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The Facts About The Smoking Ban. If you're a business owner or not, this is a must read!
The Facts Online ^ | 11-01-03 | Dave Hitt

Posted on 11/06/2003 7:28:30 AM PST by SheLion

Every company's greatest assets are its customers, because without customers there is no company.
- Michael LeBoeuf

Businesses Harmed by Smoking Bans

Anti-smoking organizations insist that bans are somehow good for people in hospitality businesses. This chart shows otherwise. These businesses have lost a significant portion of their business as a direct result of smoking bans. Many are closed. Many that are still open have told us they doubt they'll survive much longer.

Most of this information comes directly from businesses that have contacted me or my colleagues. Some comes from newspaper articles. Blank spaces in the chart represent data that is unavailable, or that doesn't apply. (For instance, a distributor doesn't receive tips, and many owner-operators of small taverns don't have any employees other than themselves and family members.)


Business Type Of
Business
Closed? Business
Lost
Tips
Lost
Jobs
Lost
City State

 
Crocodile Cafe Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Tempe AZ
Pooch's Easy Street Billiards Pool Hall Closed 100% 100% Tempe AZ
Laurel Bowl Bowling Alley Closed 100% 100% San Luis Obispo CA
385 league bowlers quit when the smoking ban went into effect, with a loss of $200,000. Laurel Bowl had been in business for 37 years before the ban.
Alexander Mackenzie Inn Hotel Not Yet 92% 16 Fort St. John CAN
"Since we were `beaten' into compliance by the WCB, our business has dropped in the lounge from $1,000 a day to $80. "
Beacon Hill Arms Tavern Closed 100% 100% Ottawa CAN
Dave O'Connor, who successfully ran Ottawa's Beacon Hill Arms pub for nine years, said the ban forced him out of business. "From September to February, we lost close to $80,000 in sales"
Bud's Place Tavern Not Yet 23% Cambrage CAN
Gardeli's Bar/Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Castlegar CAN
Hemingway's Bar/Restaraunt Not Yet 40% 6 Ottawa CAN
MacKenzie Lounge Tavern Not Yet 80% Yellowknife CAN
Mingles Coffee Shoppe Coffee Shop Closed 100% 100% Kitchener CAN
Rupert Pub Tavern Closed 100% 100% Prince Rupert CAN
Sky Garden Restaurant Closed 100% 100% 6 Ottawa CAN
"It was 100% because of the bylaw. Sales dropped 50%. Our cups of coffee were down 400 to 500 a day, our meals 20 to 30 a day."
The Patch Tavern Not Yet 70% St. Albert CAN
Tubbys Pizza Pizza Parlor Not Yet 20% 2 Crescentwood CAN
Back Stage Cafe Bar/Restaurant Closed 100% 100% 20 Wilmington DE
Coach House Bar/Restaurant Closed 100% 100% 8 Wilmington DE
Just Mugs Saloon Tavern Not Yet 33% Bear DE
Naamans Cafe Restaurant Closed 100% 100% 8 Wilmington DE
Elks #1795 Lodge (Private Club) Not Yet 40% 22% Fort Walton FL
"Charity money is down 45%. Our Charities are Kids of Florida and the Veterans. That is who is really getting hurt the most by this!"
Elks #2256 Lodge (Private Club) Not Yet 20% 30% Pensacola Beach FL
"We've lost 70 members because of the ban"
Elks #2273 Lodge (Private Club) Not Yet 60% 60% 1 Plantation FL
Melons Bar & Grill Bar/Restruant Not Yet 50% Port Charlotte FL
The Falls Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Naples FL
"We lost 70 percent of our income," Renzello said. "The law put us out of business." 90 percent of her customers were smokers.
Bart's Bar/Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Louisville CO
Bart's had been in operation for nearly 30 years.
Gold Mine Restaraunt Bar/Restaraunt Not Yet 50% 50% 2 Fall River MA
"There should be places for both the smoker and nonsmoker. I do not smoke but you are killing our business!!! "
Buffalo Wings and Beer Bar/Restruant Not Yet 50% Gaithersburg MD
Gentleman Jim's Restaurant Not Yet 40% Gaithersburg MD
J.J. Muldoon's Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 20% Gaithersburg MD
Middlebrook Restaurant and Lounge Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 50% Germantown MD
"I'm so bitter today because I have worked too hard to keep this business going. It's just not fair."
Pelican Pete's Restaurant Not Yet 60% Germantown MD
Tommy Joe's Restaurant Restruant Not Yet 30% Bethesda MD
Nutshell Tavern Tavern Closed 100% 100% Biddeford ME
Village Variety Closed 100% Fryeburg ME
Grandma's Restaraunt Not Yet 33% Cloquet MN
Perkins Restaraunt Not Yet 26% Duluth MN
Aessa Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 35% 6 New York NY
Argyle's EasyStreet Tavern Tavern Not Yet 12% Cortland NY
Athens Cafe Restaurant Not Yet 55% 10 Astoria NY
Blessed Sacrament Church Bingo Not Yet 50% Albany NY
Brazen Head Pub Tavern Not Yet 40% Monroe NY
Brown Shanty Tavern Not Yet 20% 1 Watertown NY
