Through the Years- Hopkins History
What age youth are welcome at the Depot and when?
Friday nights the Depot is geared towards high school students (9th–12th grade), but all ages are welcome.
Who runs the Depot?
The students describe their governance as "student decisions with adult guidance." The Depot is led by a student board of directors which meets weekly, and is currently comprised of 13 students and 3 adults. This board sets policy, works with staff to run programs, works on financial development and planning to sustain the Depot project. There are two management staff members, one manages the Coffee House business and the other runs the youth community project side and works more closely with the student board. There are a number of part-time staff who work behind the counter, the number of whom depends on the number of hours the Depot is open.
How can the students run the Depot without any adults?
In addition to the adult advisors on the board, the students of the Depot have a Partnership Agreement with institutional partners including the City of Hopkins, Park Nicollet Foundation, Three Rivers Park District, The Depot Express, and Hopkins School District #270. This group meets monthly to make sure the Depot is "on track" from safety, legal and financial perspectives. All Depot Youth Engagement employees are employed by the City of Hopkins.
How is the Depot Funded? (The Short Version)
The Depot Coffee House is comprised of the Depot Youth Engagement Project which maintains the youth programming and youth development work that is part of the mission and the Depot Express which is the service provider for the coffee business and business development work with the students. The annual budget hovers around $130,000.
The City of Hopkins, which is one of the Community Partners for The Depot, manages the money: deposits, payroll, bills, and budget process for The Depot Youth Engagement Project. They are a "fiscal agent" in this regard. Therefore donations to The Depot Coffee House Youth Engagement project are tax-deductible. This is particularly important in securing grants from community foundations as well as from individuals. In this regard, The Depot YE Project is viewed as a community non-profit organization. The Project budget pays for building and utility expenses as well as purchase and maintenance of most of the equipment whether primary use is for the Project or the Depot Express.
The Depot Express is a profit-making business. With few exceptions, the DE does not own equipment in the Depot. The DE creates its own revenue to provide for staffing and for product. At the discretion of the DE Manager some DE profits can be designated to the Project for the Youth Award for Creativity or other program needs. Student volunteers are expected to learn the business and be trained to "work the counter" as part of their Depot commitment.
There are basically three funding streams for the Youth Engagement project: grants, income (cover charges/tee-shirt sales/rentals) and donations from community groups and individuals. Typically grants cover specific budget items and donations can be applied to the general budget. Current practice is to use cover charge income to pay for Board activities.
Jo Clare Hartsig currently serves as the person who helps seek out and secure funding, monitors spending, and manages bills and donations. Contact her to inquire further about Depot support. JCHartsig@gmail.com, 952-548-6309.
How are the schools involved? Can students get credit for participating at the Depot? Is it just Hopkins School District?
The Hopkins School District provides levy for lease funds in order to use The Depot as a "Learning Lab" for the Business Department. Students have created ads for products on display inside the Depot, and have designed specific promotional campaigns in partnership with the Depot board and staff. Depot board members have been invited into business classes to present the details of the project and ask for specific help and expertise. A "Handbook for The Depot Coffee House / Business Class Learning Lab" has been developed, contains history, rationale, procedures and specific work product, and will be updated on an on-going basis as the program grows and changes.
The marketing classes have provided wonderful “copy” for an annual billboard contest. The City of Hopkins donates a month of space on a billboard near the Depot on Hwy 169. Since 2008, a Hopkins High School artist’s work has been featured every year!
Winning billboard designs, left to right: Tony Brueske, HHS Class of 2008; Elisabeth Spry, HHS Class of 2009;
Sarah Washko, HHS Class of 2010
The majority of the student board must be Hopkins School District residents and/or attend Hopkins schools, but the remainder of the board can be filled from other school districts.
Has the Depot won any awards or special recognition?
- April 2007, the Depot was named a "Point of Pride" by the Think Hopkins marketing initiative.
- April 2003, for the Depot 100th celebration, both the City of Hopkins and the State of Minnesota decreed proclamations on behalf of The Depot
- 2003, Depot became a Peace Site
- 2001, Featured at Taste of Minnesota
- 2000, City Pages Coffee House of the Year
- 1997, in regards to its partnership with the Depot, the City of Hopkins received a Certificate of Commendation from Governor Arne Carlson.
- "Whatever" TV show has featured the Depot several times
- Since opening, the Depot has been invited as presenters several times at the League of Minnesota Cities Annual Conference.
