Look beyond downtown Royal Oak...

                      ...and you’ll discover the Villages of Royal Oak!

Seven mini downtowns that welcome you to shop and live in a walkable, welcoming neighborhood. Each village has a cluster of businesses, with concentrated neighborhoods close by. Move there and leave your car in the garage while you stroll to the shops and services you need every day. Longtime residents can reconnect to their community, discovering unsung beauty salons, family restaurants, one-of-a-kind pizzerias, friendly neighborhood dentists, fashion accessories and home shops.

Soon, each village will have its own page, with more village information, a list of local businesses and connections to local Realtors who can help you find the perfect home, within walking distance of the village center. Did you know that more homes were sold in Royal Oak in 2007 than in any other city in Oakland County? Visit the villages online or in person and see firsthand the diversity of Royal Oak. You’ll see every kind of housing: Bungalows, ranches, apartments, townhouses and lofts. Families, singles, emptynesters and retirees can all find the ideal home.

Each village is about one-half mile in diameter. That makes each one feel cozy and situated in a comfortable walking distance. Some of the village names are drawn from historical features, local streets or the city’s original subdivisions. Creekside, at 12 Mile Road and Main, pays tribune to Red Run Creek, whose old path can still be seen through the golf course and Wagner Park. Lincolnview was a subdivision near Lincoln and Campbell (along with White Acres Farm, Watch Farm, Clifford Heights and Homestead Farms).

In its own way, Woodward Avenue Avenue is like a linear village, touching Royal Oak for four miles. The chamber’s Heritage Byway promotion will soon help local residents find useful stores and services there, all offered by members of the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce, so you can be confident in their integrity and commitment to their community.