West Grove offers historic charm and a rural escape
Once a busy rose shipping hub, West Grove today offers an escape from the crowds and noises of the Delaware Valley. “This has always been a bedroom community for the large chemical companies in Delaware. You can easily commute to the City of Wilmington for jobs,” says R. Scott Steele, owner of the West Grove Museum. “It’s a good, walkable, safe community, and the school district is excellent.” The borough’s other attractions include its small downtown square, where a few 19th-century buildings have found new life as shops and restaurants. “It’s a cute little town,” says Anne Townes, a Realtor with Compass Real Estate. “We’ve known people who will drive to Philly from that area because they like the rural setting, and they can afford to buy out there.”
Housing options include townhouses, Queen Annes and Colonial Revivals
Maple, oak and pine trees are in front of many homes located along roads with narrow sidewalks. Some of the roughly 3,000 residents here live on hilly lots with outside steps and stone retention walls. The community has Queen Annes, bungalows, Cape Cods and several homes with Gothic features. Modern Colonial Revivals and New Traditionals are on the borough’s north end. Size and acreage are cost factors, and homes here can sell from $290,000 to $530,000. Prospective buyers may also look at some townhouses, which run between $260,000 and $410,000. West Grove has a median single-family home sale price of about $523,000, which is over $100,000 less than other Chester County boroughs like Kennett Square and West Chester.
Avon Grove schools provide early exposure to STEM
Students here may start at Penn London Elementary and Avon Grove Intermediate School, both of which receive B-plus grades from Niche. They may then go to Avon Grove Middle and High schools. The middle school gets an A-minus, while Avon Grove High receives an A. One of the Avon Grove School District’s focuses is STEM, which students may start to learn about in elementary school. The high school’s extracurricular activities include drone, robotics and esports clubs.
Downtown square has casual dining, ice cream and craft beers
Most of West Grove’s restaurants are in its historic downtown area. The Twelves Grill and Cafe serves a mix of casual comfort foods and high-end fare with options like raw oysters, gourmet cheese and fruit boards and burgers. The restaurant is in a stone Second Empire-style building that once housed a bank and post office. A community staple for over five decades, Marrone’s Deli is popular for its various pizzas and foot-long sandwiches. “If you want some of the best subs and cheesesteaks, it’s Marrone’s Delicatessen. There are excellent cheesesteaks,” Steele says. Station Ice Cream Shoppe serves frozen treats by the railroad tracks, while Stubborn Goat Brewing is the local spot for craft beers. West Grove is a couple of miles southwest of the London Grove Village, where chains include an Acme grocery store and Lowe’s.
Several parks offer playgrounds, trails and sports amenities
West Grove has a few neighborhood parks with amenities for casual recreation and youth sports. Both Harmony and West Grove Memorial parks have soccer fields and playgrounds. West Grove Memorial Park also has a basketball court, while Harmony Park offers a narrow, tree-shaded walking trail. Goddard Park offers more trails, some of which wind through some woods. The other amenities include a dog park and a farm-themed playground with a twisting slide attached to a small barn structure. The Inniscrone Golf Club outside West Grove offers a public, 18-hole course.
The Penn Township Fall Festival is an annual tradition
The area’s annual events include the Penn Township Fall Festival in October. The event at Penn Township Park allows residents to celebrate fall with activities like a pumpkin painting and decoration contest.
Commuters take U.S. 1 to go to Philadelphia
West Grove residents usually drive to get around the region. U.S. Highway 1 passes by the borough, providing a route toward Philadelphia, 45 miles east. The borough is close to Gap Newport Pike, which goes to Wilmington, less than 20 miles east. The borough is about 30 miles west of the Philadelphia International Airport, the region’s hub for commercial flights. West Grove residents also need to travel for medical care. Located 20 miles northeast, the 329-bed Chester County Hospital offers one of the nearest emergency and pediatric care facilities.
