Richmond Named Among Top 5 Hippest Cities In U.S.

RICHMOND, VA — Richmond is a hipster paradise thanks to the presence of oh-so-artsy Virginia Commonwealth University, row-house neighborhoods such as the Fan district with a bar or restaurant at seemingly every corner, the ever-eclectic shops in Carytown, the vibrancy of a revamped Shockoe Bottom and the crackling live music scene — among many other things. Virginia's capital city recently was named by the travel/relocation website MoveHub as being one of the nation's 20 "hippest cities." In fact, Richmond checks in at No. 5.

Yet according to the article in Business Insider, Richmond "earned fifth place on MoveHub's ranking because it has the most thrift stores per 100,000 people of all the included cities, as well as plenty of microbreweries." Well. MoveHub created a "US Hipster Index," that "takes into account the density of tattoo parlors, vegan stores, microbreweries, thrift stores, as well as any increases in rent."

So, how did MoveHub decide who's hip and who's not? First, here's how it defines a hipster: "There's no one prevailing definition, but common qualities are easy enough to spot," says MoveHub. "In brief, hipsters are a subculture of 20- to 30-somethings who position themselves as non-mainstream pioneers; free-thinkers and non-conformist conformists. ...

"From the inside this looks like independent thought, progressive politics, sustainable food, thrift store bargains, delicious local beer, and groups of ardent individuals looking exactly like each other. From the outside peering in it tends to resemble gentrification, sickly vegan dishes, and groups of ardent individuals looking exactly like each other."

Um. OK. The US Hipster Index, bless its heart, neglected to mention a few of the things not already mentioned above — namely, that its stated age demographic in Richmond loves a good party. Specifically, a good outdoor party with live music. Come spring and summer, there are such gatherings nearly every weekend at Browns Island on the James River. Same for Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom.

Way back in the early '90s, none other than the Dave Matthews Band would play every Wednesday night at the old Flood Zone in the Slip for a $2 cover charge. How hip is that?

Not only that, but the city's growing restaurant scene over the past 10 years has earned national accolades, as this story in the Washington Post will attest.

But no, Richmond reached No. 5 because of the thrift stores and the microbreweries. And the city does, in fact, boast some of the better microbreweries in both the state and the mid-Atlantic region. Thrift stores? Yeah, whatever.

For what it's worth, the hippest city in the nation is Vancouver, WA. Click here for the complete top 20.

Watch Now: Top 5 Most Hipster Cities In The U.S.A.

The writer lived in Richmond for nine years as a reporter for the Times-Dispatch.

Image via Pixabay