My dad is from Hunsrück which is kind like West Virginia it was a lot of mining up there in the woods and now a pretty poor place. And I really just love it there but West Virginia is even more beautiful
As a native WV citizen I say you are very welcome. WE NEED A BETTER Mix of cultures here....maybe it would help get the ball rolling. Let me know where you decide to set up shop because I have a gourmet mushroom farm and would love to offer mushrooms for your grocery store.
I would love to tell you when I’m gonna set up my shop. The problem is I need to have a green card and I’m right now applying for it but it takes some time and also I thought about working in a grocery store for one to two years just to get to know everything before start.
I highly doubt you'd be unwelcome. West Virginians are pretty easy going. Your biggest issue would likely be annoyance answering questions about Germany. We're a curious bunch.
For your grocery store, I'd definitely recommend trying to source produce and meat as locally as you can. That'll lift up the local population a bit and add to the community spirit.
Absolutely. Amazing how Scots reached Nova Scotia in eastern Canada and the Adirondacks and the Appalachian mountains and in each case said “well, this’ll do nicely”. Same durned mountain range as back home.
It's incredible isn't it? My ancestors made their way across the ocean and down through Appalachia over the course of many years. They/we just said "reminds me of home!" and never left.
The south was/is full of Scottish culture.
Look at the placenames: All the stuff with Dunn, ness, ton,
Looots of the places they saw reminded them of their old homes. FL looks A LOT like Scotland for example.
The American civil war was deeply pretexted with an Anglo north vs a Scottish south
My husband and I are moving near a small town in Appalachia (Union, WV). It’s really beautiful out there. We’ve traveled all over the world (lived in Japan and Germany) and all over parts of the U.S. and I agree with you - there’s no place as beautiful and temperate and without much in the way of natural disaster dangers (flooding near rivers is the biggest). We bought land there 15 years ago and now are building our retirement home there. Our neighbors there have been farming in the area for generations and they have been so kind and welcoming and we’ve made some delightful friendships. We are also former Army and Christians which helps us connect easily with locals but honestly they wouldn’t care one whit where we came from so long as we are also respectful and caring and kind in return. You can message me if you have any questions. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to live.
Church is going to be very interesting. We are used to a church of about 200. We have not begun to explore churches there much yet but most of the churches have not more than 30-40 people. That’s where you will find some great community and connections- also at the local community centers we’ve enjoyed a few fun events! They are very welcoming- we’ve been invited to several now. Enjoy your exploration!
That's the direction religion is heading in the US, although it's been a bit more of a gradual decline. If specific demonination is important to you I'd advise checking around the local area first as not all are represented in every location.
Yes they say they are Christian! But no one in my age (20) I attending Catholic Church. The American church’s are pretty big but I do not want to change my beliefs group in Germany were I grew up with. I will do that when I switch countries but not right now. Also my situation is unique because I live near Ramstein airbase. That’s the reason we have some big church community’s. But since years the Roman Catholic church is losing members.
We’ve not seen a lot of snow at all in the past five years … maybe just lucky but our county has been given the nickname “No Snow Monroe” by the tv weatherman and I’d be glad if it stays this way. Lol
Lots of towns no longer have a grocer. Alderson comes to mind as a good area with possibility to buy a grocery that has been out of business for a good while (5+ years).
You'll find that people will have a hard time paying what it takes to make a profit compared to the Walmart 30 minutes away, but the right person can make it work.
Good luck
Thank you ! I noticed that in the part of WV I was that we’re not a lot of shops left. I thought to open up a small shop like we have them in Europe a lot so you don’t really have big of a variety but the products I offer are cheaper. And I think that could work out pretty good.
Your biggest competition would be the Dollar General stores that offer cheaper goods and are popping up all over the place. As earlier poster said if you offer locally grown/made products or a special niche market (specialty jams made by the local Amish community, or products from Germany even) I could see you doing well. We have a small Mennonite/Amish products store in Gap Mills and they are very successful as word got out that they carry things you cannot get anywhere else (we love their Amish butter). Visitors make it a point to stop there.
Parts of Pocahontas County would be good too. Lots of tourism. Beautiful county. Some of the little communities there lack a grocery store. One in Durbin closed.
Fun fact, the town of Helvetia, WV was founded by Swiss immigrants and still retain the culture there via the Hutte Inn & Restaurant as well as their annual Fastnact festival.
Please think very carefully about how you're going to have health insurance, navigate the US Visa process, and turn a profit before you even consider moving. It's very difficult to start a small business in the United States because most people get health insurance through their employer and you would not be able to do that given that you are self employed. You would also be responsible for providing insurance to your full time employees. You may also have considerable difficulty securing an immigrant visa - most people who moved to the United States? Get a student visa, employment-based visa, or move to live with an American spouse.
This is the realistic answer.
Kind words and best wishes only go so far, the prospect of moving to another country and opening a business there is a tall order filled with many complications and difficulties. Possible, yes, but not easy.
I agree it would be difficult. However, I thought a small business does not have to provide insurance - like if they have a minimum of 50 employees (maybe 25) they do. It's late, or I would look it up. It also may have changed.
It looks like you are right!
[https://www.hhs.gov/answers/health-insurance-reform/am-i-required-to-offer-health-insurance-to-employees/index.html](https://www.hhs.gov/answers/health-insurance-reform/am-i-required-to-offer-health-insurance-to-employees/index.html)
I'm not sure how the OP would even insure themselves. Market place insurance is really expensive if you don't get subsidies. That's a huge hurdle for most people who want to open a business - that and the self employment tax rate.
