Posted on 10/12/2003 9:24:43 PM PDT by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at nynewsday.com ...
Saldy, NO
*All 38 Republican NYS Senators voted for the ban (It should be noted that the GOP has a big 38-24 majority in that chamber)
*George Pataki Republican govenor signed it.
*Mike Bloomberg Republican pushed a city ban before the state
*NYC Counsilman Odo Republican introduced the city ban
*John Rowland Republican Governor Connecticut also signed a ban in his state.
*I belive it was Republican legislators that originally pushed for bans in both Delaware and Maine
*Republican Governors Guinn, Kempthorne, Pataki, Perry, Rowland, Taft and Probably a few others I can't think of right now all have recently raised taxes on cigarettes
*Republican Senators Judd and Hatch right now are working on stopping people from buying cigarettes over the internet and getting congress to regulate (i.e. Ban) tobacco.
*John Ashcroft a Republican appointee via the justice system is continuing where Janet Reno left off and suing the tobacco companies.
The only Republican that is remotely standing up for smokers is Arnold Swarzenegger
The Libertarian party is looking better and better ever day
OH, BTW there were smoking bans killed in NJ, MD, RI and VT, All by Democrat controlled legislators
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.
I still care, the voters are eager to vote away their neighbors' rights if they don't see the value in such rights for themselves. When huge special interest cartels like the body parts bunch (AHA, ALA, ACS, etc.) and other powerful anti-smoker groups pour money into advertising (in Florida, the ACS dumped in $6 million to pass that travesty.) The ONLY way to defeat such anti-freedom single-issue advocates is take away their money. As a people, we've lost the ability to think for ourselves and we're going to lose much more before it's done.
Yeah, If it weren't for the over riding importance of the war on terror I would vote straight Libertarian.
BTW...the head of the NYS Conservative Party has publicly stated that any alleged GOPer who has supported these laws will have his Conservative endorsement pulled from him.
Good. I hope they stick to it, Way to many times in the past the Conservative party (and the now defunked Liberal Party) endorsed a candidate not on principle but on whoever would give their members the most goodies (i.e. Political patronize jobs most notably judgeships).
I also hope they run their own set of candidates even if they don't win hopefully they will cause many of those RINOS to lose their seats. Even if all 38 of the current RINOS are replaced by Democrats it would be a big improvement.
The etymology of the word "anecdote" is from the ancient Greek meaning "things unpublished", in other words an unsupported BS story that smart farts like yourself sling around, something that could or could not be factual, with no way to verify.
This published report of the closing of a one hundred plus year old business meets none of the requirements to call it anecdotal.
This story is fact, young lady.
SO we are suppose to believe your anecdote over what some guy who has been in buisness since 1902
SMOKING BAN UNMITIGATED DISASTER FOR TAVERNS IN CALIFORNIA, CANADA
"But a study by the American Business Institute showed 59.3 percent of California bar and restaurant owners reported a loss of business since the ban went into effect in 1998, while only 6.7 percent said business had increased. Those that lost business reported an average decrease in sales of 26.2 percent, while those "helped" by the ban experienced a boost of 6.7 percent. And an analysis of California's sales-tax rolls showed that there are 1,039 fewer bars and restaurants in the state since the ban went into effect."
The reason why the bar buisness seems to be doing well is not because the are more people going to more bars but fewer people going to less bars.
Same in Delaware
Dover Downs continues layoffs Smoking ban prime reason, officials say
And New York
Tavern asks council for help
Shamrock Tavern wants to serve alcohol outside, saying smoking ban has hurt.
http://www.syracuse.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1065776130154210.xml?syrnegosw
The Empire strikes out
Three weeks after its Rochester location folded, Empire Brewing Co. on Tuesday abruptly closed its original and last remaining brewpub, in Syracuse's Armory Square...
The state smoking ban also appeared to reduce traffic, especially late at night.
http://www.syracuse.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business-4/1064392700312677.xml?syrbubiz
Butts ban in city a boon in Jersey
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/88799p-80790c.html
New York's smoking ban is a boon for out-of-state bars and restaurants
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/08/02/national0357EDT0441.DTL
Cig Ban Leaves Lot Of 'Empties'
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/75483.htm
Last call for Stumble Inn
Owner blames Champlain bar’s closure on smoking ban
http://www.pressrepublican.com/Archive/2003/08_2003/080620031.htm
Two Local Businesses Closing Their Doors
Owners say the new state-wide smoking ban is keeping customers away, decreasing the amount of money coming in.
http://www.wbng.com/data/web_3727.shtml
Smoking Ban Aids Out-Of-State Bars
"Our members (in NJ) have reported a surge in business," Dowdell said. "We're in close dialogue with leading restaurateurs in New York City and they continue to report their sales have suffered as much as 20 to 50 percent."
http://cbsnewyork.com/campaign/politicsny_story_215203147.html
Business Booms Across The River
New Jersey Bars And Restaurants Benefit From New York City Smoking Ban
http://cbsnewyork.com/siteSearch/topstoriesny_story_153064147.html
Smoking Ban Blamed For Drop In Business
Some Bars And Restaurants Report A 50 Percent Decline
http://cbsnewyork.com/content/topstoriesny_story_132064036.html
Note, Liberals like yourself in the press tend to be bias in favor of smoking bans.
Yep you are obviously a Liberal 1st you are anti-private property rights and 2nd You actually think people like Bloomberg, Pataki and everyone else in the list are actual Conservatives.
What would Ronald Reagan think of smoking bans?
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