Meet the Author

While growing up in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, there were not many restaurants to choose from. This naturally led my family - and everyone else - to an old diner called Judy's Truck Stop that served up the all-American experience: burgers, fries, and of course, pies. It might not have been a passerby's first pick, but for the people of Jasper, it was the place to be. 

​

I have always been more fascinated by how the community interacted with Judy's than by the food itself. It was always the place retirees would gather for lunch after church every Sunday, where farmers would start their morning with coffee and conversation, or where families would gather after baseball games. 

 

This experience is not specific to where I grew up. Many small towns have         locally-loved restaurants that capture the hearts of the community. At the end of the day, these restaurants are where stories are created, shared, and in turn become a story themselves. 

​

My goal is to tell the stories of these Southwest Missouri restaurants by asking, "What makes the small-town diner special and how have they impacted their communities?" By highlighting what makes each of them unique, what they are known for, as well as some history, these restaurants will become places of novelty rather than buildings on the backroads. 

 

I hope that by sharing these stories, the next time you need a place to eat that feels like home, you'll know where to look.