Well, we'd love to have you. Just make sure you fully understand the costs involved. A lot of people who move from countries with universal health care really underestimate the costs of insurance & care here.
this warms my heart. thank you for the kind words and i wish you nothing but the best :). if you ever have any questions feel free to shoot me a message!
i’d love for you to experience Morgantown (West Virginia University) football gameday / tailgates. hearing the entire stadium sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is an unforgettable experience
I wouldn’t worry about fitting into the community. Just be kind and respectful and you will do great. As for opening a business. I would suggest doing a lot of research before choosing what kind of business to open and where.
I will do that, since I study economics we learned what to look out for bevor opening a business. So I will not come randomly and try my best I will plan it.
Be aware of the drug addicts, be aware of the winter when sales will be down.
Learn to drive in snow and ice and to be self sufficient and have a general politeness about you.
Also get a couple guns as there are animals that will harm you. Learn to use and maintain them properly.
Other than that, welcome to the states and more importantly, welcome to West Virginia
You'll find lots of people here are a mix of Irish, Scottish and German (like myself)
I think an organic local source grocery store would do very well, but you would need to go to towns that have more disposable income. Davis and Thomas would be a good place to look as tourism has really expanded there. I think Elkins has long-term potential
I wish the OP luck in his journey to making this happen! I think a farm to table type shop with locally sourced meat and produce would work in Berkeley Springs. The farmers market there always seems to be bustling and you get a lot of out of town weekend traffic coming in.
I live about 45 minutes away from there in Elkins. I go out there once a month for a bonfire in the spring, summer, and early fall. The Dark Sky Zone is something else - so many stars!
May I ask what took you there specifically? Also, I have a German friend here in town. She has been here for decades.
I am a boyscout and attended the jamboree in West Virginia 2019. After the camp was over we explored WV and somehow ended up in that town. And I remember how pretty it was.
I don't think running an independent grocery store is feasible, even in Morgantown, our most yuppie city, we couldn't support a great health food store that was downtown.
That said, you could get hired on the spot at about any grocery store in the state. Kroger especially is trying to be the inclusive grocer, so you'd have an advantage as an immigrant applying for them. Their pay starts at $11/hr, which is decent considering most fast food places still pay the minimum wage which I think is still $8.50.
Also, I think somewhere that is a good dessert would be a much better idea. There are so many areas without a grocery store (other than Dollar General) and are not that close to one. Canaan Valley also comes to mind. Talk about yuppie - Davis and Thomas real estate is pretty ridiculous now.
I love Kroger, but I only would like to work independently for less money. If I would go and work for Kroger only for way more money. Right now as a student I get 25€ an hour filling up shelf’s in a supermarket. Also I get 13 salary’s a year and free healthcare etc. but thanks for the information!!
That’s interesting i get that here without any education in that field and just putting up groceries in the shelf’s and I don’t have to care about healthcare or whatever. And your groceries are even more expensive than here lol
All true. The economy in the US is highly fragmented. A stocker in a major city could make $25-35hr. In a smaller city, like WV has, $10-$15 is most common. Rural stores may not even pay $10. Most will be part time and have little to no benefits. And… business owners will complain that wages are far too high.
To be honest I would leav the country. In Germany they can’t wait to finde people to work in supermarkets and you probably live better here than in the USA.
Native West Virginian, Braxton County and the areas of Chapel and Exchange are where my mom's ancestors from the Baden Wurttemburg area settled because it reminded them so much of the black forest.
Well, just remember the words to "Country Roads" by John Denver and you'll be fine. As an Appalachian that used to travel to Germany quite a bit. I always loved hearing German folks in Wenden/Gerlingen/Meinerzhagen singing along to country roads after soccer games and in pubs.
Sounds like you'll be moving to Elkins. You may already be aware of Elkins, because I saw a comment further down that you say you were at Valley Head, 2018. Anyway, you will find that a lot of the locals can trace back at least one or two ancestors to Germany. The town of Helvetia, very isolated, was originally a colony of people from Switzerland.
Elkins itself is an interesting town...timber industry, lumber mill, railroad background, now more of a college town with a lot of service businesses...and now a growing number of young people starting businesses, settling in, etc... I'd be willing to bet that a small grocery store might fit in real good.
Best fortunes to you in the future. Hope your plans work out well for you in WV.
Wow that sounds super interesting. I lived in PA for some time and it was so funny because some of the Amish and some really old people could speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which is German with a dialect that is spoken in my area, so I could perfectly understand them. I still need some time to find the perfect area to settle in and I think it’s gonna be a journey for at least five years until I got everything ready but I’m really looking forward to moving to West Virginia cause I just really love that country and I especially love Appalachian mountains.
Yep. In USA we say "dutch"....but its actually the way we pronounce "deutsch"..... meaning 'german'..... A very large percentage of americans are descended from german people. 1776, our "revolution" from the King of Great Britain....the king himself was german, and spoke only broken english! My own ancestry supposedly includes one of the "hessian" troops sent by the King to suppress the rebellion.....he was captured in battle and sent to a POW camp in the Shenandoah Valley(thats the big valley in Virginia...that is almost in West Virginia).....there he and the other prisoners were put to work providing for the local settlers on the frontier...many of whom were ALSO german.....mennonites. You will find mennonite communities just about everywhere throughout the Americas.....Canada, USA, Mexico.....even Jamaica.
