Support The Argonaut at the Rock and Roll Hotel

image uploaded by anaxolotl on Flickr

The good news reported by the Argonaut: the fire was mostly contained to their kitchen, which was separated from the rest of the building by a thick brick wall, saving the rest of the establishment from more severe damage.  The bad news: smoke damage was bad and they will need time for repairs before opening again.

According to The Argonaut’s website, they are attempting to obtain a tavern license so they can continue to operate without serving food until the kitchen is repaired.  In a letter to neighbors, ANC6A06 Commissioner Bill Schultheiss expresses his support for this license change to help the business and its employees during this time.  In the letter, which is posted on H Street Great Street, he explains, “The goal of the Argonaut ownership is to function as a tavern and hopefully be able to grill food on an outdoor grill on the patio. Upon conclusion of the renovation, they will return to a fully functioning restaurant and return their license to a restaurant license.”  The ABC Board, which needs to approve the license change, is meeting this Wednesday, June 23rd. If you wish to express your support of this change, please email Martha.Jenkins@dc.gov.

So what can you do to help The Argonaut in the meantime?  For starters, you can come out to the Rock and Roll Hotel this NEXT Wednesday! From 5 pm – 11 pm on June 30 pay $20 for complimentary drinks, entertainment, and a silent auction — Argo fans of all ages are welcome.  100% of the proceeds will go to The Argonaut, so feel free to leave a bit more than $20 if your wallet allows.  More information can be found on the Facebook event page.

For other ways you can help, the owners of the Argonaut have started a wish list on their website:

• We’re in need of 9 globes to replace our famous globe lights. Anybody have any old globes lying around?
• We’re trying to open on online store soon. Will keep you posted on that, but we’re hoping that t-shirt and glassware sales can help us rebuild.
• A lot of us are out of a job right now. If you know of people who are hiring front or back of house staff, please let us know.
• Once we’re up and running (in whatever capacity that may be) we’ll be having a few fundraisers. Please come help us out by drinking. A lot. 🙂
• We have people working on boarding up the windows today. If, especially at nighttime, you notice anybody trying to get in, PLEASE call the police.