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| Owners of The Argonaut fight to support restaurant workers struggling with addiction |
SMOOTHING OUT THE BUMPS—H Street NE in Washington DC is
smoothly paved but if you’re troubled by alcohol and drug abuse it can be a
viewed as a bumpy road. But it’s not
just H Street. All roads are bumpy to an
addict in recovery.
Scott
Magnuson and his wife Shaaren Pine co-own The Argonaut tavern, 1433 H Street NE
in Washington DC. After twice being recognized as one of the city’s best bars
in Washingtonian magazine and twice
finishing runner-up in the Washington
City Paper’s “Most Family Friendly Restaurant” award, it is obvious that
they know what they are doing.
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| Sharren, Scott and Daughter |
What is
not immediately obvious is that one of the best bars in the nation’s capital is
run by a recovering alcoholic and drug addict.
In their
new memoir, “Torn Together,” that the couple has co-written—Magnuson and Pine
describe the bumpy road that led to Magnuson’s recovery after battling
addiction since he was 14 years old. Their two perspectives join together to
form a very real and intense testimony of struggle to save both their family
and their business.
“We need
to take the shame and stigma off of addicts,” said Pine. “Addiction is a
medical condition, not a moral failing. Unfortunately, it is also a disease
that infects everybody in its path. Because of that, everybody caught in
addiction’s web needs help – not just the addict.”
Now that
Magnuson and his family are in recovery, he and Pine have mounted a
double-pronged attack in the battle against addiction. They are doing what they
can to let people who are struggling know that they are not alone. They are
also trying to bring attention to restaurant culture’s permissive attitude with
regard to drug and alcohol use in the workplace.
“Those
who work in the restaurant industry know that there is a lot of use of drugs
and alcohol,” said Magnuson. “Not everyone does it, of course, but those who do
are often allowed to by their managers and bosses. Ignoring this behavior not
only hurts these people and their families, but often ends up hurting the
business as well.”
Recently,
in addition to changing the culture within their own restaurant, Magnuson and
Pine have also created a nonprofit called Restaurant Recovery [http://restaurantrecovery.org/]
that seeks to assist restaurant employees who would like help in finding and
paying for reputable drug and alcohol treatment programs. It also helps the
families of restaurant workers, seeking to both challenge and change restaurant
culture.
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| Recovering addict and entrepreneur is dedicated to challenging restaurant culture |
Details:
For more
information, visit www.torntogetherbook.com and www.argonautdc.com
“Torn Together: One Family’s Journey Through
Addiction, Treatment & the Restaurant Industry,” By Scott Magnuson and
Shaaren Pine
ISBN:
978-1-4969-6584-4
Available
in softcover, hardcover, e-book
Available
on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AuthorHouse
About the authors
Scott
Magnuson is a recovering alcoholic and addict who co-owns one of the best bars
in Washington, D.C. He is also the president of the Capitol Hill Chamber of
Commerce. He has worked in the restaurant industry and struggled with drug and
alcohol addiction since he was 14 years old. He has subsequently completed
inpatient and outpatient treatment for alcohol and substance abuse.
As a
business owner and manager, Shaaren Pine is committed to challenging restaurant
culture’s status quo. She is also determined to bridge the gap between business
and community. She is passionate about adoptee rights and advocates for the
families of addicts. She has written for The
Washington Post and Masala Mommas.
The
couple also owns Harborside Market & Café in South Bristol, Maine.
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