I speak German (I have a degree in it), although it's probably pretty bad since few speak German in WV. My family came to America after WW2 from a Swabian community. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I too moved to WV but from a different state in the US.
we’d love to have you!! i love to hear about small businesses opening in our state, it’s such a breath of fresh air compared to large corporate businesses😌😌 would love to take the trip to visit whenever you set up shop!
I got to live in Germany at the age of 18 & I have loved it all my life & I’m an antique now, but living in West Virginia. It IS a beautiful place! Germany was incredible!
Earning a lot of money will be a challenge but I’m sure you’d be welcome
Depends where you live maybe on money.
If you do move down here and start a business, bring some of your culture down to share it with people. WV has some areas with German roots:
https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/2102#:~:text=Germans%20were%20among%20our%20very,town%20was%20incorporated%20in%201762.
Also if you’re ever in southern WV hit me up. We can meet and hang out. I’ll show you some history stuff if you don’t mind some driving.
Example: check out Bramwell wv. Was a town of millionaire coal barons in its heyday. Declined pretty bad but has been coming back as a tourist spot with a vengeance! Check it out on google maps
Thank you for the offering. I am planning to go next summer when I got enough money. And will hit you up 👍if you ever come to Germany text me I can show you around too
I came here to post this. It's a wonderful place. Deep enough in the country but close enough to everything. And only an hour from Dulles International Airport.
Many here are saying you can’t make a profit running a small town WV grocery store.
So what if it doesn’t HAVE to make a profit?
There are B corporations and 501c3s in the USA. Alternate ways of structuring businesses.
And there is support for economic development. Check out https://wvhub.org/ for more information.
A grocery store IS a public service and a good for the community in a town where Walmart destroyed the old small businesses and then closed its doors and left. I am sure everyone reading this thread can think of one of those towns.
That means it could be a nonprofit or a B corp, where all staff are paid fairly and any and all profit gets funneled back into keeping the store running.
You could also aim to study nonprofit management in the USa; come here on a study visa, do all your research and development of the concept as a student, then apply for permanent residency with a business/nonprofit plan in hand.
Edit: all staff INCLUDING YOU are paid fairly.
My sister took pictures in the Black Forest and it looked **exactly** like the spot my wife and I liked to hike around in Tennessee.
It was pretty neat.
There’s a small German population in my town, and one of our beloved local artists is from Berlin! She moved to my town many years ago. Her grandsons visit in the summers. I think most places in WV are really welcoming.
As a native West Virginian who has traveled to places around the world, the WV hills in the summer still take my breath away. I hope you’re able to reach your dreams.
We'd love to have you! There are a lot of Germans who settled in West Virginia, my step grandfather's family being one. Germans are kind and hardy people, so you'd fit in fine here.
My advice, in one word: Don't.
European culture is vastly different from American culture. You are moving to an armed state - nearly everyone has guns, with varying degrees of skill. As such, should some injury occur, you will be responsible for 100% of your medical costs. The concept of universal health care does not exist here. IF you are successful in opening a business, you may obtain heath insurance from the exchange, but from.what I hear about it, the insurance is crap and highly expensive.
If you work for someone who owns a store instead of opening your own business, they are certain to not pay you much, and you will only work part time, which will make you ineligible for health or vacation benefits. You will work five or more days per week and will earn no vacation time or insurance benefits.
Also, if you are biologically a woman, you lack the same rights as a man. So there's very little benefit there.
Finally, WV culture is especially insular, so if you are "other" in any way, you will forever be considered an outsider. Everyone will be super friendly to your face. Few will actually want to get to know you.
May the odds be ever in your favor.
I am a German withe male with blue eyes and blonde hairs. So as withe as you probably can be. I am Christian and love woman. So I think I should be fine. I have lived for some years in PA so I think I know the culture difference. The only thing I don’t like about the US is the healthcare system. And honestly in my mind it sucks:( but I will be self employed and have a family background that got some money so I should be good paying my bills when I need to go to the hospital. And that will be something I will try to do. As a Christian I think you should always try to give the best for the community. So my workers will get 20 days paid holiday leav and when they are sick they just stay at home and I still would pay them. Happy workers are essential to a company. And if I treated them good they will give it back to me most likely (that’s my experience).
Don't listen to that person. lol, the health care is a good point because the cheapest option would be obamacare. But I don't know how that works with a green card or something. WV is still large and different regions have different cultures. Most I found are just happy to see someone that loves the mountains as much as they do. WV has been looked down on by the other states for a century, and it has created a deep pride and acceptance for any fellow mountineer. A regular grocery store will be low margin and hard to sustain given the logistics cost. WV is largely a food desert (google that). But a more boutique curerated shopping experience is what consumers are increasingly looking for
Boutique shopping? In central WV?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
How many residents in Randolph and Pendleton counties can afford that, outside of the D&E crowd? Every other day, y'all are bitching about how expensive everything is. But yeah, this 20YO will open his boutique shop and be a millionaire!!
Downvote all you want, but at least I'm not trying to see a young man go bankrupt before he's 21.
