Hi, I’m Dana Schaeffer.

I grew up in Little Falls, New Jersey, and like a lot of people from small towns, I’ve always had a soft spot for the places that make a town feel like home. For me, one of those places was the Little Falls Diner. I used to walk by it as a kid with my parents, peeking in the windows, wondering what it must’ve been like when it was open—and secretly hoping that maybe one day, I could bring it back to life. At the time, it felt totally out of reach. But that thought stuck with me.

Over the years, I built a life here. I fell in love with baking thanks to my grandma, found a career in radio where I got to tell stories for a living, and eventually ended up working right next door to the diner at Bivio. I must’ve walked past it hundreds of times without even realizing that everything I was doing — learning how to connect with people, understanding how much food can bring a community together — was all leading me back to that little silver building.

In 2023, I found out the diner was set to be demolished, and something in me said, “This is it. It’s now or never.” I didn’t have a background in preservation or any kind of formal plan, but I knew I couldn’t just watch it disappear. So I started asking questions, reaching out, and getting to know the people who could help make something happen. That’s when the pieces started falling into place. I had already built relationships through work, radio helped me share the story, and soon others started coming forward with memories, support, and ideas. What started as a personal mission quickly turned into something bigger.

That’s how Save NJ Diners was born—a project rooted in community, memory, and the belief that diners still matter. This isn’t just about one building. It’s about the diners we grew up in, the ones still flipping pancakes, the ones that need help, and even the ones we’ve lost. I’m just here to help tell their stories and maybe, piece by piece, help keep them alive.