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Good day, Wayzata. This is Wayzata Scoop: Tossing caps, flipping burgers, and catching up on local news.

In today’s Scoop:

• Plymouth Picks: Your 2025 Best of Plymouth Winners 🏆

• Wayzata Appoints Jamie Baker as New Police Chief 👮

• Plymouth Lands Top Spot in Minnesota, 17th Best in U.S. 🏡

Let’s crush it.

— Dustin Hart

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📢 TALK OF THE TOWN

Your 2025 Best of Plymouth Winners: The Top 5 Standouts from Plymouth Mag!

The votes are in, and Plymouth has officially crowned its favorites for 2025! From date night spots to dog parks, the community showed up to celebrate the businesses, restaurants, and services that make Plymouth such a standout place to live.

Here’s a quick look at 5 of the biggest winners this year:

The Fox and Pantry — Triple Crown Winner

• Best Bakery

• Best Locally Owned Coffee or Tea Shop

• Best Specialty Food or Kitchen Store (tied)

  Whether you’re after fresh-baked treats or the perfect cup of coffee, The Fox and Pantry dominated multiple food and drink categories this year.

🏆 Sunshine Factory Bar & Grill — The Go-To Gathering Spot

• Best Bar, Brewery or Distillery

• Best Outdoor Dining Space

• Best Restaurant

• Best Dessert or Ice Cream (2nd place)

• Best Date Night Spot

  Plymouth locals clearly love the Sunshine Factory for just about everything — from brunch dates to patio happy hours.

🏆 J Brothers Design – Build – Remodel, Inc. — Home Design Heavyweight

• Best Custom Home Builder

• Best Remodeler

• Best Interior Design Firm (2nd place)

  J Brothers earned top honors in multiple home and remodeling categories, proving they’re the go-to for turning dream homes into reality.

🏆 Urban Eve — The Style Favorite

• Best Hair Salon

• Best Apparel Boutique

• Best Barbershop or Salon with Men’s Services

  Urban Eve swept the beauty and style scene, earning praise for hair, fashion, and grooming alike.

🏆 Plymouth Community Center — Family Favorite

• Best Place for Family Activities

• Best Outdoor Location for Graduation Photos (2nd place)

• Best Wedding Venue (tied)

  When it comes to community hubs, Plymouth Community Center is where memories are made — from family fun to big celebrations.

Of course, these are just a handful of this year’s winners — dozens of other local favorites also earned honors across dining, wellness, shopping, pet care, and more.

Congrats to all the businesses and organizations that help make Plymouth such a vibrant place to live, work, and play! And thank you to plymouthmag.com for putting the list together.

Meet Chief Baker: Wayzata’s New Police Chief Takes the Helm

The City of Wayzata has officially appointed Jamie Baker as its next Chief of Police, effective June 1, 2025. After serving the past six months as interim chief, Baker steps into the role permanently with full support from city leadership, officers, and residents alike.

“Chief Baker has demonstrated strong leadership, professionalism, and a deep understanding of our community’s needs,” said City Manager Jeffrey Dahl. “Her dedication earned the confidence and respect of both our officers and our residents. We’re proud to officially welcome her as our next Chief of Police.”

During her interim tenure, Chief Baker successfully led the department through a period of transition, all while focusing on recruitment, retention, and keeping both her team and the community at the center of every decision. Now, as she steps fully into the role, she’s ready to continue shaping the department’s future.

“I am honored and humbled to accept the role of Chief of Police for the City of Wayzata,” said Baker. “Wayzata is a special place, and I am committed to fostering a department that reflects the values of trust, accountability, and service.”

Meet the Chief: Public Events

• Swearing-In Ceremony: June 17 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall

• Community Open House: June 24 from 5:30–6:30 p.m. at Panoway Plaza Park (light refreshments provided)

Plymouth Ranked Best Place to Live in Minnesota — And One of the Best in the Nation

Big news for Plymouth: according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Places to Live list, our city has been named #1 in Minnesota and #17 in the entire U.S.

The ranking factors in everything from job market strength to quality of life, cost of living, and desirability — and Plymouth stands out across the board:

• 6th-best job market in the country

• Top 3 in unemployment index (that’s a good thing)

• Top 5% for overall quality of life

• Named 10th-best small city to live in

• Housing costs run about $85K above the national average, but residents seem to agree: it’s worth it.

Other Minnesota cities also made the national list, but Plymouth leads the pack. Here’s how a few others ranked:

• Maple Grove: #40

• Eden Prairie: #46

• Woodbury: #54

• Rochester: #72

• Eagan: #116

• Mankato: #118

• Blaine: #188

• Bloomington: #215

• Duluth: #237

(Bonus fun fact: Minneapolis was ranked as the top Minnesota city for retirees.)

It’s official — Plymouth isn’t just one of Minnesota’s best-kept secrets anymore.

Free Yoga in Plymouth: 75 Minutes to a Healthier You

If your body could use a little less stress and a little more vitality (whose couldn’t?), mark your calendar for a free Yoga for Health session happening:

🗓 Saturday, June 21, 2025 — 10:00 AM

📍 Plymouth Library — Hennepin County Library, 15700 36th Ave N

This 75-minute session offers simple but powerful tools to:

• Activate your spine

• Relieve stress and fatigue

• Strengthen joints and muscles

• Rejuvenate after long stretches of inactivity

Ages 12+ welcome (ages 12-17 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian)

What to Bring:

Your own yoga mat, a cushion if you need one, and ideally an empty or light stomach.

Bonus: Walk-ins are welcome — but if you want to RSVP or learn more, head here: RSVP

Questions? Call (651) 400-0238 or email [email protected].

📖 QOTW (QUOTE OF THE WEEK)

“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Banksy

🌪️ WEATHER WATCH

Mother Nature’s leaning heavy on the ‘rain’ setting this week.

Wed 11 73°/55° PM Showers 🌧️ | 💧65%

Thu 12 69°/56° PM Showers 🌧️ | 💧62%

Fri 13 60°/52° Rain 🌧️ | 💧64%

Sat 14 67°/55° Cloudy ☁️ | 💧17%

Sun 15 75°/62° Partly Cloudy 🌥️ | 💧24%

Mon 16 80°/63° Scattered Thunderstorms ⛈️ | 💧43%

Tue 17 79°/60° Mostly Cloudy 🌥️ | 💧24%

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