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New page: thumb|right|The [[McGaughy House, former home of Hopkins' House]] The '''Hopkins' House''' was a North Hill restaurant and former boarding house, founded in...
[[Image:McGaughyHouse.jpg|thumb|right|The [[McGaughy House]], former home of Hopkins' House]]
The '''Hopkins' House''' was a [[North Hill]] restaurant and former boarding house, founded in [[1949]] by [[Arkie "Ma" Hopkins]], that served Southern cuisine to patrons seated at large communal tables. Owner [[Ed Hopkins]] closed in [[2004]] while seeking a buyer, but none were found before his death later that year.
==History==
[[Image:OldHopkinsHouse.jpg|thumb|right|The original Hopkins' House (right) at 415 N. Palafox]]
[[Arkie Hopkins]]'s cooking was well-known among friends and family before she entered the food service business. Her brother-in-law [[Elbert Wesley Hopkins, Sr.]], who previously operated a boarding house of his own, opened [[Hoppy's Sundry Shop]] at 410 North [[Palafox Street]] around 1946. They sold plate lunches cooked by Arkie for fifty-nine cents to switchboard operators at the nearby [[telephone exchange]].<ref name="history">http://www.hopkinsboardinghouse.com/history.htm</ref>
Inspired by the success of the Hoppy's venture, Arkie began her own boarding house in February [[1949]]. She rented a building across the street at 415 North [[Palafox Street]], between [[Belmont Street|Belmont]] and [[LaRua Street]]s, renting the upstairs rooms and setting up the restaurant downstairs. In November [[1951]] she purchased her own building, the [[McGaughy House]] at 900 North [[Spring Street]], and moved the business there. Arkie fell ill in [[1954]], and her sister [[Blanche Stubbs]] ran the business for 17 years.<ref name="stillcookin">"Still cookin' after 50 years." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 2, 1999.</ref>
Over the years, Hopkins' House was frequented by a number of celebrities diners, including singers [[Wikipedia:Michael Jackson|Michael]] and [[Wikipedia:Janet Jackson|Janet Jackson]], boxer [[Wikipedia:Sugar Ray Leonard|Sugar Ray Leonard]] and Miss America 1965 [[Wikipedia:Vonda Kay Van Dyke|Vonda Kay Van Dyke]], who made repeated visits with her husband.<ref name="stillcookin"/>
After the [[1986]] death of Ma Hopkins, her son [[Ed Hopkins|Ed]] took over the business. Losing money and balancing the duties of his law practice, he decided to close the restaurant in February [[2004]] to seek a new owner. He convinced long-time head cook [[Cora Edwards]] to come out of retirement and train the eventual buyers, but none were found.<ref>"Hopkins House clears the table." ''Pensacola News Journal'', February 25, 2004.</ref>
Ed Hopkins died on a hunting trip with his son on [[September 11]], [[2004]], days before [[Hurricane Ivan]] ravaged the city.<ref>"Former Hopkins House owner dies at age 59." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 14, 2004.</ref> Realtor [[John Carr]] nearly arranged a sale to restaurateurs Samantha Martin and André Neyrey, but permitting problems forced them to withdraw their offer.<ref>"Hopkins sale put on back burner." ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 19, 2004.</ref> The house was purchased for $340,000 on [[July 5]], [[2005]] by Elise and Don Gordon, who turned it into a private residence and auctioned its contents.<ref>"A historic occasion." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 18, 2005.</ref> There are no plans to reopen the restaurant at a new location.
==Menu & hours==
Hopkins' House was known for its fried chicken — complete with "pully-bones" — which was the main entrée four days a week. A variety of other dishes were served, many of which have been included in regional cookbooks, including the [[Junior League of Pensacola]]'s ''[[Some Like It South]]''.
