Title: Shaggy’s Cheeseburgers

Author: Ron Ladner

Genre: Nonfiction

 

Shaggy’s Cheeseburgers by Ron Ladner is a memoir-type nonfiction about the author’s journey of rebuilding after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005. He decided, along with his partner, Rimmer Covington, to open a restaurant with Gulf views right on the coast, which turned into Shaggy’s Cheeseburgers. In the following years, their restaurant industry would expand, in addition to their philanthropy and tales of friendship and fortitude.

Shaggy’s Cheeseburgers is an interesting read. While it is partly a true story of two friends starting a restaurant, it is much more than that. And while portions of the book are devoted to explaining how to run a restaurant, or a business in general, with success by using out-of-the-box thinking, the greater story is one of family and friends, epic fishing adventures involving blue marlins, and endurance through trials.

Ladner’s casual storytelling tone gives the whole narrative a conversational aspect. We feel like we are sitting at one of his five Shaggy’s restaurants with a cocktail in hand as he shares his many tales. Most are of success, but some are of failure, but all are inspiring and encouraging. Hurricane Katrina will be forever remembered by anyone who was alive when it happened, but the harrowing truth is that hurricanes are almost a way of life along the Gulf coast. Several other hurricanes struck the area, in addition to a large oil spill, but none of these factors held Ladner and his partner back from pushing forward.

What proves inspiring is not only their fortitude but that they genuinely care about their staff, and not just about financial success. It’s about showing up, putting in the hard work, and supporting others to also be successful. These are the types of stories we need to hear about more often. The sincerity of Ladner as not only an entrepreneur but as a man is lacking these days in a world where everyone seems to be out for themselves.

Besides Ladner’s work ethic, his devotion to his wife, his love of his sweet dogs, all of whom have sadly passed, and toward animals to a greater degree show the giving, caring type of man he is. His sense of humor comes through on every page.

Testimonials from Shaggy’s employees and pictures of Ron Ladner with his friends and family reinforce that this is a real story about a real place. That we could actually visit any of the Shaggy’s locations is impressive, and a quick search on Google shows a glowing 4.9 stars with thousands of happy customers. This is proof of Ladner’s commitment to the customer having a stellar experience, that it’s not only about the food but about the service and atmosphere of the restaurant.

There are a few repetitive sections that could have been smoothed over some, such as mentioning in two chapters that the restaurant chain has seen a 40% increase in revenue since 2019, but this is easily overlooked by the charm of the rest of the material.

Shaggy’s Cheeseburgers proves to be a delicious memoir. Ron Ladner’s true story is an inspiration for any aspiring entrepreneur but also serves as encouragement for anyone looking to strive upward in life. Shaggy’s Cheeseburgers provides a heaping helping of humor, wisdom, advice, and motivation that drives the American spirit to rebuild after all seems torn down.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.