Minneapolis – Lynnhurst
What you should know about moving to Lynnhurst Neighborhood Minneapolis
Lynnhurst is a charming little neighborhood just a stone’s throw away from the picturesque Lake Harriet. It’s a tight-knit community, primarily composed of homes, and what sets it apart are the one-of-a-kind businesses and restaurants that dot the neighborhood. You won’t find many chain stores or franchises here. The local parks are beloved by the community, especially because of their proximity to the lake. Lynnhurst has a strong cultural undercurrent with a particular fondness for music and art, and you’ll discover several outlets for creative expression here. The neighborhood boasts excellent schools and convenient public transportation options. Despite its small size, Lynnhurst is a highly desirable place to live.
Feel free to explore more about Lynnhurst by visiting their neighborhood website at www.Lynnhurst.org.
History:
Lynnhurst’s history is quite intriguing. Once upon a time, this area was predominantly rural, characterized by lush pastures and rolling hills. The transformation began in 1893 when two visionaries, Charles Loring and Henry Brown, acquired the land and generously allocated some of it to nine young executive couples. However, there was a catch – these couples were required to build homes worth at least $3,000. This ambitious endeavor was known as “The Colony at Lynnhurst” and kicked off on the 4600 block of Fremont Ave S.
At the time, Lynnhurst was still quite undeveloped, so a barn was constructed to house cows for milk production. Soon after, the streetcar line was extended to Lynnhurst, thanks in part to Lowry’s influence with the owner. Yet, growth remained gradual, and the neighborhood didn’t fully flourish until around 1925. Surprisingly, railroads never made their way here, and industrialization was never on the horizon – a fact that endeared the area to many.
The combination of beautiful parks surrounding Lake Harriet, the serene ambiance, and the stunning homes within Lynnhurst attracted numerous professionals seeking a tranquil haven outside the bustling city. Even today, Lynnhurst’s natural beauty, unique homes, and independent businesses continue to make it a highly sought-after place to call home.
Southwest Minneapolis Neighborhoods:
Linden Hills, East Harriet, King Field, Fulton, Lynnhurst, Tangletown, Armatage, Kenny, Windom
What are the benefits of buying a home in Lynnhurst Neighborhood Minneapolis?
Housing types in the Lynnhurst area are widely varied. You can find a wide range of Tudor homes, Craftsman homes, Colonials, post-war bungalows, Ranch or Ramblers. There are plenty of 1940’s two-story houses.
The Lynnhurst neighborhood is home to two parks, both cherished for their close proximity to Lake Harriet. One of these parks, Lynnhurst Park (website, 1345 E Minnehaha Pkwy, 612-370-4914) bears the neighborhood's name and offers a wide range of amenities. You'll find a playground, a scenic biking and walking path, sports courts and fields, and an ice rink during the winter months, perfect for both skating and hockey enthusiasts. This park is conveniently located just two blocks away from Lake Harriet.
Meanwhile, Lake Harriet Park (website, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, 612-230-6400) is a beloved gem in all of Minneapolis. Its standout feature is the iconic band shell situated right by the lake, which hosts various music performances, shows, and even outdoor movie screenings during the warmer seasons. The park also boasts several beaches, a meandering walking and biking trail that encircles Lake Harriet, a beautiful garden, a dock, a pier, a playground, and a picnic area. Not to be missed is the striking fountain that adds to the park's allure.
There is a small array of cute shops in Lynnhurst. There are two little gift shops in the neighborhood, Zinnia Folk Arts, LLC (website, 826 W 50th St, 612-824-4342) and Patina Inc (website, 821 W 50th St, 612-821-9315), but they are very different from each other. Zinnia sells all Mexican folk art and handcrafted goods. It is a fair trade shop and everything sold has been made by Mexican artisans throughout the country. Patino, on the other hand, is a little shop started by a couple in 1993 that now has 7 different locations. The products here are constantly evolving as the art and style of the couple evolves. Their goal is to create a little escape that inspires more art. One community favorite is the Paperback Exchange (website, 2227 W 50th St, 612-929-8801), a little bookstore that has been around since 1975. It sells both used and new books and has a wide variety, from bestsellers to books that are out of print, adding up to about 150,000 books in stock. The Bead Monkey (website, 4959 Penn Ave S, 952-929-4032) is a shop that makes and sells different kinds of jewelry. They also offer jewelry making classes and put on fun events. There is also a liquor store, a scuba shop and a pet store in the Lynnhurst neighborhood.
