Wrigley is a neighborhood that is well-known for both its name and its tradition as a well-established neighborhood. As one of the earliest developments of Long Beach, this neighborhood has seen a lot of change, but remains largely untouched by time. Tidy streets lined with palm trees and carefully tended lawns give this area the nostalgic feeling of suburban America which has changed in some parts of Southern California.
Yes, That Wrigley
The Wrigley neighborhood was founded by the Wrigley Gum dynasty’s William Wrigley Jr. It began as a 12 acre development of Spanish style homes in 1927, one of the earliest developments in Long Beach. While William Wrigley never built any additional homes outside the original 12 acres, the name stuck and became a marketing tool for other developers in the area. Prior to being developed by the Wrigley family, parts of the modern Wrigley area were considered to be Willows Park and Pacific Boulevard, which began developing as early as 1906. In the modern era, the neighborhood offers an interesting mix of home styles. Many of the original Spanish style homes still remain and a stretch of Eucalyptus has been designated by the city of Long Beach as a historic district.
Wrigley has seen some ups and downs over the years, being one of the slowest areas to recover from the recent housing crisis. Things have changed for the neighborhood since then and prices have appreciated dramatically in recent years. Housing in this area generally sells quickly, with large lots, interesting floor plans and vintage charm. People that used to consider this area home include Snoop Lion and Wyatt Earp, the famed ranger of Tombstone.
The L.A. River Bike Path
While the L.A. River Bike Path is not specific to Wrigley, the neighborhood is bordered on the west by this strip of land that acts as its artery to the rest of Long Beach. Running from the City of Vernon to Shoreline Park in Downtown Long Beach, this stretch of the river path was the first portion to be built in the 51 miles of trail. The park portion closest to the neighborhood is called the Wrigley Greenbelt. Collectively, all portions of the bike path are a part of the far larger Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, which travels through California and Arizona. Improvements to the river basin were initially proposed by the RiverLink project in 2006. Since then, it’s become a huge draw to the biking community. Also hosted here is the annual Wrigley River Run and Tadpole Trot.
The Local Best of Business and Entertainment
Wrigley doesn’t yet have the plethora of thriving businesses that have sprung up in Bixby Knolls, its neighbor to the north. Yet the active neighborhood community is working to establish and support that effort. A welcome addition in recent years was Fox Coffee Shop, a small but comfortable cafe. Located on Willow Road, Fox acts as a great hangout for coffee afficianados. For those wanting to try something special, the Honey Bear is the go to for your inner sweet tooth.
Immediately across from the Fox is Hungry Horse Drive-In, a fascinating return to an old school burger joint, but with a twist. This joint serves Japanese fast food as well. The place is small and cash only, so be sure to get ready to get an amazing serving of burgers, shrimp fried rice, and teriyaki. Also on Willow is Buono’s Authentic Pizzeria, which offers up Italian fare. A little farther south on Pacific, you’ll find I Love Vegan, a local favorite Thai restaurant.
To find your inner nerd and competitor, Wrigley also is home to The War House, a gaming store with an active tabletop gaming community, multiple events per month, and board games for purchase to take home and challenge your family with. These shouldn’t be confused with classics like Monopoly, but instead dives into the extensive and elaborate gaming community that challenges your idea of game play.
In terms of things to see, the area’s yearly Daisy Avenue Christmas Tree Lane and Parade has been a tradition for 63 years and counting. This includes miniature scenes, elaborate Christmas lights, and beautiful Christmas trees. This year’s parade will be on December 10th. The annual Wrigley River Run also draws people to the neighborhood with a 10K Run, 5K Run/Walk and kids’ 1K. It will next take place June 3, 2017.
Multiple small parks are scattered on both sides of Willow Street, including Veterans Memorial Park, the Wrigley Greenbelt, and Avila Park. The Wrigley Heights Dog Park also allows you to bring your canine friend with you for a romp outside.
