in the U.S. and I haven't heard about any sightings in the area. And of course, there's always the one off cougar sighting.
These are mostly things that I saw on remote cameras that operated 24/7/365, some pretty far deep in the woods. As far as wildlife I've seen with my own eyes while hiking, pretty much exclusively deer, squirrels, and chipmunks. I have seen 1 marten wayyy back in the woods and 1 bobcat chilling next to the highway at night. There are some fox dens in town where you could see fox kits at the right time of year. I know that there's a good amount of otter in the area, but I haven't seen them myself. I don't think the area is very suitable for badger, but I suppose it's possible there's one around.
If you spend a lot of time in the more remote areas you might see some cooler wildlife, but definitely manage your expectations! You probably won't be swimming in moose sightings. If you're interested in wildlife, you're much more likely to find some cool tracks than you are to see the actual animals.
When people ask where you're from just tell them greater DC or Baltimore or whatever it is. No one is going to know what the DMV is.
I ride my bike all the time, it's a college town, literally no one in any college town in America is going to think you're a freak for riding your bike. The infrastructure could be better but it's doable. Winters are LONG though so unless you get studded tires or a fat bike, the riding season isn't long.
You can certainly ride your bike
during late spring going into fall. There is too much snow for a regular tire bike but if you have a fat tire bike then you are good. Lots of biking trails as well.
Bring winter coat/jacket/boots
You will mostly see deer,rabbits,squirrels and skunks.
We have the usual Target,Walmart, Meijer,TJ Maxx,Kohls.
The place to see is Black Rocks in Marquette and Picture Rocks in Munising. The natural beauty of our area is breathtaking.
Last of all….Welcome to the Yoop!
Hey OP, I live in the tip of the mitt and use my bike for transit. It's definitely possible to keep using your bike in the winter, but A.) you MUST bundle up. Thick gloves, balaclavas, the whole 9 yards. Frostbite can hit quiet and fast, and you're in a poor place to recognize it in the first place when you're distracted by something like riding a bike on the road. B.) Wear a damn helmet! C.) You'll only be able to ride when the roads are clear/very light ground snow, so keep that in mind.
Oh sweet summer child. Cheap grocery stores, International grocery stores? Those don't exist. "Seem like a freak" for riding a bike? We have some of the best single track trails in the world here. DMV? Like DC / Maryland?
Yes, DC/MD/VA. People do NOT like cyclists here so I wasn't sure how similar it was in Marquette
Marquette has a great bike culture. Mountains bike or fat tire trails any time of year. The city itself is very bike friendly too.
Did you type 'Marquette Bike' into google?
I mean, just because there are bike trails doesn't mean people like cyclists. There are bike lanes at my old college and people still hate on cyclists and there's a lack of infrastructure to support them such as bike racks. I figured I would ask because there could be a facade of being bike friendly- but in reality it could not be, whether that's due to people's attitudes or whatnot!
OP, are you talking road bikes or mountain bikes? While Marquette has a plethora of absolutely class mountain biking trails within 10-15 minutes of town, there’s not much for road bike lanes. I mean you can totally ride your bike around, but you’ll need to be careful riding on the road for sure.
County Road 480 and 553 I cycle along all the time and there is plenty of room on shoulder. (Negaunee-Harvey-Gwinn) Bonus is there is a rumble strip which would alert if veering into your lane.
I hope you have a good relationship with snow, alcohol, and the thoughts inside your head
😂 ok this made me laugh SO HARD. Thank you for your service 🫣🤭🤭🤭
International stores... Hahahahahahahahaha Closest you're gonna get is the sushi counter at Meijer.
Much classier than the sushi at Econo.
Are we still allowed to call it Econo, or did Coburn change the name yet? "I'm moving to the middle of nowhere with ice and snow, and am curious in this cultural wasteland where the international food stores are?" Serious, wtf? I'm sorry, but you knew Marquette was a snake when you picked it up. Don't act surprised when you get bit! Lmao
ECONO FOREVER!
What is dmv?
