An eventful day in Moose Jaw ended with a dash of live entertainment and a dollop of good eating, as Hopkins Dining Parlour celebrated its 44th anniversary on Sept. 16. The anniversary was celebrated with a street party that ran from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and saw a portion of Athabasca Street West closed off to traffic.
To celebrate, servers dressed up in 70s period clothing, and guests were invited to do the same. To match the nostalgic theme, Bonnie & The Jets provided live entertainment featuring hits from the 50s, 60s, and 70s on a stage set up in the midst of the crowd.
The period theme was intended as a throw-back to the parlours’ founding days in the late 70s.
The restaurant’s founder and former owner, Gladys Pierce, was also in attendance as an esteemed guest at the celebration. At the time of her retirement, she had been part of the Hopkins legacy for 40 years.
Pierce said she was happy with how the night went, and that it was good to be back and visit with some old friends. She had the chance to see “people from long ago that were customers long ago, and it was wonderful to see them. And it was lovely to have the band here, and everybody dancing. It was a lot of fun,” Pierce said.
Pierce was joined by several of her friends and family, including her granddaughter, Samantha Pierce.
The event couldn’t have gone better. From the moment the live entertainment began, the venue was packed, and business was consistently booming right up to closing.
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 considered to be 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.
You’re always invited to come down and see why Hopkins Dining Parlour has been a staple in the community for the past 44 years. Hopkins is open seven nights a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, and from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday to Tuesday.
To book a reservation or for more information, Hopkins can be reached at 306-692-5995.
Hopkins Dining Parlour is located at 65 Athabasca Street West.
