Country Club

In northeast Edina, less than 9 miles from downtown Minneapolis, Country Club has offered quiet, luxurious suburban living since 1923. The neighborhood is one of the first planned communities in Minnesota, designed and built by Thorpe Brothers Realty, and officially joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. “The historic aspect of the neighborhood is very cool. It’s a big reason that people move here,” says Realtor Mary Holloway, with Holloway Real Estate. Holloway has not only been a professional in Edina’s real estate scene for more than 20 years, but she’s also lived here her whole life. “Beyond its history, the cool thing about Country Club is that it’s a very close-knit neighborhood. It’s one of those places that people grow up in and want to come back to instead of moving away,” Holloway says.

Homes throughout these neat, grid-patterned streets are larger than those you’ll find in neighborhoods nearby. Many of the stately Colonial and Tudor-inspired homes have five or six bedrooms, the same number of bathrooms and spacious, manicured lawns and gardens. And, because of the neighborhood’s historic designation, the exteriors of homes built between 1924 and 1948 can’t be changed without permission from the Edina Historical Society. “Country Club is very cool because there are very few teardowns, unlike in the rest of Edina,” says Holloway, adding that the reason for that is the strict rules around demolition. “The homes have to stay the same, so they have so much more character than those new builds that are all white and gray. It’s not for everybody, but it’s a wonderful neighborhood for someone who is looking for a historic home with lots of personality,” she says. Prices here range from $800,000 to more than $2 million. “It’s rare for a home here to sell for less than $1 million,” says Holloway. She says it does happen, but most homes tend to list for between $1.5 and $2 million, and many sell for between $1.7 and $2.5 million. “In this market, especially, these homes have been selling for over asking,” she says.

Country Club students attend schools in the highly sought-after Edina Public Schools district. Youngsters in elementary school go to Concord, older students go to South View Middle and teens go to Edina High School. Concord and South View both earned A grades from Niche in 2023. That same year, Edina High earned an A-plus, along with an 8 out of 10 GreatSchools Summary Rating. It also earned a spot on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 list of the top five best high schools in the state. At Edina High, students can learn skills to excel in college and beyond as Edina Rotary Scholars, a three-year program offered in partnership with the Rotary Club of Edina, Edina Morningside Rotary and the Edina Education Fund. Holloway’s children attended Edina High. “Edina schools have always been at the top, kids get a premier education here,” she says, adding that her kids often say that their classes in high school at Edina were more challenging than their college classes. “It prepared them to excel and they’re all thriving in their careers now,” she says.

Residents can live up to their neighborhood’s name by joining the Edina Country Club, which is conveniently just half a mile south, across 50th Street. The private club was established in 1923 as the Thorpe Country Club, by the very same Thorpe brothers that developed the Country Club neighborhood. Today, members can enjoy the 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, fitness center and dining available at the club. Closer to home, Utley and Wooddale Parks sprawl over either side of 50th Street, north of Minnehaha Creek. Collectively, the two parks cover 9 acres of land with sunny, multiuse fields, picnic areas and colorful, classic playgrounds.

For their groceries, Country Club residents can head just over a mile west across State Road 100 to Jerry’s Foods. Or they can head less than a mile east down 50th Street to Lunds & Byerlys, a high-end grocery store in the popular 50th & France shopping district. “Country Club’s walkability is great. Not all neighborhoods in Edina are this close to 50th & France, and people really take advantage of how close they are here,” says Holloway, noting that the downtown district is also home to many of the city’s best locally owned eateries. For breakfast, lunch or everyone’s favorite in-between meal, she recommends visiting Edina Grill. “It’s a great spot for a classic, casual brunch.”

Written By

Megan Quintin

Photography Contributed By

David Alexander

Video By

Ennis Warlick