As we hunt for people Saving Americana, again and again we have run across folks keeping old restaurants alive. That’s not easy when the economy takes a beating and really challenged people during Covid. But all over America, you will find old places surviving — and showcasing the history of community meeting places. And the really old places  — a hundred years old or more — are truly something to celebrate. So we created “The Century Club.” For many of these places — it has been constant challenges just to stay in business.

Nowhere is that more evident than in Galveston, Texas. It’s here you find Star Drug Store. A classic old diner that has been restored and re-opened — creating a portal to the early days of the 20th century when the lunch counter was the center of not just eating — but community. Despite hurricanes, fires and floods, Natili Monsrud and her family just rebuild and keep this classic piece of Americana running. The customers just rave about the place.

“The owner greets you, she treats you like an old friend.”

“Best French toast I’ve eaten anywhere.”

“I’m glad to see that we’re saving old Texana for generations to come, because I came in here and I just fell in love.”

For Natili, a former school teacher, it’s all about saving a piece of old Texas. In The Star Drug Store, they truly are Saving Americana.