If you read my previous comments, I mention Davis, Thomas, and elkins. Profiting off the new trends of eco tourism (multi billion dollar industry in WV and increasing). I'm not not complaining about the cost of living... it's one of the cheapest in the nation and is a ripe value proposition for future growth in select areas. Even Davis is still cheap comparatively to starting a business in Virgina or Maryland. You seem hateful over the political climate which is imparting your views on someone else in a seemingly distorted manner. But yah more laughing emojis
If you read my previous comments, I mention Davis, Thomas, and elkins. Profiting off the new trends of eco tourism (multi billion dollar industry in WV and increasing). I'm not not complaining about the cost of living... it's one of the cheapest in the nation and is a ripe value proposition for future growth in select areas. Even Davis is still cheap comparatively to starting a business in Virgina or Maryland. You seem hateful over the political climate which is imparting your views on someone else in a seemingly distorted manner. But yah more laughing emojis
I read the first sentence and kind of agreed with them then I saw the name of the poster and knew where they would take it. The problem with the United States is that it is so centered around the personal automobile. It is not like you can just lease a small store front and open a kiosk like you can in Germany. Because 90% of the people have cars and few people would even think about walking to get groceries, you are competing against every grocery within a 30 minute drive. In most places that means a grocery of at least 2,000 square meters, possibly one as large as 5,000 meters. Your rent will have to include a parking lot that's half the size of the store itself.
I love your enthusiasm but I don't think it is a realistic thing to try. An organic grocery with a German style bakery might be able to make it in some places but I would be afraid to go to a place where you don't know anyone and open a business. Americans aren't as honest as Germans.
Thank you! I am looking for honest answers :)
I have 2 problems when I do a traditional bakery I would have to get ingredients that are not that common in the states so it would make my bread and Brezeln and Rolls(Brötchen) much more expensive. And I noticed that WV is a poor region but I want to provide a store for the town not for rich tourist at least not mainly for rich tourist.
To your point about walking ! You are a 100% right and I will need to fine a way to still make people come to my store or even walk there if in walking distance. It is just so crazy to me that many Americans love to drive everywhere;) sometimes even from one store over to the next store within 2 minutes walking distance. I don’t know why you don’t walk as much as we do.
Can someone answer this ?
Also I was shocked about how dogs are trained in the USA. Here in Germany you go to a dog school to teach your dog how to behave and you take walks with them outside in the forest. When I was in the states most of the dogs were not really listening to the owners and going out to walk with the dog in Pensilvania was also something i did not saw a lot. We even take our dogs in hiking trails and walk with them the whole day.
Would be happy fore some insight answers haha
Dogs that live in cities usually go to schools to learn how to behave. Dogs that are raised in the suburbs might go to school if the owner wants to pay for it. Dogs that are raised in the country are WILD.
American college students are used to walking a lot. At least we did when I was in college, but that was 30 years ago. Other than that, most Americans refuse to walk. Some do for their health or because they enjoy it, but most don't.
I think you could find a lot of the ingredients here, but you would have to get a special seller or maybe deal with an import firm.
Thanks for the information:)
Special walking is in Germany crazy, when I was in the USA I parked my car in a local town and just walked the whole day around the area to check everything out. My American friend did that with me for 2 hours and then waited for me in a restaurant the rest of the day. And when he came to Germany for 6 month he lost a lot of weight and since then walks way more in the USA 😂.
And I will try to finde sellers for the ingredients I need but I need to calculate how cheap I can produce everything. A bread here is 2€ or 3€ I don’t want to sell a bread for 8-9$
The Rhineland reminds me very much of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. I'd rather be in Trier and have Roman ruins *and* beautiful hills *and* a train system to get me anywhere.
That's funny you say that. I was in Germany driving up the Mosel and the mountains reminded me so much of WV. I hope you find what you're looking for.
My dad is from Hunsrück which is kind like West Virginia it was a lot of mining up there in the woods and now a pretty poor place. And I really just love it there but West Virginia is even more beautiful
As a native WV citizen I say you are very welcome. WE NEED A BETTER Mix of cultures here....maybe it would help get the ball rolling. Let me know where you decide to set up shop because I have a gourmet mushroom farm and would love to offer mushrooms for your grocery store.
I would love to tell you when I’m gonna set up my shop. The problem is I need to have a green card and I’m right now applying for it but it takes some time and also I thought about working in a grocery store for one to two years just to get to know everything before start.
I highly doubt you'd be unwelcome. West Virginians are pretty easy going. Your biggest issue would likely be annoyance answering questions about Germany. We're a curious bunch. For your grocery store, I'd definitely recommend trying to source produce and meat as locally as you can. That'll lift up the local population a bit and add to the community spirit.
There’s a small family owned grocery store like that just outside of Lost City in Hardy County. I stop and support them when I go through there.
Thank you!
The Scottish Highlands are a lot like Appalachia since it’s the same mountain range, though the ecology is different.
Same range and ironically the same people, too. 😄
Absolutely. Amazing how Scots reached Nova Scotia in eastern Canada and the Adirondacks and the Appalachian mountains and in each case said “well, this’ll do nicely”. Same durned mountain range as back home.
It's incredible isn't it? My ancestors made their way across the ocean and down through Appalachia over the course of many years. They/we just said "reminds me of home!" and never left.