Paperback Exchange – 2227 W 50th St (612-929-8801) paperbackexchange.com
Scuba Center – 5015 Penn Ave S (612-925-4818) scubacenter.com
Zinnia Folk Arts, LLC – 826 W 50th St (612-824-4342) zinniafolkarts.com
Patina Inc – 821 W 50th St (612-821-9315) patinastores.com
Birds N Stuff – 824 W 50th St (612-827-3882)
South Lyndale Liquors – 5300 Lyndale Ave S (612-827-5811) southlyndale.com
Lynnhurst only has a handful of restaurants but all of them are unique to the neighborhood. There are three sit down style restaurants. One of them is called Terzo (website, 2221 W 50th St, 612-925-0330) and is a more modern-styled Italian restaurant. It has a very large wine list that offers over 300 selections as well as beers. The most interesting part about Terzo, though, is the walk up window called Porchetteria. It is year-round throughout the day and serves food to go, mainly pork sandwiches called Porchetta. This is a major draw to the restaurant and the neighborhood.
St. Genevieve (website, 5003 Bryant Ave S, 612-353-4843) is a French restaurant that is very much styled after Paris. It serves all kinds of French foods and breads. The restaurant specializes in wines and is most well known for its champagne.
The Malt Shop (website, 809 W 50th St, 612-824-1352) has been an old-fashioned community favorite since the 1970s. The cute spot originally served mostly burgers, fries, and of course malts. Over the years the menu has greatly expanded with all kinds of American style plates, but malts and shakes still remain the specialty!
George & the Dragon (website, 813 W 50th St, 612-208-1047) is actually more of a bar. It serves all kinds of beers but also offers a menu with pub grub and lots of fried foods.
Lake Harriet Pizza (website, 5009 Penn Ave S, 612-920-7717) is a neighborhood favorite. It is a delivery or take out pizza joint only, but the community loves the pizza and that it is local! Finally, if you’re looking for a nice spot to chill and sip a drink, the Studio 2 Coffee Shop & Wine Bar (website, 818 W 46th St, 612-444-3460) is the place for you! Everything on the menu is made from scratch and ingredients are purchased locally. The shop supports local artists by displaying their work, and offers opportunities for local musicians and speakers to perform as well. It is a very unique and positive environment.
The Lynnhurst neighborhood has several areas of both art and music that are available to the community. The Ron Merchant Fine Art Gallery (website, 4929 Knox Ave S, 612-929-9443) is a small art gallery in Lynnhurst where acclaimed artist Ron Merchant displays his work. He is very passionate about expressing feeling through art. Much of his work is of beautiful outdoor landscapes and people. He observes people and objects very closely, which is clear in his work. The Mount Olivet School of Music (website, 5025 Knox Ave S, 612-767-2262) is also located in Lynnhurst. It is a music school that is provided by Mount Olivet Lutheran Church. The school will take on students of any age and skill level and work with them both individually and in groups to improve their music abilities. The school offers instrumental and voice lessons, there is also a band and orchestra program, and a music camp offered in the summer for students in 1st through 12th grade. Finally, the Brian Kinney Band (website, 5253 Penn Ave S, 612-926-1634) is a traveling performance based out of the Lynnhurst neighborhood. Brian Kinney is the lead singer, but the band is made up of well-known Twin City musicians from Prince, Bonnie Raitt, Rupert’s Orchestra and Fairchild. The band can be hired out to play at any event, no matter the style; they’ve seen it all. People living in Lynnhurst place high value on the arts and music, which can be seen through the caliber of the artists and musicians in the area.
