MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Next, the story of Ron Ladner. When he sold his software company, he could've moved anywhere. But he decided to move back to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he was born and raised. He lived through hurricanes but nothing like Katrina, which barreled through his small waterfront town, Pass Christian, leaving it and his dream home unrecognizable. Ladner and his wife decided to rebuild, and they went a step further. They opened a restaurant as a gathering place. And they called it Shaggy's. And we caught up with Ron Ladner in Atlanta. Ron Ladner, good morning. Thanks for joining us.
RON LADNER: Good morning. Good to be here.
MARTIN: So you grew up with hurricanes. You know, you've got a memoir coming out. And you talk about how you grew up with evacuating. And you write about how it was always a burden on our parents. But when you moved back, was that on your mind? I mean, Pass Christian is on the water.
LADNER: You forget about these hurricanes pretty quickly when they come through. Most people will tell you that the beauty and the experience of living on that waterfront and the lifestyle far outweighs the risk.
MARTIN: So let me take you back then to 2005. Do you remember when the storm passed? What did you see, and how did it make you feel?
LADNER: My house was destroyed (laughter). And just about every house in my neighborhood was flattened. There was nothing left. Boats everywhere on the land. And at first sight, it didn't take long for us to figure out that we're in trouble. We looked at houses in Pensacola. And the more we looked at houses it'd been easier for us to move, my wife and I just kind of kept looking at each other and scratching our heads. And it's like, you know, we're in a position to be a provider in Pass Christian, not a recipient of aid. We have those resources.
MARTIN: So one of the ways you kind of powered through was by founding your restaurant, Shaggy's. Why a restaurant? You were not in the restaurant business, so how did that happen?
LADNER: We just accidentally started Shaggy's as something that would help bring comfort to our town. There was an old bait shop that was there for years and years and years. There was nothing left. But the owners had a lease, and I bought it from them and said, let's just do something fun, open a restaurant. And this will be a place where we can all come together and talk to each other and help each other out.
MARTIN: It's funny because I've talked to other people who've started restaurants. And, you know, obviously, some people are, you know, trained chefs or, you know, they're food people or hospitality people. Some other people who start restaurants just because they want a place to go.
LADNER: Well, that's kind of what we did. There's no place on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where you pull your boat up, get a cheeseburger and a cold beer.
MARTIN: (Laughter) OK, but on the Gulf Coast, I'm kind of thinking seafood. So how did cheeseburgers get into the mix?
LADNER: (Laughter) I don't know.
MARTIN: (Laughter).
LADNER: I think there are many different theories, but our menu is predominantly fresh Gulf seafood. We have great shrimp dishes and fresh fish. But no matter when you run the report, whether it's for a day, 10 years, one store, or five stores, the cheeseburger is always our No. 1 seller.
MARTIN: That is Ron Ladner of Pass Christian, Mississippi. And he's the author of the upcoming memoir, Shaggy's Cheeseburgers. Ron Ladner, thanks so much for talking with us.
LADNER: Thank you, dear.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "KEEP'N IT REAL")
SHAGGY: (Singing) Keeping it real. Got to big up all my peoples who been working on their future though they know they got to struggle. Keeping it real. To all my homies working on the 9 to 5 and doing right to keep themself up out of trouble. Keeping it real. Although sometimes I know it seems impossible, there ain't no need in drowning in your... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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