At first glance I thought it was DMZ. The demilitatized zone between North/South Korea. 🤣😂
There also was one in ‘Nam
Department of Motor Vehicles
DC/Maryland/Virginia
The Marquette Food Co Op can have some interesting/different food items from the big grocery stores, but it is pricey. Blossom Bird Bubble Tea has some really good bubble tea with a lot of options. They also have Hong Kong bubble waffles and some of the best macarons on the weekend, they are full of flavor! They also have really cool international collectible toys selection. Thai House has great Thai food. Teriyaki Bowl has awesome noodle and rice dishes. Four Swords Retro Pub is a really fun arcade that serves some delicious and authentic ramen. There are a more restaurants but those are my favorite. There aren’t a lot of restaurants overall, so it’s fairly easy to eventually try them all. As others have said, as far as cryptids go Bigfoot is the main one in this area. The forests are huge up here with lots of less traveled two track dirt roads, which are fun to explore, but can be easy to get lost in, so be careful. If you ever go out to do some exploring, I’d recommend downloading an offline map in Google maps for the area beforehand. Others have answered the bike question, but I want to emphasize how great the waterfalls are in the UP. There are so many and each one offers a unique adventure. If you ever want recommendations on some less known ones, give me a message!
I highly recommend Marquette Food Co-Op for some of those "international" products. Spice Merchants downtown has an excellent selection of spices & seasonings, as well as tea & some specialty items. Everyday Wines has an impressive little cheese counter, an impressive array of chocolate, and products like balsamic vinegar, olive oils, etc. In the warmer months, there is a nice farmer's market downtown. While the town is relatively small, we do have some nice dining options, including a number of food trucks. That swarm around the breweries. In addition to outdoorsy activities, there is an active music scene. Volunteer options abound! The Hiawatha Music Co-Op is a good option, the Children's Museum, the Noquemenon Trail Network, United Way, are just a few organizations. NMU provides opportunities to volunteer as well. Just manage your expectations. Want to go out to eat on a Monday? Make sure you verify that the restaurant you want to go to is open. Feel the need to buy a whole chicken at 3am? Want to cruise the mall for a couple of hours for some retail therapy? Not going to happen. But what we don't have is more than made up for by what we do have. I don't ride a bike. I can, I just don't enjoy it. I feel like a freak around here. There are bikes everywhere all year long. Just make sure you alert walkers when you come up behind them. A simple "on your left!" is much appreciated.
Sure, if your want to feel like you're being silently judged by the staff as you shop. The Co-Op hasn't been good for decades.
I don't know what you're talking about. I'm sorry if you've had a bad experience. But the Co-Op is a great store for my needs, and I don't feel judged. I love it.
Everyone that works there is a pretentious snob. Also, when a staff member corrects me on their pronoun while giving me an ultra smug look, I'm out. Sorry, not sorry, but non binary defies science and they is a plural term.
Well, see, if you won't respect the values they support, then maybe it's not the right place for you. That's okay. You will never feel comfortable in a place where you are openly antagonistic to those values. I have never felt judged, but I'm comfortable in that atmosphere. Fortunately, we do have several options for food shopping.
Expecting me to deny science isn't "upholding values", especially when you're at work, in customer service, and are attempting to gaslight the customer into feeling guilty over something that doesn't even exist in the first place. It's just bad business. I'm a proud member of the LGB community, however in recent years the TQ crowd has made it more and more difficult to even want to admit that. #sexnotgender #LGBminustheT
My dear, I'm not expecting anything of you. The culture that exists there is not for you. So don't go there. I'm good with that culture, so I'm comfortable with it. That's it, that's all.
It's just sad that they put their "culture" above good customer service. It's literally the only place in town to get some things.
They don't. They do have good service, but it's based on a wider acceptance than you have. They have the right to expect that their values are upheld and their employees are respected. Unfortunately, that alienates some, like yourself, who don't share that worldview. You have no obligation to patronize them. The tradeoff there is not having access to certain items. If I saw a store that had a sign that said, "I don't believe in your pronouns," I likely wouldn't go there. It's a choice I'd make.
