Keeping my grandfather’s American dream alive
My grandfather Koon Yen Lim immigrated to the United States at 13 from Canton, China, during the gold rush days seeking better opportunities.
In 1932, Papa Lim began the American dream by saving his money and opening the Golden Star Cafe in the heart of downtown and later on the near West Side. Papa Lim’s legacy lives on as we celebrate our 90th anniversary serving our beloved community, a milestone not many small businesses achieve.
The Golden Star Cafe has always been a family-owned and -operated business. My father, Raymond Shew Gai Lim,
and my mother, Yuen Lim, took over the business, and now my siblings and I run the daily operations. A big part of our success is our loyal employees, who are family to us and have served thousands of customers for 20, 30 and even 50 years.
Generations of San Antonians have walked through our
doors as customers, as have countless local leaders, including Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez and a newly elected Mayor Henry Cisneros, who were at the opening of our current location.
Customers continue to share memories of Papa Lim’s pies, staff stacking entire orders on their arms and our kitchen cooking, 24/7, American, Chinese and Mexican food representing the diverse community we serve. Even today, elderly customers remember how when they were children, Papa Lim was always kind and gave them lollipops.
Being a small-business owner is tough, especially today. Surviving the pandemic was a challenge, and now we’re dealing with its repercussions — employee shortages, product shortages, rising inflation and high food costs. Currently, construction near our property is making access challenging for customers. We’re doing our best to maintain quality food at affordable prices for our customers.
I was in my 20s when I started working in the restaurant. Every day is a new day, because I never know what fire I have to put out or what hat I’m going to be wearing. I could be waitressing, cooking or busing tables, all so Papa Lim’s legacy continues and our customers have a good experience.
As I look back at the decades I’ve spent in the restaurant, I see customers’ faces, each with a story and many an extension of our family. I see generations of loyal employees, and we are forever grateful to them. At night I worry about them, our future and all the challenges of keeping our doors open.
Over the past 90 years, we’ve served thousands of customers who have enjoyed Papa Lim’s recipes. He would be so proud of our family for carrying out his legacy and not giving up.