Jill Schramm/MDN Donna Lundy holds a deluxe burger, freshly made for a customer at Memorial Diner in Granville Feb. 8.

GRANVILLE – Clusters of diners gathered around tables over the noon hour last Wednesday to enjoy a burger or piece of homemade pie at Granville’s Memorial Diner.

Donna Lundy has been running the cafe for 18 years, and she’s stirred up a reputation for good food, based on the opinions shared by the weekday luncheon crowd.

“Their desserts are awesome,” said Linda Birky, Towner.

“It’s really good food, really good service, really great people,” added Beverly Ramsey, Granville.

There’s also the hugs the regulars get from Lundy that set the place apart from the usual restaurant.

Memorial Diner grew out of an effort by the community to keep a restaurant in town. After the town’s last eatery closed, the city approached Lundy, who had gained years of experience since high school with several Granville restaurants, about starting a cafe.

“At first, we were going to start out city-owned, and then they decided they didn’t want a city-owned cafe, but I just kept doing what I was doing,” Lundy said.

Lundy opened the restaurant on Jan. 4, 2005, in the former dance hall area of the American Legion building. The building still is used by the Legion, which has a meeting room in the back.

“We agreed to share if I made it into a cafe, and I tried to keep the memorabilia the same,” said Lundy, who also decorates for the holidays.

Initially, Memorial Diner served senior congregate meals at the local senior center, but Lundy said turnout was low because there was no flexibility with meal time. Now seniors can come to the cafe anytime during regular hours and have the scheduled lunch.

Seniors gathered for last Wednesday’s meal said the socializing, reminiscing and food combine to make coming to the cafe a highlight of their weekdays – so much so that many often come back Saturday mornings for breakfast. 

Sharon Sitter, who coordinates the congregate meal sign-ups, said the meals attract seniors from communities around the area. Attendee numbers average eight to 12 seniors a day, with up to 27 seniors when shrimp is on the menu.

People from Bottineau, Minot, Velva and spots in between plan their travels through the area to arrive at Granville at lunchtime. McHenry County Deputy Calise Linstrom said spending time at the cafe is a great way for her to connect with the public and hear what’s on the minds of people around the county.

Customers also include workers traveling through or on temporary jobs in the area and farmers taking a break from the fields. Souris Valley Care Center in Velva will bring a busload of residents at times. 

It’s like getting together with family to come to the cafe, said David Helland of Minot, formerly of the Velva area, who has been frequenting the cafe for about 10 years.

“I stop in when I can just because it’s home cookin’,” Helland said. “We don’t have enough places like this left.”

Lundy, 69, arrives at 6 a.m. to begin preparing for the 7 a.m. opening, and often finds customers already arriving.

“If I’m caught up, I open the doors right away,” she said. “I have my coffee drinkers that got to have their cup of coffee on the way to work.” 

Saturdays the cafe is open only 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but it also is a day for extra cleaning, and with other tasks, Lundy said, she still might be there until 6 p.m. It’s common for her to be at the diner on Sundays, baking desserts, even though the cafe is not open that day.

“I love it. I like being around people. If I retire, then what am I going to do? I can’t sit home all day long,” she said. She’s had hip and knee issues but worked up to the day before her surgeries – walker and all. Although she admits she hobbles a bit, it doesn’t slow her down.

She works 12-hour days Monday through Friday, shutting down at 6 p.m. to head home to assist husband, Richard, with any personal care needs, and spend time with other family. Having lost a son two years ago, Lundy has another son who lives in Granville, and she has five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who all live in Granville, Minot or Towner.

The entire family has played a role in the diner at different points over the past 18 years. Lundy said her husband and son both still help out with certain chores, and a granddaughter assists with errands and paperwork. The grandchildren stop by times, and Lundy’s son, his daughter and her two children periodically share in a private family supper at the diner after closing. Lundy’s 95-year-old father, Don Kinzell, comes regularly for the senior meals.

Lundy’s staff consists of her good friend, Nancy Mueller, who had served as city auditor for many years before retiring, and Wisconsin native Tabitha Lystad, now of Granville, whom Lundy calls her adopted granddaughter.

Memorial Diner supports the community by providing gift certificates to the school to present to two students each month who earn the Atta-boy Award. The return support she gets from the community is tremendous, Lundy said.

A neighbor ensures the cafe has snow removal, and recently a stranger chopped ice all the way down the street to enable the melt to run away from the building. Much of the support comes from people who want to see small towns continue to thrive.

“Whenever I travel, I always look for the mom-and-pop cafes,” said Curt Latendresse, formerly of Upham and now of Minot. He was dining Wednesday with his son, Kellen, and 3-year-old grandson, Oliver.

Kellen Latendresse, Minot, agreed with his father on the importance of supporting local businesses.

“I own a business. He owned a business,” he said. “We realize how much local business matters.”

Ag salesman Zach Leier of Mandan, in his first ever visit to Memorial Diner on Wednesday, said he tries to patronize the small towns when he’s traveling.

“Our business is supported by people in towns like this,” he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the cafe, but Lundy just switched to delivery and kept going. The cafe still does takeout and provides home-delivered meals for seniors in the meals program.

At one time, Lundy offered catering in the evenings. That had to end when she lost her two catering staff. Cooking for area livestock auctions also went by the wayside over the years.

One thing that hasn’t changed is roast beef on Mondays. Lundy said area ranchers insisted she have a roast beef day when she opened, and the tradition has persisted for 18 years.

Lundy said her penchant for organization has contributed to keeping  customers satisfied and her nerves steady during the rush hours over the years. Even so, there’s times, especially busy Saturday mornings, when Lundy looks out at a full house with people looking for a place to sit and feels her adrenaline rise. But she doesn’t mind.

“I love every bit of it,” she said. “I’m very blessed.