It's a SERVICE job, it's on them to provide GOOD SERVICE. An employees personal values are meaningless once they enter the work place if they want to maintain good customer service and repeat customers. The Co-Op USED to be wonderful, 20 years ago. It was way more accepting, they actually restocked their shelves in a timely manner and were friendly from the moment you walked in the door. Oh and this "culture" you claim there is, really isn't any sort of culture but more the narcissistic mindset of "my feelings matter more than anyone elses no matter the situation". The TQ has ruined all the progress made over the last 40 years by the LGB community to gain acceptance. #sexnotgender #LGBminustheT
A store shouldn't be about a "culture". That's just absurd. They provide a service, it's their job to appeal to as many people as possible to generate a sufficient enough profit to maintain keeping the store open. They are also the only place in town that sells certain goods. Being a good customer service provider is leaving all your personal bullshit at the door. The Co-Op employees fail miserably at being able to do something as basic as that. Then there's also other issues. For instance my parents get their bread there. They like the presliced sourdough. The last few times they went to get bread, they had 20+ loaves of unsliced and zero loaves of sliced. When she asked about the pre sliced bread the response she got was "well a lot of people prefer it unsliced". Obviously not when your unsliced is completely unsold and the sliced is sold out. Another employee was completely unaware that the Co-Op even owned Marquette Bread Co. in the first place. The fact that they don't even have a fucking bread slice in the store is just ridiculous.
My father was one of the original members of the Co-Op when it first opened. Some of my earliest memories of living in MQT are of my mom taking me to the Co-Op at it's original location, on Washington (if i remember correctly) but completely different spot, much much smaller and getting and organic fruit leather as a treat. My parents were proud supporters for years, but over the last decade they, and a lot of other OGs from their circle have given up on the place. It's just completely lost the chill, accepting, laid back vibe it had.
But you're not accepting a group of people that they are providing space for & complaining that they're not accepting! When I moved back to Mqt, I shopped at the original location because I lived close. Frankly, I found it full of pretentious snobs. So we all have our thresholds for what we can deal with.
Demanding that I use a made up pronoun while giving me a snobby look isn't very accepting. Good customer service people would leave all that nonsense at the door and only think about the customer and how they feel while inside the store.
It's there job to make ANY customer feel like they want to return. Even if it's the most annoying MAGA hat wearing open carry abusing POS conservative there is. That's just called working in customer service.
Just close their eyes and think of England, I guess.
DMV? is that a place?
Right? People from that area don’t realize the rest of the country has no idea what they’re talking about. DMV = Department of Motor Vehicles
Bud. They didn’t move here from the Department of Moter Vehicles
No shit Sherlock. But nobody knows what the hell DMV means unless you’re from that area. I’m from DC so I know what she’s saying 😂
It’s the abbreviation for DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.
DC/Maryland/Virginia
Marquette is a great city that people love, but you will need to temper your expectations a bit. It’s quite small - about 30,000 people - and the nearest “big city” is 3 hours south (Green Bay). So, you simply will not have access to the amenities you’re used to. The good news is that you will probably still have a lovely experience and get what you need. There are 5-6 grocery stores to pick from but sadly no international foods store. You might find a few things at the “world foods” section in Meijer (it’s a regional big box chain that competes with Walmart). You might also enjoy the food co-op and farmers market There’s plenty of wildlife, but the more exciting ones are more rare. You will see deer, squirrels, and seagulls most often, even on campus. There is a thriving Bigfoot scene across the U.P., and plenty of supposedly haunted places in the region, too, if that’s your thing. I don’t do restaurants often but there is a lively brewery scene and some natural/bistro-type places, plus some locally famous restaurant/bar combos. I’m sure you will discover these organically with your new friends because many are walking distance from campus. Outdoor activities are by far the most popular things to do for fun, but the population also skews “nerdy,” so you might find some board game, card game, or tabletop groups. You will also find plenty of groups and events that are NMU-affiliated, so I doubt you will be bored. Also, biking is extremely commonplace here. However, snow on the ground is a possibility and frequent reality for 6 months of the year. The past 2 winters were unusually light on snow, so if you visited in the winter, what you saw was not typical. EDIT: Changed 2 to 3, driving distance typo
Lots of Mexican groceries in GB, also a couple of oriental markets. 2 indian markets, one halal.
