Coffee House To Fight Addiction: Couple Sets Sights On Morris Co. For New Shop

MADISON, NJ — At the end of this month, Karen Rubinstein will be two years clean and sober.

But on her journey to recovery, Rubinstein said she felt as if there wasn't much support for people with addiction in the local community, particularly after going through rehabilitation.

“People in recovery need a safe place — like a coffee house — to connect with others and find support,” Rubinstein said.

Rubinstein and her husband Barry, both from Summit, are launching H.O.W. Now Coffee & Community House — a coffee shop that will offer recovery events and education for addicts and alcoholics in the community.

Although the shop is in its early planning stages, the couple plans to open the coffee house in Madison by late 2022 or spring of 2023.

H.O.W. Now stands for Honest, Open, Willing — the three spiritual principles at the foundation of recovery. The goal of Rubinstein's cafe is to not only provide a safe space for recovering alcoholics and addicts, but also for the general community to gather and enjoy themselves during the post-pandemic era.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Rubinstein said, addiction and alcoholism have increased alarmingly, by about 30 percent.

"I believe in recovering loudly," Rubinstein said. "I just feel like I need to speak out and I need to help people. Being in AA and part of my staying sober is connected with being of service to other alcoholics."

Rubinstein said her vision for the coffeehouse is to have a "comfy" aesthetic with soft leather couches, lots of wood and, of course, freshly roasted coffee.

According to a news release, the nonprofit coffee house will feature high-quality roasted coffee, espresso and herbal teas, along with locally baked vegan and gluten-free cookies, scones and muffins.

The hours will be six days a week, with events in the evenings such as meditation/yoga, business networking, music and crafts. The entire staff will also consist of people in active recovery.

Rubinstein stressed that for people who are coming out of rehab, it is often difficult for them to get a job, especially if they have a DUI. She said H.O.W. Now will provide a lot of networking opportunities and "dress for success" events to help those in recovery get back into the workforce.

She added that the cafe will have a library with books and information about recovery.

Rubinstein said she has lost a few friends to addiction, and she plans to honor one of friends, Kat, whom she met in rehab. Kat died last year from a fentanyl overdose and left behind her 6-year-old daughter, Olivia.

Rubinstein plans to sell "Kat-nip tea" and plants, with all the proceeds going toward the "Olivia Scholarship Fund."

"Kat was a wonderful person and wanted Olivia to have a good education," Rubinstein said. "I made a silent promise at her funeral to help her daughter.”

Rubinstein and her husband — who has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business — are reaching out for grants and funding, as well as retail space in Madison for the launch of the coffee shop.

The couple also plans to sell merchandise, which can be seen in the photo below:

“It’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t been touched by addiction — whether themselves or a loved one," Rubinstein said. "When I got out of rehab in 2020, I was shocked to discover a lack of understanding or support for alcoholics and addicts.

"I overheard one recovered addict say there’s ‘more support on the streets’ than in the recovery community. I’ve lost too many friends in the past two years from this deadly disease. Barry and I want to do what we can to help. We live the philosophy of ‘Do the next right thing.’”

With reporting from Remy Samuels/Patch Staff.

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