Living Near the Collierville Town Square: A Local Guide

Ask people around the Memphis area what they picture when they hear "Collierville," and most will describe the same scene: a green square with a gazebo in the middle, brick storefronts on every side, and a restored train depot a short walk away. The Collierville Town Square is the heart of the town, and the streets around it hold some of the oldest homes in eastern Shelby County. If you have ever wondered what it is actually like to live within walking distance of the Square in Collierville (zip 38017), here is a closer look at the history, the homes, the everyday spots, and a few practical things worth knowing.

A Square With a Long Story

Collierville traces its roots to 1836, but the town you see today was largely rebuilt after the Civil War. The Square itself was laid out in 1866, with business lots arranged around a central public green and the railroad depot as a focal point of the new town plan. More than 150 years later, that layout still works the way it was designed to: the Square remains the town's gathering place and small-business hub.

Today the gazebo anchors the park at the center, and the depot area displays the Frisco 1351 steam locomotive, a business car, and a red caboose. The Morton Museum of Collierville History on North Main Street is a good first stop if you want the fuller story. In 2014, Parade magazine named Collierville's Main Street the best in America, and anyone who has spent a slow Saturday morning there will understand why.

The Homes Near the Square

The Collierville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Its boundaries run roughly between Walnut Street and Poplar Avenue, from North Main Street over to North and South Rowlett Street, and include Natchez Street. The district includes more than a hundred historic properties built between about 1865 and 1944.

The homes here are a pleasure to walk past. You will find Southern cottages, L-plan cottages, four-squares, shotgun houses, and bungalows, with Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman details. One thread ties nearly all of them together: the front porch. Historic surveys of the town note that the porch appears on essentially every historic house, which gives these streets their neighborly, front-yard feel. Many of the earliest homes sat on generous lots that were later divided between roughly 1895 and 1920, so you will see a mix of lot sizes from block to block.

What to Know Before Buying in the Historic District

Owning an older home near the Square comes with some extra homework, and it is better to know it going in.

• Design review. Much of the area sits within Collierville's local H-1 Historic Overlay. Exterior changes are reviewed by the town's Historic District Commission, which issues Certificates of Appropriateness. The town publishes Historic District Guidelines through its Planning Division, and it is worth reading them if you plan to change windows, siding, porches, fences, or add on.
• Inspections. Homes of this age deserve a thorough inspection with attention to foundations, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and any past additions. A sewer scope is a smart add-on.
• Utilities. The Town of Collierville provides water from its own wells in the Memphis Sand aquifer and operates the sewer system. Electricity and natural gas are provided by MLGW for most of the town, though it is always wise to confirm the provider for a specific address.
• Schools. Collierville Schools operates the public schools in town, including six elementary schools, Collierville Middle and West Collierville Middle, and Collierville High. Zoning is by address, so use the district's school zone locator for any home you are considering.

For context on the wider market, Redfin reported a median sale price of about $525,000 for the town of Collierville in August 2026, roughly flat compared with a year earlier. That figure covers the whole town, not just the historic blocks, and homes near the Square vary widely by size, condition, and lot.

Everyday Life Around the Square

Much of the appeal of living nearby comes down to being able to walk to breakfast, coffee, or dinner. Square Beans Coffee and Dyer's Cafe sit side by side on North Center Street. Maeve's Tavern is on North Main, the Silver Caboose Restaurant and Soda Fountain serves lunch on East Mulberry Street, Cafe Piazza is a short walk down South Rowlett, and Mensi's Dairy Bar on Washington Street has been a local ice cream stop for decades. Hewlett & Dunn Boot & Jean Co. is one of several independent shops right on the Square.

For outdoor time, Suggs Park on East South Street is close by, and W.C. Johnson Park on Johnson Park Drive offers ballfields, a playground, and access to a flat gravel trail through the Wolf River bottomlands. On Thursdays, the Collierville Farmers Market meets on West Poplar Avenue during its season.

Fall and Holiday Happenings This Year

The Square stays busy through the end of the year. Main Street Collierville's calendar lists Scare on the Square on Friday, October 23, a Holiday Open House on November 14, and Shop Small Saturday on November 28, 2026. The town's Christmas tree lighting on the Square is a long-standing tradition; 2026 dates had not been posted yet at the time of writing, so keep an eye on the town's Christmas in Collierville page. In summer, the gazebo hosts the Thursday evening concert series in June and July.

Homes around the Collierville Town Square do not come up every week, and each one has its own history and quirks. If you would like to talk through a particular street, understand the historic guidelines, or simply get a feel for the area before you decide anything, I would be glad to help whenever the time is right for you.

Kelly Day, SRES, SRS, AHWD, PSA, RENE
Multi Million Dollar Club
Broker Lic # 365811
simpliHOM
901-289-9227
855-856-9466
[email protected]
https://memphishouselistings.com