What better way to start the year than with the Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival (4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy). This was the 13th year of the festival and it is definitely a community favorite. Kites of all different shapes, sizes and colors are flown over the lake while there is ice fishing, wagon rides, snacks, snowshoeing and even more to keep people busy. All this is free fun for the whole family! The Fix It Clinic (2500 W 57th St, 612-348-9195) is an event the neighborhood association puts on in January where community members can bring in electronics, appliances and more and are taught how to repair such items. This has been done to keep the community from wasting items that can be fixed. The Earth Day Clean-Up & Recycling Education Game has been a tradition in Lynnhurst for 21 years. It takes place in April and is an event that is set up as a game, encouraging the community to clean up their neighborhood. In early August, the neighborhood association puts on the Summer Festival (Lynnhurst Park). People come from near and far to eat, play games and listen to live music. This is not only a neighborhood favorite, but a favorite of many people throughout the city, and all are welcome to attend. The Buckthorn Bust (Lynnhurst Park) is another annual event in the neighborhood. It takes place in November and is an open invitation for anyone in the community to come out and work hard to rid Lynnhurst Park and other surrounding parks of Buckthorn, a huge weed that kills native plants around it. The equipment and training is provided for this project. The neighborhood has been doing this for five years now and it helps to make them proactive about their environment.
The Lynnhurst neighborhood is home to two parks, both cherished for their close proximity to Lake Harriet. One of these parks, Lynnhurst Park (website, 1345 E Minnehaha Pkwy, 612-370-4914) bears the neighborhood's name and offers a wide range of amenities. You'll find a playground, a scenic biking and walking path, sports courts and fields, and an ice rink during the winter months, perfect for both skating and hockey enthusiasts. This park is conveniently located just two blocks away from Lake Harriet.
Meanwhile, Lake Harriet Park (website, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, 612-230-6400) is a beloved gem in all of Minneapolis. Its standout feature is the iconic band shell situated right by the lake, which hosts various music performances, shows, and even outdoor movie screenings during the warmer seasons. The park also boasts several beaches, a meandering walking and biking trail that encircles Lake Harriet, a beautiful garden, a dock, a pier, a playground, and a picnic area. Not to be missed is the striking fountain that adds to the park's allure.
There is a small array of cute shops in Lynnhurst. There are two little gift shops in the neighborhood, Zinnia Folk Arts, LLC (website, 826 W 50th St, 612-824-4342) and Patina Inc (website, 821 W 50th St, 612-821-9315), but they are very different from each other. Zinnia sells all Mexican folk art and handcrafted goods. It is a fair trade shop and everything sold has been made by Mexican artisans throughout the country. Patino, on the other hand, is a little shop started by a couple in 1993 that now has 7 different locations. The products here are constantly evolving as the art and style of the couple evolves. Their goal is to create a little escape that inspires more art. One community favorite is the Paperback Exchange (website, 2227 W 50th St, 612-929-8801), a little bookstore that has been around since 1975. It sells both used and new books and has a wide variety, from bestsellers to books that are out of print, adding up to about 150,000 books in stock. The Bead Monkey (website, 4959 Penn Ave S, 952-929-4032) is a shop that makes and sells different kinds of jewelry. They also offer jewelry making classes and put on fun events. There is also a liquor store, a scuba shop and a pet store in the Lynnhurst neighborhood.
Paperback Exchange – 2227 W 50th St (612-929-8801) paperbackexchange.com
Scuba Center – 5015 Penn Ave S (612-925-4818) scubacenter.com
Zinnia Folk Arts, LLC – 826 W 50th St (612-824-4342) zinniafolkarts.com
Patina Inc – 821 W 50th St (612-821-9315) patinastores.com
Birds N Stuff – 824 W 50th St (612-827-3882)
South Lyndale Liquors – 5300 Lyndale Ave S (612-827-5811) southlyndale.com
Lynnhurst only has a handful of restaurants but all of them are unique to the neighborhood. There are three sit down style restaurants. One of them is called Terzo (website, 2221 W 50th St, 612-925-0330) and is a more modern-styled Italian restaurant. It has a very large wine list that offers over 300 selections as well as beers. The most interesting part about Terzo, though, is the walk up window called Porchetteria. It is year-round throughout the day and serves food to go, mainly pork sandwiches called Porchetta. This is a major draw to the restaurant and the neighborhood.