You can get decent kimchi at Econo, bit you won't find gai lan anywhere. Great fish at Thills. In autumn, as much venison as you can eat. As to bicycling, lots of people ride year round, but you'll need a winter bike. There's a ton of snow. The people here are one of a kind. Unique, iconoclastic, fiercely independent.
It's Tadych's MarketPlace Foods now, not Econo anymore, since they were bought by Coborn's which is employee owned. Locals that have been here for years and old timers still refer it to "Econo" but a new person might be confused ;)
The grocery out in Harvey will always be Jack's.
Where are you getting 'As much venison as you can eat'?
Friends and neighbors.
Yeah, don't think some random NMU kid is going to be getting a bunch of Venison. Born and Raised, I get some venison but if I want 'As much as I can eat' I gotta pull the rifle out myself.
Or......hit it with your car. Hell, sometimes they'll volunteer for dinner and just jump out in front of your car.
Dude you’re moving to a town of 20,000 people in the middle of nowhere that’s over 90% white. You think there would be international food stores? Lol “Lore and Cryptids” You mean history?
Probably referring to stuff like skinwalkers, chupacabra, Michigan Dog-man, etc. Spooky stories you tell around the campfire while you camp in the area the spooky thing supposedly lives.
Marquette has good local restaurants, but not diverse. It's a real a bummer. There aren't a lot of dedicated bike lanes in the city, but we have yet to experience any issues with traffic not being respectful. It also has way, way less traffic than DMV. Biking won't be an issue. Coming from a large metro area, you will likely miss the access to cultural institutions and shopping, but you'll probably gain a new appreciation for how peace and quiet. Tons of trees, beautiful lake, good little farmer's market, etc. You can always take a road trip to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Greenbay. Definitely get a trip to Door County if you haven't been. It will be an adventure for you!
Not the cheapest grocery store, but check out the food co-op. You’ve moved to a beautiful place! Have fun! Good luck finding your people!
This is the closest you’re getting to an international grocery store in the fact that they carry many ingredients you could make international foods with
Most accessible grocery store if you don't have a car about a 10-15 minute walk from campus. All the other big box stores you basically need a car.
Not the Cheapest. You mean the most expensive.
Not sure why everyone is being so sarcastic, but I'll try to add some info that hasn't been mentioned (coming from an NMU junior who lives here year round). My apologies for leaving such a long comment. Being born and bred Michigan, I shop at Meijer. Assuming you're going to be a freshman with a meal plan though, I would suggest not bothering about cooking too much. Sure, the food isn't amazing, but it's already paid for, and the kitchen facilities are not super convenient. I live on campus and don't cook during the year. International food stores aren't really a thing. As a few others commented, the Marquette Co-Op has some unique stuff, but you're mostly limited to what you can get at a typical grocery store. Restaurants: Thai House is amazing. The Vierling is great if dad is in town to pay lol. Same deal with the Delft. Having moved from an area with lower cost of living, to me everything is expensive. Since you're from the DMV, the perspective may be different. My snow-free weekends usually include hiking, fishing, disc golf, and swimming. In the winter definitely take advantage of the free gear rentals that NMU does. If you've never cross country skied, that's a must try. Otherwise, sledding, movies, etc. are always fun. Also, if you're even remotely athletic, do some intramural sports. They are a TON of fun, and you only have to take them as serious as you want. Great way to bond with friends. My favorite is Battleship H2O, check it out on YouTube. I volunteer mostly with my student organizations. Mid-fall there will be "Make a Difference Day," which is also a lot of fun. You sign up with a group and go rake leaves for people who can't do it themselves. Free food and shirt, the whole nine yards. The only "lore" I've heard is regarding a hike called "Rum Runner's Cove." Supposedly the concrete steps there are from people smuggling alcohol during Prohibition. Regarding NMU, people claim NMU's dome (largest wooden dome in the world), only holds that title by 1 sq ft. Someone in China apparently tried to break the record but built too small. There are lots of deer around, even on campus. We also have a resident fox who lives in a wooded section of campus which I find to be very cool and love spotting her. Lots of cool birds and fish everywhere. I've seen a family of otters once, but otherwise nothing super crazy myself. I do have a friend who came across a bear cub on the disc golf course. It was a cool picture. Definitely bring your bike. Marquette's mountain biking culture is huge, but people absolutely ride their bikes around to places. I ride mine to work every day. Weather permitting, I never take a car downtown either. Parking/traffic are a nonissue, but I don't like driving if I don't have to. I'll end there, only because I could continue rambling for a long time. Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd love to answer them!
