His Dreams Go Up In Smoke

Newsday ^ | 12 October 2003 | Merle English

[VermiciousKnid]

His Dreams Go Up in Smoke Smoking ban forces tavern owner to sell a family institution

By Merle English STAFF WRITER

October 12, 2003

In the horse-and-buggy days of the early 19th century, when a tavern was the mainstay of many a man's social life, men tied up their rides outside Petersen's, then a two- story saloon at the intersection of what is now 20th Avenue and College Point Boulevard in College Point.

Petersen's was a place for drinking, eating, smoking and camaraderie, and so it remained when Theodore Lauterborn's stepgrandfather, Otto Roesch, bought the establishment in 1902 and changed its name to Roesch's Tavern. It was passed down to Lauterborn's stepfather, William Roesch, in the 1930s, and to Lauterborn in 1975, after William Roesch died.

The business - which has been a popular gathering spot and the scene of many social events from the days when neighborhood residents were largely German and Irish - flourished.

On June 18, however, Lauterborn received a $250 ticket because a patron coming to the bar for 30 years defied a barmaid's order and smoked on the premises, also defying the citywide ban on smoking in restaurants, bars and some other public places that Mayor Michael Bloomberg championed. The ticket, and one $100 ticket he received for cigarette butts in the street, would contribute to the tavern's doom.

A business in the family for more than a century, Roesch's closed its doors on Aug. 31, and the building was put up for sale. Lauterborn, 59, said business at the 178-seat restaurant and bar declined precipitously after the smoking ban was instituted in March.

"Even at 11:30 a.m. on Friday you had 12 to 13 people in here," he said. "Saturday was bigger, but due to this situation, it's all over." The tickets were the "straw that broke the camel's back."

[VermiciousKnid]

Another triumph for Bloomberg, Pataki and Bruno.

[VermiciousKnid]

Bump

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[metesky]

But what about all the non-smokers that were gonna take up the slack?

Receipts are up, aren't they?

Aren't they?

[VermiciousKnid]

Gee, Metesky...I guess not.

But hey, according to Mikey B., it's all just T.S.

Regards,

[basil]

Sometimes I can't help but think that the Nazis took over this country while I was asleep. This is one of the most outrageous articles I have read in a long time.

I think I'll have a cigarette right now to calm my nerves.

[SheLion]

Another triumph for Bloomberg, Pataki and Bruno.

[SheLion]

So many business's closed from lost revenue from the smoking bans. And the non smokers were supposed to go in, in droves. Oh yes. Oh sure........

Do the lawmakers care? HELL NO!

Smoking Bans Bad For Business

[I still care]

"I enjoy a good cigar from time to time. Bloomberg took the right of the voters. It should be the voters who decide,"

Don't count on the voters. They are not so smart either. Here in Florida they passed a smoking ban that they put on the state Constitution by a hefty margin.

People are always saying to "trust the voters" but I have to admit they look downright stupid a lot of the times to me. They will vote their rights away in a second, if the question is phrased the right way.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

The Nazis are driving alot of people out of business. Notice that once they succeed, they rarely patronize these places. They just can't stand it that people not only want to smoke but enjoy one another's company.

[metesky]

You are 100% correct about the voters. The whole concept of letting other people vote on how one behaves or what legal activity one allows on his/her own property is totally repugnant to our Constitutional ideals.

It is baffling to me that property and literacy qualifications, which were perfectly legal at the time of the adaptation of the Constitution, were found illegal once FDR and the "progressives" got their socialist paws on the Supreme Court. Must have been one of those penumbra things.

By the way, has anyone noticed that the anti-smoking gnatzies never show up when a thread runs against their anecdotal BS?

[SheLion]

By the way, has anyone noticed that the anti-smoking gnatzies never show up when a thread runs against their anecdotal BS?

oh yea..........I notice that they never show up when it's put in print how someone loses their business because of the smoking ban. Which has been quite a few , let me tell you!

[VermiciousKnid]

Good heavens! I wouldn't trust the voters of New York to decide whether or not to allow the sun to rise every morning!

After all...sunshine IS a "class-A carcinogen," just like SHS.

Mob rule is a bad, bad, BAD idea. Living by the Constitution of the United States would be a good idea, but we New Yorks just can't seem to hack REAL freedom.

Regards,

[vin-one]

Well, at least you are still able to smoke in your car

Unless of course you have small children in your car
After all it's for the children,

[Gabz]

By the way, has anyone noticed that the anti-smoking gnatzies never show up when a thread runs against their anecdotal BS?

oh yea..........I notice that they never show up when it's put in print how someone loses their business because of the smoking ban. Which has been quite a few , let me tell you!

of course they will blame anything and everything, from poor business sense to 911, BUT the smoking bans.

As for anecdotal evidence, only theirs counts, didn't you know that? Smokers are in-denial lying addicts who are just shills of the tobacco industry (barf)

[US_MilitaryRules]

I don't think this bodes well for republicans, thats for sure. I thought dems were the anti-smoking nazies?

[Just another Joe]

It's a damn shame that neighborhood get togethers like this one don't have the ability to offer their customers what they want.

Bloomingidiot and Pat-ACKKKK-i have won another round.

[VermiciousKnid]

There are NO real Republicans currently holding office in New York.

Did you know that EVERY SINGLE ONE of the RINO State Senators voted for this idiot ban? EVERY SINGLE ONE.

I don't know who's got what on Joe Bruno (State Majority Leader), but he used some serious strong-arm tactics to pass this legislation -- and he did it in ONE DAY. Introduced, voted on, sent to Pataki's office and signed. IN ONE DAY.

Something's rotten in Denmark.

Regards,

[CSM]

Time for a regulation to be passed that assigns each member of society a specific list of restaurants and bars. That member must frequent each of these on the list at least once a week and spend a specified amount of cash.

The next step will be that they regulate how many people you can have visiting in your private residence! With people gathering at each others homes, they may smoke and cause the neighbors to smell it!

[Mears]

If any neighbor of mine ever complains about the smell of my cigarette smoke there will be hell to pay if they ever decide to grill a steak.

I've never had a problem with neighbors but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

I would love to spend a week in NYC but will not go since the smoking ban went into affect,I'll go to Madrid instead,and it's also less expensive.