The Neighbors
The Wrigley area has a number of involved, active residents who watch out for each other. There is a very active Facebook page on which people share information on lost and found pets, suspicious people, local businesses, items for sale, and more. It’s the kind of neighborhood where people offer up the excess fruit from their trees, provide referrals for contractors and house cleaners as well as moral support. When a mom recently was having problems with her son, numerous residents offered possible strategies and referrals to various agencies.
Transportation
The Wrigley neighborhood is convenient to both the 405 and 710 Freeways, to various bus routes and to the Metro Blue Line, making it a great location for commuters heading north, south or inland. And of course the bike trail makes it also convenient for those who want to commute by bicycle.
Houses of Wrigley
The Wrigley neighborhood is a great mixture of housing types and sizes. With the exception of a couple condo complexes, most of these are single family homes. While the original tract of development was in the Spanish style, you can also find great ranch homes, the occasional Craftsman style, and an abundance of unique little traditional homes with details from all across the spectrum. Residents in the neighborhood come from multiple backgrounds. In fact, Wrigley is among the most diverse of Long Beach’s neighborhoods.
Homes in this area tend to sell very quickly. With minimal amounts of new inventory, buyers act on new listings as quick as possible.
Think you’re ready to sell your house in Wrigley or move there? The Shannon Jones Team has decades of experience buying and selling homes in the Long Beach area, with the Wrigley neighborhood being one of our best markets. Fill out the contact form at the bottom, and we’ll be happy to assist you. In the meantime, here’s a look at what’s available now in the Wrigley neighborhood.
Homes for sale in the Wrigley Neighborhood, Long Beach CA
$625,000
:
2909 Golden Avenue, Long Beach
5 beds, 2 full baths
Home size: 2,168 sq ft
Lot size: 6,750 sqft
Year built: 1946
Days on market: 2
$440,000
:
1957 Golden Avenue, Long Beach
2 beds, 1 full bath
Home size: 1,017 sq ft
Lot size: 6,293 sqft
Year built: 1937
Parking spots: 2
Days on market: 3
$359,900
:
1851 Oregon Avenue, Long Beach
2 beds, 1 full bath
Home size: 741 sq ft
Lot size: 2,644 sqft
Year built: 1939
Parking spots: 1
Days on market: 8
$475,000
:
1852 Daisy Avenue, Long Beach
2 beds, 1 full, 1 half baths
Home size: 1,310 sq ft
Lot size: 6,428 sqft
Year built: 1952
Parking spots: 2
Days on market: 15
$480,000
:
2680 De Forest Avenue, Long Beach
3 beds, 1 full bath
Home size: 1,094 sq ft
Lot size: 3,302 sqft
Year built: 1963
Parking spots: 1
Days on market: 16
$500,000
:
3324 San Francisco Avenue, Long Beach
5 beds, 2 full baths
Home size: 1,784 sq ft
Lot size: 6,563 sqft
Year built: 1944
Parking spots: 2
Days on market: 23
$399,000
:
3171 Oregon Avenue, Long Beach
2 beds, 1 full bath
Home size: 795 sq ft
Lot size: 5,400 sqft
Year built: 1944
Parking spots: 2
Days on market: 26
$469,900
:
520 W 35th Street, Long Beach
3 beds, 2 full baths
Home size: 1,268 sq ft
Lot size: 5,857 sqft
Year built: 1947
Parking spots: 2
Days on market: 35
$599,998
:
3038 Daisy Avenue, Long Beach
3 beds, 2 full baths
Home size: 1,590 sq ft
Lot size: 5,401 sqft
Year built: 1940
Days on market: 43
$435,000
:
2750 Magnolia, Long Beach
3 beds, 1 full bath
Home size: 1,005 sq ft
Lot size: 6,450 sqft
Year built: 1946
Parking spots: 1
Days on market: 49
$489,000
:
3298 De Forest Avenue, Long Beach
3 beds, 2 full baths
Home size: 1,560 sq ft
Lot size: 5,755 sqft
Year built: 1971
Parking spots: 2
Days on market: 147
See all Homes for Sale in Wrigley, Long Beach CA.
(all data current as of
11/3/2016)
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
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