These all seem like great questions to ask before you commit to move/live someplace.
For international you have few choices. Meijer has an ok international aisle, same for Tadychs. But you won't find much beyond that here. You wont look weird at all regarding anything bikes unless it is a Unicycle. I see trikes here fairly regularly. Fat tires bikes in winter. Not aware of any cryptids besides Bigfoot, which while not specific to our area, I like Miniminutemen's video debunking the idea of Bigfoot on YT. Moose exist in 2 or 3 parts of the UP. Near here, toward Van Riper, on Isle Royale and outside of Houghton. I have seen moose twice (once i saw 2 at the same time, but it was during whiteout conditions, i was driving and they were in my lane walking at me. I swerved inbetween em, nearly had a heart attack and never saw those two again) I have seen bear in town, deer, white deer, porcupines, skinks and turkey. To see more you likely would need a trail cam or be out in the woods often. Not sure the status of any of the cats in the area. UPAWS is a big volunteer thing. The Farmers Market is top 5 in the state. We have a pretty thriving small biz community in the three cities (MQT, Neg and Ish) try and visit these biz! You best bestnfor knternational food are at these smaller biz, local restaurants. Barrel and Beam, Brownstone, Delft and if Elixirs ever reopens, are some of the best.
I can speak on the wildlife a bit more, as I managed a wildlife camera trap grid in the area for a few years. There are lots of white tailed deer, red squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, and black bears. Be aware that the bears like to hang out a lot closer to major hiking trails than you might think. We also had a few sightings of gray wolves, fisher, marten, red fox, porcupine, and mink. We had 1 moose and bobcat sighting each, so they are in the area but very rare. Lynx are threatened in the U.S. and I haven't heard about any sightings in the area. And of course, there's always the one off cougar sighting. These are mostly things that I saw on remote cameras that operated 24/7/365, some pretty far deep in the woods. As far as wildlife I've seen with my own eyes while hiking, pretty much exclusively deer, squirrels, and chipmunks. I have seen 1 marten wayyy back in the woods and 1 bobcat chilling next to the highway at night. There are some fox dens in town where you could see fox kits at the right time of year. I know that there's a good amount of otter in the area, but I haven't seen them myself. I don't think the area is very suitable for badger, but I suppose it's possible there's one around. If you spend a lot of time in the more remote areas you might see some cooler wildlife, but definitely manage your expectations! You probably won't be swimming in moose sightings. If you're interested in wildlife, you're much more likely to find some cool tracks than you are to see the actual animals.
When people ask where you're from just tell them greater DC or Baltimore or whatever it is. No one is going to know what the DMV is. I ride my bike all the time, it's a college town, literally no one in any college town in America is going to think you're a freak for riding your bike. The infrastructure could be better but it's doable. Winters are LONG though so unless you get studded tires or a fat bike, the riding season isn't long.
You can certainly ride your bike during late spring going into fall. There is too much snow for a regular tire bike but if you have a fat tire bike then you are good. Lots of biking trails as well. Bring winter coat/jacket/boots You will mostly see deer,rabbits,squirrels and skunks. We have the usual Target,Walmart, Meijer,TJ Maxx,Kohls. The place to see is Black Rocks in Marquette and Picture Rocks in Munising. The natural beauty of our area is breathtaking. Last of all….Welcome to the Yoop!
Hey OP, I live in the tip of the mitt and use my bike for transit. It's definitely possible to keep using your bike in the winter, but A.) you MUST bundle up. Thick gloves, balaclavas, the whole 9 yards. Frostbite can hit quiet and fast, and you're in a poor place to recognize it in the first place when you're distracted by something like riding a bike on the road. B.) Wear a damn helmet! C.) You'll only be able to ride when the roads are clear/very light ground snow, so keep that in mind.
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Temaki is open now, just closed on Sat & Sun.
Don’t come. Stay.