New bars and restaurants might be sexy, but what's really sexy are the businesses that hold history within their walls.

Gary Meadows is the 4th owner of Wally's, which opened in 1937 and is now the oldest restaurant in Chattanooga. It's a meat-and-three where people from all walks of life come together, business deals happen over cobbler, and they know you by your face even if they don't know your name.

It just so happens to be my favorite restaurant, but that's not why we're visiting it today. Wally's has a story to tell - something that others can learn from.

In this episode, I head to Wally's to find out:

• What it takes to survive 89 years in the restaurant business
• How it's possible to pride yourself on affordability, even when costs keep rising
• Why closing one location actually strengthened the other

With places like Nikki's, Town & Country, and Zarzours closing, it's more important than ever to support local institutions like Wally's.

And just to be clear: Gary has no plans of closing Wally's any time soon. It's survived two fires, multiple transitions, and the great lemon debacle, so it'll take a lot more than that to shut it down.

Have a Tennessee story worth mapping out? Reach out at archabouttn.com

00:00 - Why We’re Heading to Wally’s

01:10 - The History of Wally’s

11:30 - How They Maintain Affordability Despite Rising Costs

21:35 - Passing It Down: Training the Next Generation

25:00 - When Gary's Brother Closed the East Ridge Location

35:34 - The 1998 Fire: When the Community Rallied for the Staff

41:23 - Tony's Advice & The Lemon Debacle

48:36 - The Staff Who Show Up at 2:45 AM ("We Got You, Boss")

54:25 - Locally Owned AND Operated vs. Corporate Chains

1:01:35 - Studio Debrief: Takeaways