Editing Hopkins' House

[[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. The business thrived for the next ten years being run by Vicki Hopkins(Ed's wife). After their divorce, 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==
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[[Category:Defunct restaurants]]