# Signs you may be in the ghetto... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911 "2013-11-14T14:56:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/1 "2013-11-14T14:56:04Z")
A few observations I’ve made while exploring around my new neighborhood: You can buy alcohol in almost any store, no matter what else they sell. A free-standing department store, where there used to be an entire mall. You’re near a stadium. Your neighborhood is the first candidate for any sort of “eminent domain” situation, e.g. a highway, train tracks, “urban renewal,” etc. Your neighbors all have bars on their windows. One word: Checkers. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/2 "2013-11-14T14:58:56Z")
Payday loan huts and Rent-a-Centers ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/3 "2013-11-14T15:04:02Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > . . . One word: Checkers. As in guys sitting around, playing? Or am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/4 "2013-11-14T15:10:02Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > A few observations I’ve made while exploring around my new neighborhood: > > You can buy alcohol in almost any store, no matter what else they sell. Massive predominance of 22 and 40 oz. malt liquors.(Colt .45, Old English 800, Mickey’s, etc) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/5 "2013-11-14T15:10:29Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > As in guys sitting around, playing? Or am I missing something? [Checkers](http://www.checkers.com/). They build them on the cheapest possible lots, so you only ever see them around crappy neighborhoods. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/6 "2013-11-14T15:25:13Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > A few observations I’ve made while exploring around my new neighborhood: > > You can buy alcohol in almost any store, no matter what else they sell. > > A free-standing department store, where there used to be an entire mall. > > You’re near a stadium. > > Your neighborhood is the first candidate for any sort of “eminent domain” situation, e.g. a highway, train tracks, “urban renewal,” etc. > > Your neighbors all have bars on their windows. > > One word: Checkers. Landover? I think that you are right about Checkers. The one near me is closing because the land has become more valuable. A few years ago, a few of those applied to my neighborhood, but things have changed. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/7 "2013-11-14T15:26:34Z")
Low-end fast food chain. > **[Checkers Drive-In – Burgers - Fries - Cola - Wings](https://www.checkers.com/)** > > Checkers was born out of the idea that boring and bland have no place in the burger world. That’s why we’ve been slinging the best burgers, crispiest fries, and the creamiest milkshakes for a price that is hard to beat. And because we believe flavor... ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/8 "2013-11-14T15:28:26Z")
When you can see someone just dropping litter on the street - like, not even pretending to find a trash can - simply by watching the street for about 90 second, you know it’s a crappy neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/9 "2013-11-14T15:41:31Z")
> [@Caffeine.addict](#): > > Landover? Very good! Close: Hyattsville, between Kenilworth and 295. Technically neither Bladensburg nor Riverdale Park, but could be probably be considered either. I guess you’re familiar with the free-standing Sears in the big empty lot that used to be Landover Mall, across from FedEx Field? I have to go past all that crap to get to the “good” shopping center, you know, the one with Wegman’s and Costco. ---
**Author:** ![AnthonyElite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/10 "2013-11-14T15:42:34Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > As in guys sitting around, playing? Or am I missing something? I sincerely hope it isn’t a reference to the restaurant…because their food is fucking great and I live in a smaller sized City. Checkers is nowhere near the ghetto. ---
**Author:** ![SuperAbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@SuperAbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperAbe)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/11 "2013-11-14T15:43:47Z")
I think you must frequent fancier ghettos…😉 Signs you’re in tougher crunchier more depressed grittier ghetto: - Every “convenience store” sells large quantities of weird, druggie-specific merchandise (single stem fake roses with crackpipe “vases”, brillo pads - one at a time, ziploc bags (also one at a time), etc). - There are no malls…or department stores. If there’s a grocery store, its an off-brand (and likely what my mother-in-law calls a “used food store” featuring soon-to-expire stock from other stores). - Small businesses fall into three categories: 1. Hair/nail salons; 2. Wireless phone resellers; 3. “urban style” stores (aka gangbanger clothes) - mostly white t-shirts and counterfeit sneakers. Oh, I forgot #4: out-of-business. - “Restaurants” fall into only two categories: national chain fast food and the ubiquitous “Wings and (something else)”. There are no sit-down places. If a pizza place still exists in these neighborhoods (and not of the Little Ceasars abomination), they are probably pick-up only (delivery is too dangerous for the drivers) - Your local liquor store is in a modular building (the last one burned down and the outcry was so great when the owner said they couldn’t afford to rebuild that the city gave them a temporary variance - some years ago…) - No one would build a stadium in this neighborhood - none of the suburban folks would come… even during the day. - Every block has 1-4 vacant lots (+/- a couple that will probably be vacant lots in the next year or two if the city can get enough money to tear more down). - Most businesses no longer have bars on the windows - they either have replaced all the glass with Plexiglas or everyone knows they don’t have anything worth stealing. P.S. Checkers is a “ghetto thing”? Seriously? Wow, you do have nicer ghettos… ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/12 "2013-11-14T16:07:26Z")
We like to do urban exploring and photographing old ruined and abandoned buildings. Two things we notice in blighted areas in addition to those previously listed: 1. car washes. Always. 2. small storefront churches. Im talking tiny ramshackle ones with the pastor’s name always prominently displayed. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/13 "2013-11-14T16:27:40Z")
Lotto tix in the gutters; people clearly using bus stop trash cans as the receptacle for all their households trash (like bags and bags of trash around the bus stop can); and lots of people around during the day who clearly have nothing going on like a job, or schoo. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/14 "2013-11-14T16:31:18Z")
Street named after MLK nearby. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/15 "2013-11-14T16:50:29Z")
For reference, I live in London: Dog turds on the street. Lots and lots of dog turds. Fast food places that do EVERYTHING; burgers, pizza, chicken, fish & chips, kebabs… At least one of the following on a street corner: mattress (preferrably piss-stained), TV, sofa without cushions Small convenience stores consist of a small corridor, all goods are behind perspex walls so you have to ask for what you want and pay throigh a small serving hatch (there was one like this where I lived in Stockwell, south London) Puddles have a pretty rainbow-effect chemical slick on top of them Feeling of unease ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/16 "2013-11-14T17:21:32Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > …Your neighbors all have bars on their windows… On the second and third floors! Wig shops. Don’t ask me why, but every time I see a street in Detroit with closed down businesses, there’s always an open wig shop. Spray paint on the buildings. Not graffiti, just random spray paint, like the person who did it was too tough or angry to form pictures, shapes, or letters. Anthony Bourdain filming a segment in a local eatery. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/17 "2013-11-14T17:23:38Z")
When I had to drive through this one ghetto area for a while, I noticed that every store was demarcated not by a permanent sign but a vinyl banner strung over the previous tenant’s permanent sign. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/18 "2013-11-14T17:47:42Z")
Cash-For-Gold places. You know that most of the jewelery was probably stolen during a burglary a day or two ago. But as long as it gets melted down before the rightful owner spots it… ---
**Author:** ![Heropsychodreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Heropsychodreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heropsychodreamer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/19 "2013-11-14T18:30:08Z")
1. A Bail Bonds “store front” 2. A McDonalds 3. A Spanish grocer ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911/20 "2013-11-14T18:53:44Z")
A hungry little boy with a runny nose plays in the street as the cold wind blows. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signs-you-may-be-in-the-ghetto/673911.md?page=2)