LYN-LAKE

'Lyn-Lake' is a commercial district in south Minneapolis. At the core is the intersection of Lake Street and Lyndale Avenue from which Lyn-Lake takes it's name. This is also at the intersection of four Minneapolis neighborhoods: Whittier on the northeast, Lyndale on the southeast, Calhoun Area on the southwest, and Lowry Hill East on the northwest. Most residents who consider themselves part of the "Lyn-Lake neighborhood" come from the southeast Lyndale neighborhood due to easy pedestrian access and that Lyndale lacks a centralized commercial area unlike the other neighborhoods. Lyn-Lake was branded by the Lyn-Lake Business Association in 1999^[1].
Locally, Lyn-Lake is mostly known as being just east of the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota and previously considered an extension of Uptown. One of the oldest anchors is the It's Greek to Me restaurant on the northeast corner^[2]

The district conatins ethnic restaurants, gay-friendly hangouts, and unique businesses. These include Bryant-Lake Bowl, Falafel King, the Cockpit, the Smitten Kitten, Vera's, the Herkimer, Fujiya, Galactic Pizza, Intermedia Arts, and Robot Love. The business niches found in Lyn-Lake compare to and are considered "edgier" to Calhoun Square, an indoor urban mall located west in Uptown. The area is on the Midtown Greenway bicycle and pedestrian path with close access to Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, and Lake Harriet. Regional access by car is made through 35W from the east and 94 from the north.
The annual Art Car Parade is held every summer in Lyn-Lake. Residents compete for the most creative theme in costuming their car (or other motorized vehicles).
1. Lyn-Lake Business Association. http://www.lyn-lake.org/
2. Johnson, Tim. "It's Greek to Me anchors Lyn-Lake." Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, July 24, 1998. http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/1998/07/27/story8.html