The small town of Hooksett, NH is located just outside of the city of Manchester. Hooksett is about an hour from Boston, 45 minutes from Hampton Beach, and less than two hours from North Conway, making it a great spot for residents to maintain a balance of rural relaxation while obtaining access to exciting events in surrounding areas.
Hooksett has three schools that provide a solid educational foundation for all students, but we do not have a high school. While this may appear to be an inconvenience, this has allowed kids to branch out into nearby communities, create lasting friendships with people from different towns and even countries, and provide endless opportunities for success.
We are small, with just over 14,000 residents, but this is the place I am proud to call home. Whether you grew up in Hooksett or have recently moved here, you will be sure to recognize these iconic landmarks and features of this adorable little town.
1. Ice cream from The Brick House.
Always a true sign of summer when they open up for the season.
2. Playing at Danoti or Livingston.
Complete with rocket ship structures and the occasional tire swing.
3. Old Home Day.
Everybody has an Old Home Day story. The fireworks are always the best part.
4. Shows at the Palace Theater.
Whether you've done summer camps, danced on stage yourself, or just been to see shows, everybody knows the historic magic of the Palace Theater in Manchester.
5. Backroom Chicken Tenders.
The Backroom is the perfect spot for casual dinners, family birthday celebrations, fancy post-Homecoming fun, and take-out. And without a shadow of a doubt, there will be an hour wait. Even on a Tuesday at 2:30 pm. But it's worth it every time.
6. Participating in HYAA sports.
Anyone else have an awkward magnet picture of their six-year-old self holding a ball with a fake crowd backdrop, proudly displaying their HYAA t-shirt?
7. Having a choice of high schools.
Having the opportunity to choose a school based on your personal preferences is definitely a cool feature of this town. Even though there has been a huge debate discussed by the school board about which high school is best, it's still awesome that we ultimately have a choice.
8. When Market Basket became a thing.
Having a new grocery store open on the other side of the river was definitely a big deal. And EVERYBODY works there. Like everybody.
9. Robie's Country Store.
Gotta love Robie's. And the reopening of the restaurant Roots.
10. Cinemagic and Regal Cinemas.
We had one, then the other, and now we have both. YES.
11. Tuckers.
No caption needed for this one. I just wish they didn't close at 2.
12. The Hooksett Public Library.
No, it's not the gorgeous apartment building you can see from the road. But yes, it's still an awesome little library with cute little programs.
13. Watching the developments of SNHU.
We have watched the campus of SNHU blossom with new buildings as it expands on the border of Hooksett and Manchester. They turned the parking lot into a courtyard and have built beautiful new dorm halls. Many of us have attended sports camps at SNHU and enjoy going to sporting events to support our local teams. Currently having a hard time accepting that this road is closed through AUGUST. Ugh.
14. The Tap House.
My mother would strongly recommend their hummus. Apparently it's delicious.
15. The excessive amount of used car dealerships...
We have at least a million.
16. ...and pharmacies.
Maybe a million and two.
17. Giovanni's
ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES.
18. Firefighter's Challenge.
One of the highlights of Cawley Middle School. Black Ninjas for life.
19. Supreme Pizza.
Love that family who runs this restaurant. Bonus points if Maria is working <3.
20. Legend's Golf.
The OG spot for mini-golf.
21. Space Center.
Used to be for kids. Now it's kinda a place for teens. All I know is that there's a new card system instead of coins and that's pretty cool. Go Hooksett!