Champions Billiards Cafe Brew Pub/Pool Hall Not Yet 33% Parkville NY
Chili American Legion Post 1830 Private Club Not Yet 70% Scottsville NY
Coleman's Irish Pub Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 19% 4 Syracuse NY
Crossroads Steak House Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Kennedy NY
Delmar Sportsman's Tavern Tavern Not Yet 30% 1 Massena NY
"We had hoped...nonsmokers who haven't been frequenting taverns due to the smoke-filled air would make up for at least some of the financial loss. Unfortunately, at least in our place, this has most definitely not happened. Our sales are at an all time low"
Desperado's Tavern Not Yet 90% Wallkill NY
"I can count on my fingers the people who don't smoke who come in here. The regulars say they won't come."
Dodesters Tavern Not Yet 9% Syracuse NY
Eagle Beverage Company Distributor Not Yet 25% N/A Oswego NY
"Deliveries to pubs and taverns have decreased substantially, greater than 25 percent."
Edigan's Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Binghamton NY
End Zone Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 30% 1 Liverpool NY
Euzkadi Restaurant Not Yet 50% New York NY
Fiddler's Green Tavern Closed 100% 100% New York NY
We have just lost too many customers to this law, which I did not vote for, bar owners did not vote for, bartenders did not vote for, and the public did not vote for."
Finish Line Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 40% 2 Bellerose NY
Fountain Bowl Bowling Alley Not Yet 40% N/A 8 Jamestown NY
Golden Rail Ale House Tavern Not Yet 75% Newburgh NY
Harry's Hanover Square Bar/Restaraunt Closed 100% 100 New York NY
"Overnight, we lost 60 percent of our evening bar trade. For the bar, it was the difference in profit and loss. Sales of expensive cigars had been almost as important as the sales of Scotch" Harry's had been in business for more than thirty years
Holmes & Watson's Tavern Not Yet 30% Troy NY
Hotel McDonald Hotel Not Yet 70% Bath NY
Just One More Tavern Not Yet 30% Bath NY
Liberty Lanes Bowling Not Yet 27% Camden NY
Mama Lena's Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Binghamton NY
Mama Lena's had been in business for more than 40 years.
Mel's Place Tavern Not Yet 78% 100% Falconer NY
"When we bought this place, we throught we were buying our American Dream. We ran it successfully for 10 years. Now the government is stripping us from making a living. "
Middleport Inn Bar/Restaurant Closed 100% 100% 13 Middleport NY
"This damn state really knows how to kill people's dreams."
Millennium Restaurant Not Yet 40% 3 New York NY
Nibsy's Pub Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 18% Syracuse NY
Rafferty's Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 35% 2 Syracuse NY
Richard's Ole Timer Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 17% 1 Clay NY
Roesch's Tavern Tavern Closed 100% 100% 5 New York NY
This had been a family business for more than a century
Salingers Tavern Not Yet 35% 2 Rochester NY
Sevens Bar Tavern Not Yet 10% Malone NY
Shamrock Tavern Tavern Not Yet 50% Oswego NY
"It's not right. Our livelihood is being taken away."
Slade Restaurant Not Yet 40% New York NY
Slick Willie's Billiard Hall Not Yet 25% Tonawanda NY
Stumble Inn Tavern Closed 100% 100% Champlain NY
Taylor's Trackside Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 50% Remsen NY
Temple Israel Bingo Not Yet 50% Albany NY
According to Herb Holland, some of the regulars told volunteers that they would abstain from playing bingo, to protest the smoking ban. He hasn't seen them since.
The Lilly Pad Tavern Closed 100% 100% Falconer NY
The Lodge at the Lake Inc Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 50% 1 Broadalbin NY
The Loft Tavern Not Yet 30% Frewsburg NY
"Our town has no attractions to draw in outsiders. We have only locals to rely on as patrons and 95% of them smoke. It will be worse when the snow sets in."
The Roadhouse Tavern Not Yet 40% Brewster NY
Thompson Road Tavern Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 25% Syracuse NY
Village Tavern Bar/Restaurant Not Yet 10% Marcellus NY
Bliss' Steak Ranch Restaurant Closed 100% 100% Eugene OR
Closed after 32 years in business
Doc's Pad Tavern Closed 100% 100% 24 Eugene OR
"Let's face it, the economy is horrible. But for us specifically, the smoking ban was the knockout punch." The Olsen family had owned Doc's for 16 years.
Max's Tavern Tavern Closed 100% 100% Eugene OR
The Peacock Tavern Not Yet 40% Corvallis OR
Connor owned the Peacock for years - and says it was the ban that caused him to sell the bar. He says business gross fell from $1.5 million in 1997, the year before the ban went into effect, to $900,000 last year.
China One Restaurant Closed 100% 100 Round Rock TX


