MOOSE JAW — Hopkins Dining Parlour celebrated nearly five decades in Moose Jaw with a community gathering that brought together current and former employees, lovers of good food, and longtime patrons to enjoy a festive atmosphere reflecting the heart of the business.
To celebrate, the owners of Hopkins closed off the road for a recent street party. The party featured live musical entertainment performed by Bonnie & The Jets with an opener performed by Roger Blager and Brock Baillie.
The guest of honour, Gladys Pierce — who formerly owned Hopkins until her retirement — was happily among friends and former employees throughout the evening and was joined by Hopkins’ current owner Linda Lin, who diligently kept things running smoothly throughout the event.
Hopkins Dining Parlour was founded by the Pierce family in July 1978. After purchasing the building and searching for information on E.N. Hopkins, the family set up a restaurant and incorporated their wide collection of antiques from around the province.
Hopkins is one of Saskatchewan’s most unique restaurants and features Victorian-era décor, antique furnishings that resemble a museum more than a restaurant, and its widely known for ghost tours as the building is considered by many to be haunted.
Pierce was joined by three former employees: Heidi Sackville who worked at Hopkins for around 11 years, Jackie Lorge who worked there for 17 years, and Bonnie Johnson who worked there for 23 years. The seat they chose was their favourite spot and is the same place they held staff meetings back in the day.
“We had a lot of fun,” the group said almost in unison. “We were honestly a great big family… our customers were like our family. We did lots of ghost tours; we had lots of parties; we just had a group of people that rocked.”
The group felt right at home as the bustling atmosphere during the 45th anniversary celebration reminded them of a typical Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday night shift when they still worked there.
“You had to work well together because you had to know what each other was doing,” Johnson said. “This was a normal Saturday night for us, so that’s why we had to work out — because there was just so much going on.”
Lorge added a few insights of her own. “It feels normal tonight because we’re together. There’s high energy in here and good karma (in the building).”
The ladies joked for a bit with Pierce about the wallpaper she hung back in 1979 that’s still featured on the walls, which Lorge maintained eerily reminded her of an old set of bed sheets she once had.
For Pierce — who owned and ran Hopkins for 40 years — the instinct for customer service didn’t seem to quit when she retired. When she noticed a couple new guests queued at the door, she quickly disappeared from her spot and wheeled her chair right over to the entrance to greet them in her familiar, personable manner.
Today, Hopkins is owned by Linda Lin who carries on the legacy of the establishment and its reputation for great food, fun, lasting memories, and a close connection to Moose Jaw’s rich history.
“We… want more people to know that Hopkins is not just a restaurant — it’s full of history like a museum, so we want everybody to share this experience with friends and relatives whenever they come to visit Moose Jaw,” Lin announced.
“We thank you for all the support… and we appreciate (everyone) who still keeps supporting Hopkins,” Lin concluded, recognizing that the 45-year milestone is only thanks to the ongoing support of the community.
Hopkins Dining Parlour is located at 65 Athabasca Street West and can be reached at 306-692-5995. For more information, visit HopkinsDining.com.
