Perhaps like other American metropolitan areas, the suburban communities that surround Memphis each have their own distinguishing characteristics. For Collierville, perhaps the dominant, defining characteristic is the Historic Town Square. Centered with a public park which is surrounded on three sides by quaint shops and restaurants and on the fourth side by a train track, complete with restored cars functioning as a restaurant, the Collierville Historic Town Square evokes the romance of Norman Rockwell paintings: a time when life was, perhaps, sweeter and simpler. This quaint aura extends several blocks in all directions with older homes and new ones designed to look old. On any pretty day, it is a great area to stroll and visit with friends and neighbors.

But beyond this central core area, Collierville has a much more diverse character. It is, in fact, surrounded on all sides by neighborhoods, many of which have been developed in the last three decades. Typically, these subdivisions of single-family homes have been developed with standards and guidelines to create cohesive, consistent neighborhoods. Homes in these newer neighborhoods typically reflect the modern lifestyles of their owners: ease of maintenance and flexible use of space. In recent years, there have also been developed ‘retiree-oriented’ communities for empty-nesters who prefer single-family style living without the maintenance and upkeep.

The daily goods and services needed by a modern population are amply provided by numerous retail and service businesses, located primarily along the central east - west corridor known locally as Poplar Avenue. Not far from this corridor are located several planned mixed-use communities and a major healthcare facility. A single factor which makes Collierville as appealing today as it has ever been is the access to Highway 385, the outer loop that, when completed, will link the suburbs that surround Memphis and thereby making the commute time to any location in the metropolitan area seem reasonable.