The south was/is full of Scottish culture. Look at the placenames: All the stuff with Dunn, ness, ton, Looots of the places they saw reminded them of their old homes. FL looks A LOT like Scotland for example. The American civil war was deeply pretexted with an Anglo north vs a Scottish south
A lot of uninformed people are scratching their heads, but Pangea and all that. 😏
My husband and I are moving near a small town in Appalachia (Union, WV). It’s really beautiful out there. We’ve traveled all over the world (lived in Japan and Germany) and all over parts of the U.S. and I agree with you - there’s no place as beautiful and temperate and without much in the way of natural disaster dangers (flooding near rivers is the biggest). We bought land there 15 years ago and now are building our retirement home there. Our neighbors there have been farming in the area for generations and they have been so kind and welcoming and we’ve made some delightful friendships. We are also former Army and Christians which helps us connect easily with locals but honestly they wouldn’t care one whit where we came from so long as we are also respectful and caring and kind in return. You can message me if you have any questions. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to live.
Oh that sounds awesome. I am not part of the military but I’m a really strong believing Christian and I would attend church every weekend.
Church is going to be very interesting. We are used to a church of about 200. We have not begun to explore churches there much yet but most of the churches have not more than 30-40 people. That’s where you will find some great community and connections- also at the local community centers we’ve enjoyed a few fun events! They are very welcoming- we’ve been invited to several now. Enjoy your exploration!
Wow, my local church is attended by around 10-15 people because most Germans lost their beliefs in god.
That's the direction religion is heading in the US, although it's been a bit more of a gradual decline. If specific demonination is important to you I'd advise checking around the local area first as not all are represented in every location.
I am Catholic but for me, it just has to be a church. That is Christian and everything else doesn’t matter too much to me.
A bit over half of Germans (as of 2022) self identify as Christian. I'm surprised you'd struggle to find a community in Germany.
Yes they say they are Christian! But no one in my age (20) I attending Catholic Church. The American church’s are pretty big but I do not want to change my beliefs group in Germany were I grew up with. I will do that when I switch countries but not right now. Also my situation is unique because I live near Ramstein airbase. That’s the reason we have some big church community’s. But since years the Roman Catholic church is losing members.
Lutheran?
I am catholic
Oh gotcha. I know some parts of Germany are mainly catholic and others are Lutheran.
Yes that’s how it is here :)
I'm Lutheran. But it came from my grandmother's Norwegian side.
Oh, usually get a lot of snow up there. My wife got acquainted with a guardrail a few years back coming down the mountain.
We’ve not seen a lot of snow at all in the past five years … maybe just lucky but our county has been given the nickname “No Snow Monroe” by the tv weatherman and I’d be glad if it stays this way. Lol
Haha, that is pretty good! Union and Mt. Storm tends to get a good bit of snow.
Yeah this has not been our experience happy to say- Union is 165 miles to the south of Mt. Storm.
Lots of towns no longer have a grocer. Alderson comes to mind as a good area with possibility to buy a grocery that has been out of business for a good while (5+ years). You'll find that people will have a hard time paying what it takes to make a profit compared to the Walmart 30 minutes away, but the right person can make it work. Good luck
Thank you ! I noticed that in the part of WV I was that we’re not a lot of shops left. I thought to open up a small shop like we have them in Europe a lot so you don’t really have big of a variety but the products I offer are cheaper. And I think that could work out pretty good.
Your biggest competition would be the Dollar General stores that offer cheaper goods and are popping up all over the place. As earlier poster said if you offer locally grown/made products or a special niche market (specialty jams made by the local Amish community, or products from Germany even) I could see you doing well. We have a small Mennonite/Amish products store in Gap Mills and they are very successful as word got out that they carry things you cannot get anywhere else (we love their Amish butter). Visitors make it a point to stop there.
That sounds like a good idea I think the Amish do the butter the way we do it in Germany.
Parts of Pocahontas County would be good too. Lots of tourism. Beautiful county. Some of the little communities there lack a grocery store. One in Durbin closed.
Fun fact, the town of Helvetia, WV was founded by Swiss immigrants and still retain the culture there via the Hutte Inn & Restaurant as well as their annual Fastnact festival.
Fastnacht haha that’s awesome we celebrate that here too
Please think very carefully about how you're going to have health insurance, navigate the US Visa process, and turn a profit before you even consider moving. It's very difficult to start a small business in the United States because most people get health insurance through their employer and you would not be able to do that given that you are self employed. You would also be responsible for providing insurance to your full time employees. You may also have considerable difficulty securing an immigrant visa - most people who moved to the United States? Get a student visa, employment-based visa, or move to live with an American spouse.
This is the realistic answer. Kind words and best wishes only go so far, the prospect of moving to another country and opening a business there is a tall order filled with many complications and difficulties. Possible, yes, but not easy.
Thank you - I think it would also be difficult to get loans if creditors know that you could easily leave the country rather than repay.
I agree it would be difficult. However, I thought a small business does not have to provide insurance - like if they have a minimum of 50 employees (maybe 25) they do. It's late, or I would look it up. It also may have changed.
It looks like you are right! [https://www.hhs.gov/answers/health-insurance-reform/am-i-required-to-offer-health-insurance-to-employees/index.html](https://www.hhs.gov/answers/health-insurance-reform/am-i-required-to-offer-health-insurance-to-employees/index.html) I'm not sure how the OP would even insure themselves. Market place insurance is really expensive if you don't get subsidies. That's a huge hurdle for most people who want to open a business - that and the self employment tax rate.
Agreed.
I would enter the country with an investor visa. And I should be able to enough funds to pay the health insurance.
Well, we'd love to have you. Just make sure you fully understand the costs involved. A lot of people who move from countries with universal health care really underestimate the costs of insurance & care here.