St. Genevieve (website, 5003 Bryant Ave S, 612-353-4843) is a French restaurant that is very much styled after Paris. It serves all kinds of French foods and breads. The restaurant specializes in wines and is most well known for its champagne.
The Malt Shop (website, 809 W 50th St, 612-824-1352) has been an old-fashioned community favorite since the 1970s. The cute spot originally served mostly burgers, fries, and of course malts. Over the years the menu has greatly expanded with all kinds of American style plates, but malts and shakes still remain the specialty!
George & the Dragon (website, 813 W 50th St, 612-208-1047) is actually more of a bar. It serves all kinds of beers but also offers a menu with pub grub and lots of fried foods.
Lake Harriet Pizza (website, 5009 Penn Ave S, 612-920-7717) is a neighborhood favorite. It is a delivery or take out pizza joint only, but the community loves the pizza and that it is local! Finally, if you’re looking for a nice spot to chill and sip a drink, the Studio 2 Coffee Shop & Wine Bar (website, 818 W 46th St, 612-444-3460) is the place for you! Everything on the menu is made from scratch and ingredients are purchased locally. The shop supports local artists by displaying their work, and offers opportunities for local musicians and speakers to perform as well. It is a very unique and positive environment.
The Lynnhurst neighborhood has several areas of both art and music that are available to the community. The Ron Merchant Fine Art Gallery (website, 4929 Knox Ave S, 612-929-9443) is a small art gallery in Lynnhurst where acclaimed artist Ron Merchant displays his work. He is very passionate about expressing feeling through art. Much of his work is of beautiful outdoor landscapes and people. He observes people and objects very closely, which is clear in his work. The Mount Olivet School of Music (website, 5025 Knox Ave S, 612-767-2262) is also located in Lynnhurst. It is a music school that is provided by Mount Olivet Lutheran Church. The school will take on students of any age and skill level and work with them both individually and in groups to improve their music abilities. The school offers instrumental and voice lessons, there is also a band and orchestra program, and a music camp offered in the summer for students in 1st through 12th grade. Finally, the Brian Kinney Band (website, 5253 Penn Ave S, 612-926-1634) is a traveling performance based out of the Lynnhurst neighborhood. Brian Kinney is the lead singer, but the band is made up of well-known Twin City musicians from Prince, Bonnie Raitt, Rupert’s Orchestra and Fairchild. The band can be hired out to play at any event, no matter the style; they’ve seen it all. People living in Lynnhurst place high value on the arts and music, which can be seen through the caliber of the artists and musicians in the area.
What better way to start the year than with the Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival (4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy). This was the 13th year of the festival and it is definitely a community favorite. Kites of all different shapes, sizes and colors are flown over the lake while there is ice fishing, wagon rides, snacks, snowshoeing and even more to keep people busy. All this is free fun for the whole family! The Fix It Clinic (2500 W 57th St, 612-348-9195) is an event the neighborhood association puts on in January where community members can bring in electronics, appliances and more and are taught how to repair such items. This has been done to keep the community from wasting items that can be fixed. The Earth Day Clean-Up & Recycling Education Game has been a tradition in Lynnhurst for 21 years. It takes place in April and is an event that is set up as a game, encouraging the community to clean up their neighborhood. In early August, the neighborhood association puts on the Summer Festival (Lynnhurst Park). People come from near and far to eat, play games and listen to live music. This is not only a neighborhood favorite, but a favorite of many people throughout the city, and all are welcome to attend. The Buckthorn Bust (Lynnhurst Park) is another annual event in the neighborhood. It takes place in November and is an open invitation for anyone in the community to come out and work hard to rid Lynnhurst Park and other surrounding parks of Buckthorn, a huge weed that kills native plants around it. The equipment and training is provided for this project. The neighborhood has been doing this for five years now and it helps to make them proactive about their environment.
