Hopkins, MN

Just a few minutes from the Twin Cities metro area and surrounded by the larger suburban communities of Edina, Saint Louis Park, and Minnetonka, Hopkins has a population of around 17,000 residing within the city's four-square-mile area, with its main hub situated along U.S. Route 169 and Minnesota State Highway 7. Originally settled by Yankee and Bohemian farmers in the mid-19th century, Hopkins has become a vital part of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, despite its relatively small size. A highly educated city, Hopkins is also one of the wealthier areas in Minnesota.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Hopkins' main business district is situated around Hopkins City Hall and Mainstreet. Previously known as Excelsior Avenue, Hopkins Mainstreet is quite distinct from the city's adjacent communities and newer suburbs. Redevelopment projects have included the construction of Marketplace Lofts in the downtown core of Hopkins and the Hopkins Honda mixed-use condo/townhome/retail project, which is ongoing.

Hopkins's strong neighborhoods give the city a pleasant, small-town feel:

• Minnehaha Oaks is a small neighborhood near the forest called Hiawatha Oaks Preserve.
• Nine Mile Cove is a neighborhood of villa homes near Hwy 169 and Lincoln Drive.
• Park Valley is a long-established, active, social neighborhood located south of the SUPERVALU distribution center.

EDUCATION

Hopkins School District 270 includes public elementary schools, junior highs, and the area high school. Hopkins also has four private schools:

• Hopkins Montessori School, located in neighboring Minnetonka
• Saint David's School, on the McGinty Road E
• The Blake School, on the Blake Road
• Saint John's Catholic School, on Boyce Street

Hopkins is rated as a highly educated city, and more than 35 percent of the population has bachelor's degrees. Some of the city's local and nearby institutions of higher learning are:

• University of Minnesota
• University of Saint Thomas
• Minneapolis Community and Technical College
• Augsburg College
• The Alfred Adler Graduate School
• Normandale Community College
• Hennepin Technical College
• North Hennepin Community College

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Once home to the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company factory, which was built in 1887, Hopkins now has a diverse mix of both blue-collar and white-collar jobs. The most common occupations in the city are sales and office work and professional and management jobs.

The city's top employment sectors are education, health, and social services. Hopkins has more employees working in computers and math than does the vast majority of the nation.

Not surprising, Hopkins continues to attract young, educated professionals.

Hopkins' largest employers in the private sector are Supervalu and NAPCO.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Located on Mainstreet and first opened in 1997, the Hopkins Center for the Arts has been the main hub for arts and culture in the community and the Twin Cities area. The center features community events, theater facilities, a visual arts gallery, and a visual arts classroom.

Mainstreet Jazz, which is part of the Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival, is subsidized by the Hopkins Center for the Arts and the Cornerstone Group, an award-winning real estate development group.

A gathering place for older adults with its 723-seat theater and facilities for art and dance, the Hopkins Activity Center features numerous activities such as sporting events and fitness, arts and crafts, and music recitals.

FAMILY FUN

In spite of its small size, Hopkins has numerous parks that provide visitors and residents opportunities for participating in outdoor activities such as picnics and hikes.

• As part of the downtown redevelopment project, Downtown Park features a large entertainment stage for events such as the free Music in the Park summer concerts, while Overpass Skate Park, opened in 2000, provides a safe recreational space for skateboarders and rollerbladers.
• Located in Minnetonka but owned by the City of Hopkins, Shady Oak Beach, which was renovated in 1998, offers a number of activities, including water and sand play areas and a sand volleyball court. Daily and season passes are available for all age groups.
• The Hopkins Pavilion offers multi-use facilities for activities such as hockey, figure skating, and other indoor sports, as well as space for concerts.

EVENTS

Hopkins offers a number of annual events:

• Started in 1934 by the business community for the purpose of generating an economic boost, the Raspberry Festival every July offers such activities as tent dances and the Grande Day Parade.
• A very popular May event is Mainstreet Days, which features live music, an arts-and-crafts fair, pony rides, and a motorcycle rally.
• The place to find Minnesota-grown produce and homemade items such as hand-crafted jewelry and soaps is the Hopkins Farmer's Market, which runs from June through October.