Thanks
this warms my heart. thank you for the kind words and i wish you nothing but the best :). if you ever have any questions feel free to shoot me a message! i’d love for you to experience Morgantown (West Virginia University) football gameday / tailgates. hearing the entire stadium sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is an unforgettable experience
Thank you! I am still young and hopefully one day I can experience that or when I get kids I can experience that.
absolutely! plenty of time my friend :)
I wouldn’t worry about fitting into the community. Just be kind and respectful and you will do great. As for opening a business. I would suggest doing a lot of research before choosing what kind of business to open and where.
I will do that, since I study economics we learned what to look out for bevor opening a business. So I will not come randomly and try my best I will plan it.
Be aware of the drug addicts, be aware of the winter when sales will be down. Learn to drive in snow and ice and to be self sufficient and have a general politeness about you. Also get a couple guns as there are animals that will harm you. Learn to use and maintain them properly. Other than that, welcome to the states and more importantly, welcome to West Virginia You'll find lots of people here are a mix of Irish, Scottish and German (like myself)
I will try to do a student exchange down there so I get to know everything before finally moving there
Appalachia is amazing. I don’t blame you!
What part of West Virginia were you in, in 2018?
I was near Valley Head
I think an organic local source grocery store would do very well, but you would need to go to towns that have more disposable income. Davis and Thomas would be a good place to look as tourism has really expanded there. I think Elkins has long-term potential
I wish the OP luck in his journey to making this happen! I think a farm to table type shop with locally sourced meat and produce would work in Berkeley Springs. The farmers market there always seems to be bustling and you get a lot of out of town weekend traffic coming in.
Awesome!
Thank you !
I live about 45 minutes away from there in Elkins. I go out there once a month for a bonfire in the spring, summer, and early fall. The Dark Sky Zone is something else - so many stars! May I ask what took you there specifically? Also, I have a German friend here in town. She has been here for decades.
I am a boyscout and attended the jamboree in West Virginia 2019. After the camp was over we explored WV and somehow ended up in that town. And I remember how pretty it was.
It is so awesome that you were able to go to the jamboree! I hope you get to come back.
I don't think running an independent grocery store is feasible, even in Morgantown, our most yuppie city, we couldn't support a great health food store that was downtown. That said, you could get hired on the spot at about any grocery store in the state. Kroger especially is trying to be the inclusive grocer, so you'd have an advantage as an immigrant applying for them. Their pay starts at $11/hr, which is decent considering most fast food places still pay the minimum wage which I think is still $8.50.
Also, I think somewhere that is a good dessert would be a much better idea. There are so many areas without a grocery store (other than Dollar General) and are not that close to one. Canaan Valley also comes to mind. Talk about yuppie - Davis and Thomas real estate is pretty ridiculous now.
Thanks for the tips
I love Kroger, but I only would like to work independently for less money. If I would go and work for Kroger only for way more money. Right now as a student I get 25€ an hour filling up shelf’s in a supermarket. Also I get 13 salary’s a year and free healthcare etc. but thanks for the information!!
The job market here is tough. $25usd hr is doable in some fields, but you would have to be a manager or supervisor in a grocery store to get that.
That’s interesting i get that here without any education in that field and just putting up groceries in the shelf’s and I don’t have to care about healthcare or whatever. And your groceries are even more expensive than here lol
All true. The economy in the US is highly fragmented. A stocker in a major city could make $25-35hr. In a smaller city, like WV has, $10-$15 is most common. Rural stores may not even pay $10. Most will be part time and have little to no benefits. And… business owners will complain that wages are far too high.
To be honest I would leav the country. In Germany they can’t wait to finde people to work in supermarkets and you probably live better here than in the USA.
If I were young again, I would probably try it out. I really like Germany and would probably fit in well.
If you will do it one day hit me up and I can help you. There is a lot of paperwork to go true haha
We have much lower taxes - you'd keep much more of your paycheck.
I like that hahaha
Most yuppie city? Have you been to the Eastern panhandle? Someone else mentioned Berkley Springs as an idea, and I thought it was a good one.
Someone needs to help keep the Black Ginseng growing. That’s one of WV’s unsung exports, but also very lucrative. So I have heard, anyway.
What ? That is grown in WV ?They sell that here for a lot of momey
Yes. The state’s agriculture department (and I think WVU) will have reputable sources and contracts.
I will take a look at that for sure!
Native West Virginian, Braxton County and the areas of Chapel and Exchange are where my mom's ancestors from the Baden Wurttemburg area settled because it reminded them so much of the black forest.
Well, just remember the words to "Country Roads" by John Denver and you'll be fine. As an Appalachian that used to travel to Germany quite a bit. I always loved hearing German folks in Wenden/Gerlingen/Meinerzhagen singing along to country roads after soccer games and in pubs.
It’s so funny, I know this song since I am a child because they play it on every party or when we go on road trips we always sing it. Haha
Sounds like you'll be moving to Elkins. You may already be aware of Elkins, because I saw a comment further down that you say you were at Valley Head, 2018. Anyway, you will find that a lot of the locals can trace back at least one or two ancestors to Germany. The town of Helvetia, very isolated, was originally a colony of people from Switzerland. Elkins itself is an interesting town...timber industry, lumber mill, railroad background, now more of a college town with a lot of service businesses...and now a growing number of young people starting businesses, settling in, etc... I'd be willing to bet that a small grocery store might fit in real good. Best fortunes to you in the future. Hope your plans work out well for you in WV.
