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She Works to Make Downtown Bismarck a Destination

Published: Dec 18 2017
She Works to Make Downtown Bismarck a Destination - Photo
Bismarck Downtowners Association Executive Director Dawn Kopp, ‘99 BSC alumna, has been in her role for 10 years now. Around 2008 she helped create a walking map of Downtown Bismarck. It featured 25 places. The map is updated annually, and this year 70 shops, restaurants, galleries and other destinations are included.

“It’s really stunning what we’ve seen happen in Downtown Bismarck, and it creates such a sense of pride to be, at least in some way, a part of the movement of revitalizing downtown.”

Her dream at the Downtowners is to help make other people’s dreams a reality. “I really want to be more involved in growing the local industry and fostering people’s dreams and hopes, and creating what they want to see as an entrepreneur or as a business person.”

Some of Kopp’s passion for Downtown Bismarck comes from growing up in the area. She’s originally from Mandan. “We would go to the Dakota Twin Theatres and see movies there. It was always just so exciting to come downtown.”

Kopp said she’s most proud of what she sees take place outside of her office after 5 p.m. every day.

Continue reading this story written for the Fall 2017 issue of BSC Magazine.