Why Do People Think These Southwest Michigan Cities Suck?

The other day we posed a question on our social media page that triggered the internet into a rage when asked which Southwest Michigan city sucks the most. They no doubt thought we were trying to be negative and stir the pot, but on the contrary, it was a thought experiment. Firstly, the question was asked to see what gripes people had with some of the nearby cities, and what change might help those issues. Secondly, it was a chance to see if people were curious why we would ask such a question, or take it for what it was and assume they knew why we were asking it.

The truth is we hear you. People and things change and for some people, they're accustomed to and comfortable with things they are familiar with. When something new pops up, they don't want to take the time to get to know them because they've already got it in their mind it sucks. The experiment, which nobody accomplished was asking us one simple question, "Why do you want to know?" That being said, we wanted to defend, not encourage hate towards these cities. So allow us to do what we originally intended:

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Three Rivers

Someone said this place sucks because there are no good places to eat. I'd argue Frankie's, Hanks and Tokyo Steakhouse are all bangers, and places you should check out.

Portage

I heard an argument that there are too many rich people there. Honestly, any place with a financially rich community has the ability to bring in more entertainment. Whether it's shopping, restaurants or attractions like the Air Zoo & Airway, there's PLENTY to do in Portage. I don't really see rich people as a problem.

Benton Harbor

This was referred to by someone as Little Detroit. I don't think that's fair considering Benton Harbor actually has some nature to it, like the Sarett Nature Center and the underwater preserve. Plus, North Pier is a great place to grab a beer right before you hit the beach, which you can actually swim in.

Kalamazoo 

Someone said Kalamazoo because they decriminalized public urination and pooping in public. I'm not making excuses, but people REALLY need to look into what this actually means. You can't just whip it out in public.

Sturgis

Someone named Sturgis, but someone promptly responded, "at least we can turn left over here…" But seriously, where ELSE are you gonna get a Hot N' Now burger? Plus, did you know a Sturgis woman survived the Titanic? Don't tell them they aren't tough over there.

Battle Creek

Battle Creek gets a bad rap. There are so many cool things about the city, but also in the city. Video game rooms, comic shops, TONS of places to eat, but also a strong history dating back to the Civil War era, including the largest Underground Railroad sculpture. 

Through all of these, I think we can make a very valid point, which someone pointed out:

I'll take any southwest Michigan city over Florida.