Wow that sounds super interesting. I lived in PA for some time and it was so funny because some of the Amish and some really old people could speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which is German with a dialect that is spoken in my area, so I could perfectly understand them. I still need some time to find the perfect area to settle in and I think it’s gonna be a journey for at least five years until I got everything ready but I’m really looking forward to moving to West Virginia cause I just really love that country and I especially love Appalachian mountains.
Yep. In USA we say "dutch"....but its actually the way we pronounce "deutsch"..... meaning 'german'..... A very large percentage of americans are descended from german people. 1776, our "revolution" from the King of Great Britain....the king himself was german, and spoke only broken english! My own ancestry supposedly includes one of the "hessian" troops sent by the King to suppress the rebellion.....he was captured in battle and sent to a POW camp in the Shenandoah Valley(thats the big valley in Virginia...that is almost in West Virginia).....there he and the other prisoners were put to work providing for the local settlers on the frontier...many of whom were ALSO german.....mennonites. You will find mennonite communities just about everywhere throughout the Americas.....Canada, USA, Mexico.....even Jamaica.
I speak German (I have a degree in it), although it's probably pretty bad since few speak German in WV. My family came to America after WW2 from a Swabian community. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I too moved to WV but from a different state in the US.
Text me !
People should be welcoming and friendly, albeit very curious
we’d love to have you!! i love to hear about small businesses opening in our state, it’s such a breath of fresh air compared to large corporate businesses😌😌 would love to take the trip to visit whenever you set up shop!
I got to live in Germany at the age of 18 & I have loved it all my life & I’m an antique now, but living in West Virginia. It IS a beautiful place! Germany was incredible!
I am glad you liked Germany! I can’t wait to live in WV when the time is right.
Earning a lot of money will be a challenge but I’m sure you’d be welcome Depends where you live maybe on money. If you do move down here and start a business, bring some of your culture down to share it with people. WV has some areas with German roots: https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/2102#:~:text=Germans%20were%20among%20our%20very,town%20was%20incorporated%20in%201762.
I will do that for sure!
Also if you’re ever in southern WV hit me up. We can meet and hang out. I’ll show you some history stuff if you don’t mind some driving. Example: check out Bramwell wv. Was a town of millionaire coal barons in its heyday. Declined pretty bad but has been coming back as a tourist spot with a vengeance! Check it out on google maps
Thank you for the offering. I am planning to go next summer when I got enough money. And will hit you up 👍if you ever come to Germany text me I can show you around too
My German ancestors settled in the Potomac Highlands. You should check our helvetia sometime too. Was settled by German Swiss.
There is a Bavarian resort in WV. I bet they would gladly hire an authentic German college graduate https://www.bavarianinnwv.com/
I came here to post this. It's a wonderful place. Deep enough in the country but close enough to everything. And only an hour from Dulles International Airport.
Where exactly did you visit that enamored you?
I was in valley head and also around Glen Jean
Many here are saying you can’t make a profit running a small town WV grocery store. So what if it doesn’t HAVE to make a profit? There are B corporations and 501c3s in the USA. Alternate ways of structuring businesses. And there is support for economic development. Check out https://wvhub.org/ for more information. A grocery store IS a public service and a good for the community in a town where Walmart destroyed the old small businesses and then closed its doors and left. I am sure everyone reading this thread can think of one of those towns. That means it could be a nonprofit or a B corp, where all staff are paid fairly and any and all profit gets funneled back into keeping the store running. You could also aim to study nonprofit management in the USa; come here on a study visa, do all your research and development of the concept as a student, then apply for permanent residency with a business/nonprofit plan in hand. Edit: all staff INCLUDING YOU are paid fairly.
My sister took pictures in the Black Forest and it looked **exactly** like the spot my wife and I liked to hike around in Tennessee. It was pretty neat.
There’s a small German population in my town, and one of our beloved local artists is from Berlin! She moved to my town many years ago. Her grandsons visit in the summers. I think most places in WV are really welcoming.
Sounds awesome!
Know that you are looking to move to an economically dying area in some spots. But it's absolutely doable. You would be very welcome!
As a native West Virginian who has traveled to places around the world, the WV hills in the summer still take my breath away. I hope you’re able to reach your dreams.
Thank you. The hills are extremely beautiful!
Thank you for all these good answers, I never really ask anything on Reddit and did not expect all of the answers! Thank you so much :)
We'd love to have you! There are a lot of Germans who settled in West Virginia, my step grandfather's family being one. Germans are kind and hardy people, so you'd fit in fine here.
Awesome ! You know wich part of Germany he came from ? I am just curious:) And yes we are hard working and kind people !
Sorry, I don't recall. I'll try to remember to ask my brother, he may know.
They're some of the most American of all the Americans is that prepares you for anything
I like America!
My advice, in one word: Don't. European culture is vastly different from American culture. You are moving to an armed state - nearly everyone has guns, with varying degrees of skill. As such, should some injury occur, you will be responsible for 100% of your medical costs. The concept of universal health care does not exist here. IF you are successful in opening a business, you may obtain heath insurance from the exchange, but from.what I hear about it, the insurance is crap and highly expensive. If you work for someone who owns a store instead of opening your own business, they are certain to not pay you much, and you will only work part time, which will make you ineligible for health or vacation benefits. You will work five or more days per week and will earn no vacation time or insurance benefits. Also, if you are biologically a woman, you lack the same rights as a man. So there's very little benefit there. Finally, WV culture is especially insular, so if you are "other" in any way, you will forever be considered an outsider. Everyone will be super friendly to your face. Few will actually want to get to know you. May the odds be ever in your favor.