In its final years, the Hopkins' House was served breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday. Dinner was served Tuesday through Friday in 1999,<ref>"Cooks get a taste of tradition." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 2, 1999.</ref> but by 2004 it had been reduced to Tuesday and Friday nights only. The final prices were $7.95 for lunch or dinner and $5.50 for breakfast.<ref>http://www.hopkinsboardinghouse.com/menu.htm</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Defunct restaurants]]
The '''Hopkins' House''' was a [[North Hill]] restaurant and former boarding house, founded in [[1949]] by [[Arkie "Ma" Hopkins]], that served Southern cuisine to patrons seated at large communal tables. Owner [[Ed Hopkins]] closed in [[2004]] while seeking a buyer, but none were found before his death later that year.
==History==
[[Image:OldHopkinsHouse.jpg|thumb|right|The original Hopkins' House (right) at 415 N. Palafox]]
[[Arkie Hopkins]]'s cooking was well-known among friends and family before she entered the food service business. Her brother-in-law [[Elbert Wesley Hopkins, Sr.]], who previously operated a boarding house of his own, opened [[Hoppy's Sundry Shop]] at 410 North [[Palafox Street]] around 1946. They sold plate lunches cooked by Arkie for fifty-nine cents to switchboard operators at the nearby [[telephone exchange]].<ref name="history">http://www.hopkinsboardinghouse.com/history.htm</ref>
Inspired by the success of the Hoppy's venture, Arkie began her own boarding house in February [[1949]]. She rented a building across the street at 415 North [[Palafox Street]], between [[Belmont Street|Belmont]] and [[LaRua Street]]s, renting the upstairs rooms and setting up the restaurant downstairs. In November [[1951]] she purchased her own building, the [[McGaughy House]] at 900 North [[Spring Street]], and moved the business there. Arkie fell ill in [[1954]], and her sister [[Blanche Stubbs]] ran the business for 17 years.<ref name="stillcookin">"Still cookin' after 50 years." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 2, 1999.</ref>
Over the years, Hopkins' House was frequented by a number of celebrities diners, including singers [[Wikipedia:Michael Jackson|Michael]] and [[Wikipedia:Janet Jackson|Janet Jackson]], boxer [[Wikipedia:Sugar Ray Leonard|Sugar Ray Leonard]] and Miss America 1965 [[Wikipedia:Vonda Kay Van Dyke|Vonda Kay Van Dyke]], who made repeated visits with her husband.<ref name="stillcookin"/>
After the [[1986]] death of Ma Hopkins, her son [[Ed Hopkins|Ed]] took over the business. Losing money and balancing the duties of his law practice, he decided to close the restaurant in February [[2004]] to seek a new owner. He convinced long-time head cook [[Cora Edwards]] to come out of retirement and train the eventual buyers, but none were found.<ref>"Hopkins House clears the table." ''Pensacola News Journal'', February 25, 2004.</ref>
Ed Hopkins died on a hunting trip with his son on [[September 11]], [[2004]], days before [[Hurricane Ivan]] ravaged the city.<ref>"Former Hopkins House owner dies at age 59." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 14, 2004.</ref> Realtor [[John Carr]] nearly arranged a sale to restaurateurs Samantha Martin and André Neyrey, but permitting problems forced them to withdraw their offer.<ref>"Hopkins sale put on back burner." ''Pensacola News Journal'', October 19, 2004.</ref> The house was purchased for $340,000 on [[July 5]], [[2005]] by Elise and Don Gordon, who turned it into a private residence and auctioned its contents.<ref>"A historic occasion." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 18, 2005.</ref> There are no plans to reopen the restaurant at a new location.
==Menu & hours==
Hopkins' House was known for its fried chicken — complete with "pully-bones" — which was the main entrée four days a week. A variety of other dishes were served, many of which have been included in regional cookbooks, including the [[Junior League of Pensacola]]'s ''[[Some Like It South]]''.
In its final years, the Hopkins' House was served breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday. Dinner was served Tuesday through Friday in 1999,<ref>"Cooks get a taste of tradition." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 2, 1999.</ref> but by 2004 it had been reduced to Tuesday and Friday nights only. The final prices were $7.95 for lunch or dinner and $5.50 for breakfast.<ref>http://www.hopkinsboardinghouse.com/menu.htm</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Defunct restaurants]]
