But Andy’s was much more than a diner. It was a community hub. Locals started their mornings there with coffee and conversation, caught up on town gossip, bartered for goods, and even played poker (where the loser had to drive my sisters and me to school). Growing up in that environment, I came to understand how central small businesses are to the fabric of a community. When my dad was sick or when snowstorms or power outages hit, the diner couldn’t open. That didn’t just mean no income for the day; it left a gap in the community. Regulars missed their routine. Conversations and connections were put on pause. Everyone who relied on Andy felt the ripple effect—not just us, but the butcher who provided our meat, our dairy supplier, and the list goes on.