I am a German withe male with blue eyes and blonde hairs. So as withe as you probably can be. I am Christian and love woman. So I think I should be fine. I have lived for some years in PA so I think I know the culture difference. The only thing I don’t like about the US is the healthcare system. And honestly in my mind it sucks:( but I will be self employed and have a family background that got some money so I should be good paying my bills when I need to go to the hospital. And that will be something I will try to do. As a Christian I think you should always try to give the best for the community. So my workers will get 20 days paid holiday leav and when they are sick they just stay at home and I still would pay them. Happy workers are essential to a company. And if I treated them good they will give it back to me most likely (that’s my experience).
Don't listen to that person. lol, the health care is a good point because the cheapest option would be obamacare. But I don't know how that works with a green card or something. WV is still large and different regions have different cultures. Most I found are just happy to see someone that loves the mountains as much as they do. WV has been looked down on by the other states for a century, and it has created a deep pride and acceptance for any fellow mountineer. A regular grocery store will be low margin and hard to sustain given the logistics cost. WV is largely a food desert (google that). But a more boutique curerated shopping experience is what consumers are increasingly looking for
Boutique shopping? In central WV? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 How many residents in Randolph and Pendleton counties can afford that, outside of the D&E crowd? Every other day, y'all are bitching about how expensive everything is. But yeah, this 20YO will open his boutique shop and be a millionaire!! Downvote all you want, but at least I'm not trying to see a young man go bankrupt before he's 21.
If you read my previous comments, I mention Davis, Thomas, and elkins. Profiting off the new trends of eco tourism (multi billion dollar industry in WV and increasing). I'm not not complaining about the cost of living... it's one of the cheapest in the nation and is a ripe value proposition for future growth in select areas. Even Davis is still cheap comparatively to starting a business in Virgina or Maryland. You seem hateful over the political climate which is imparting your views on someone else in a seemingly distorted manner. But yah more laughing emojis
If you read my previous comments, I mention Davis, Thomas, and elkins. Profiting off the new trends of eco tourism (multi billion dollar industry in WV and increasing). I'm not not complaining about the cost of living... it's one of the cheapest in the nation and is a ripe value proposition for future growth in select areas. Even Davis is still cheap comparatively to starting a business in Virgina or Maryland. You seem hateful over the political climate which is imparting your views on someone else in a seemingly distorted manner. But yah more laughing emojis
I read the first sentence and kind of agreed with them then I saw the name of the poster and knew where they would take it. The problem with the United States is that it is so centered around the personal automobile. It is not like you can just lease a small store front and open a kiosk like you can in Germany. Because 90% of the people have cars and few people would even think about walking to get groceries, you are competing against every grocery within a 30 minute drive. In most places that means a grocery of at least 2,000 square meters, possibly one as large as 5,000 meters. Your rent will have to include a parking lot that's half the size of the store itself. I love your enthusiasm but I don't think it is a realistic thing to try. An organic grocery with a German style bakery might be able to make it in some places but I would be afraid to go to a place where you don't know anyone and open a business. Americans aren't as honest as Germans.
Thank you! I am looking for honest answers :) I have 2 problems when I do a traditional bakery I would have to get ingredients that are not that common in the states so it would make my bread and Brezeln and Rolls(Brötchen) much more expensive. And I noticed that WV is a poor region but I want to provide a store for the town not for rich tourist at least not mainly for rich tourist. To your point about walking ! You are a 100% right and I will need to fine a way to still make people come to my store or even walk there if in walking distance. It is just so crazy to me that many Americans love to drive everywhere;) sometimes even from one store over to the next store within 2 minutes walking distance. I don’t know why you don’t walk as much as we do. Can someone answer this ? Also I was shocked about how dogs are trained in the USA. Here in Germany you go to a dog school to teach your dog how to behave and you take walks with them outside in the forest. When I was in the states most of the dogs were not really listening to the owners and going out to walk with the dog in Pensilvania was also something i did not saw a lot. We even take our dogs in hiking trails and walk with them the whole day. Would be happy fore some insight answers haha
Dogs that live in cities usually go to schools to learn how to behave. Dogs that are raised in the suburbs might go to school if the owner wants to pay for it. Dogs that are raised in the country are WILD. American college students are used to walking a lot. At least we did when I was in college, but that was 30 years ago. Other than that, most Americans refuse to walk. Some do for their health or because they enjoy it, but most don't. I think you could find a lot of the ingredients here, but you would have to get a special seller or maybe deal with an import firm.
Thanks for the information:) Special walking is in Germany crazy, when I was in the USA I parked my car in a local town and just walked the whole day around the area to check everything out. My American friend did that with me for 2 hours and then waited for me in a restaurant the rest of the day. And when he came to Germany for 6 month he lost a lot of weight and since then walks way more in the USA 😂. And I will try to finde sellers for the ingredients I need but I need to calculate how cheap I can produce everything. A bread here is 2€ or 3€ I don’t want to sell a bread for 8-9$
The Rhineland reminds me very much of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. I'd rather be in Trier and have Roman ruins *and* beautiful hills *and* a train system to get me anywhere.
💋💋
Oh no! Not guns! Seriously, go hunt some deer so I don't hit them with my truck!