The weirdest thing happened the other day. The piece I wrote about what the next hipster cities will be was read by more than 45 people and my mother. In fact, in some of the towns I mentioned in the post, the article got passed around like a cheerleader in a frat house (sorry to any of you who were cheerleaders. I’m not sorry if you were in a frat).
The article predicts that Chattanooga, Tennessee, Asheville, North Carolina, Burlington, Vermont, Detroit, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Richmond, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland will be the next hipster cities.
My article did not sit well with everyone and even prompted a few humorous articles in Detroit in where I’m lambasted for making fun of a city I’ve never been to (it’s true…though like the hipsters I mentioned in the post, I would love to go to Detroit to see all the delicious ruin porn). One article titled “Dear People Who Don’t Know Anything About Detroit, Your Jokes Are Dumb“, I particularly liked. Even Curbed Detroit jumped into the debate.
Luckily the great people of Chattanooga enjoyed the post and were even kind enough to ask why I bestowed the hipster title upon their city. Two words: city-wide typeface. Or is that three words?
Mental Floss was sweet enough to pick up the story, where I can honestly say that had the least hateful and most articulate commenters I’ve ever seen (thank you for not making me feel like crap).
I think the dude who wrote “The Rise of the Creative Class” tweeted about it, and so did some urban planners, which is weird considering I typically have no idea what the hell I’m talking about.
What do you think? Do you think I forgot any up-and-coming cities? Some people have suggested Colombus, Ohio, Denton, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, San Luis Obispo, California, Flagstaff, Arizona and Decatur, Georgia.
Or if you agree with my choices, vote for your favorite new hipster city on CultureMap’s “The New Hipster City” poll. So far Chattanooga is in the lead.
And if you’re tired of talking about or hearing about hipsters, I’m sorry.
18 Comments
i wish burlington wasn’t on the list. i don’t want anyone else to come here. but it is secretly sort of hipster, so i can’t argue too much.
Caitlin, don’t worry. I’d say that of all the cities, Burlington has gotten the least response in regards to being a hipster city. I don’t think people jumped on that train. You’re safe…for now. 😉
Detroit definitely has much to offer. I have no opinion about the others because I’ve no experience anywhere else
I would love to visit Detroit someday. I joked about it, but it’s such a wonderfully historical city. I love adventure cities!
Wow, people have way to much time on their hands.
/Avy
http:// mymotherfuckedmickjagger.blogspot.com
♥
Too*, sorry.
Chick,
New Orleans WAS, IS, and WILL ALWAYS be, Hip.
And we’ll welcome You with open arms!!!
Awww…yay! Thanks! My Mom and I are planning a trip there this year! Can’t wait. It will be my first time. New Orleans seems like no other.
You must let us know when you do, cause if we can’t meet ya there, my fabulicious son {who lives there!} can. Oh the places you’ll go!
Hmm…I don’t really get what the stink is about. I chuckled at the Detroit thing mostly because it still has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the nation, and a lot of hipsters who hang out in Detroit actually live outside the city in places like Royal Oak or Ferndale. (That’s not to say that there aren’t hipsters that live in the city, just that it’s cheap to live there for a reason.)
Also, I think that Chicago’s a bit of a haven for hipsters. They host the Pitchfork music festival for Christ’s sake!
Hey Courtney! Thanks for the insider info on Detroit. Chicago definitely is, but I was trying to stay with smaller cities, like Austin was at one point. I love Chicago. Such a beautiful city!
I’m a Dentonite, and I was surprised we didn’t make it on your first list! We’re Austin’s baby cousin!
Chris Lienberger(?) wrote about the creative class. Disregard it. It’s bullshit that’s accelerating that portland-hipster awfulness that’s taking over our country.
Unfortunately, Detroit is so bad that even I will hope it will get gentrified. At least they’d get their garbage service back?
No thank you! Denton’s full up on hipsters right now.
I don’t care what anybody says. We welcome hipsters in Detroit. They have really nice stuff and they are easy to mug.
Columbus, Ohio is not a “next hipster city”, it already IS a “hipster city” (and I mean that in the best way possible). out of all the cities I’ve traveled to in this country (and that’s a LOT), Columbus is still right at the top. I plan on living here forever! http://www.movoto.com/blog/real-estate-tips/33-things-you-need-to-know-about-columbus-before-you-move-there
Detroit is the quintessential underdog town. It’s downtown is rising like Lazarus and it’s people are the most genuine you will ever meet except for the beautifu souls in New Orleans.
You wrote this six years ago, and at that time, Asheville was just recovering from its hipster-recession. It is now in full hipster-bloom, along with one hotel project after the next after the next. There are more craft breweries here than one can visit in a weekend. Which means, it is all about to implode. There are twice as many tourists per square city-block than there are ski-cap-in-summer-wearing tattooed hipsters. Hilton Head Island, here we come, and hipsters, there you go.