CAN=Canada

If your business has been harmed by a smoking ban, or if you know of one that has been, please let us know. If possible, have the owner contact us. Newspaper articles are also welcome. Please include the URL. .

Click here to contact us.

Last Update: Saturday, November 01, 2003

© 2000 - 2003 Dave Hitt

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: antismokers; bans; butts; cigarettes; individualliberty; michaeldobbs; niconazis; prohibitionists; pufflist; smokingbans; taxes; tobacco
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To: cinFLA
"Strange. I just called two of the restuarants you listed as closed and they are serving lunch! Hmmmmm"

Which ones?
101 posted on 11/06/2003 11:43:16 AM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: CSM
Now, what caused the number of available customers to decrease?

The pool of available customers did NOT decrease.

102 posted on 11/06/2003 11:43:41 AM PST by cinFLA
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To: cinFLA; Gabz; SheLion
"The pool of available customers did NOT decrease."

Prove it. Why would establishments that were in business for years, suddenly not be getting the revenues that they had been getting before the ban?
103 posted on 11/06/2003 11:47:11 AM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: cinFLA
"The pool of available customers did NOT decrease."

From the article:

-385 league bowlers quit when the smoking ban went into effect

-our business has dropped in the lounge from $1,000 a day to $80. "

-"From September to February, we lost close to $80,000 in sales"

-Sales dropped 50%.

-"We've lost 70 members because of the ban"

-90 percent of her customers were smokers.

-"I can count on my fingers the people who don't smoke who come in here. The regulars say they won't come."

Looks to me like the available market decreased.

104 posted on 11/06/2003 11:52:47 AM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: CSM
You really are a mental midget, which is typical of an anti freedom fighter!

No, he just likes governmental interference in business, freedom and liberty. Sorta makes you wonder what he is doing on FR instead of Democratic Underground.

105 posted on 11/06/2003 12:03:31 PM PST by xrp
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To: CSM
Are you saying that smokers no longer go out to eat?
106 posted on 11/06/2003 12:03:35 PM PST by jsbankston
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To: jsbankston
Probably because their clientele were predominantly smokers who do not wish to go where they are forced to feel unwelcome.
107 posted on 11/06/2003 12:08:40 PM PST by Gabz (Smoke-gnatzies - small minds buzzing in your business - SWAT'EM)
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To: jsbankston
"Are you saying that smokers no longer go out to eat?"

Boy, denseness abounds. No, that is not what I am saying. I am saying that some smokers no longer go out to eat, some smokers still go out. I can garuntee that less money per capita is being spent, therefore less revenue available.

Take a group of regulars that would generally stop at a bar after work and hang out, play pool/darts/GT, have a few rounds and tip the bartender very well. Now, that group stops by for a couple (an hour vs. 3or4 hours) doesn't bother playing pool/darts/GT because they will have to go outside and leave the game unattended. Then when they leave they tip on about 25% of what they used to drink. Drink revenue is down, vending revenue is down, etc.

A per capita decrease in spending is has the same effect of a decrease in customers. I was using the word customers, so I wouldn't lose anyone having difficult with the concept.
108 posted on 11/06/2003 12:09:56 PM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: CSM
Totally unsubstantiated bs. I have already debunked some of their 'data' in a previous post.
109 posted on 11/06/2003 12:10:27 PM PST by cinFLA
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To: xrp
I have often thought the same thing.
110 posted on 11/06/2003 12:10:35 PM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: cinFLA
No the smokers left because they no longer felt welcome.

These places are closing because the antis who promised a huge increase in business with smoking bans LIED.
111 posted on 11/06/2003 12:11:50 PM PST by Gabz (Smoke-gnatzies - small minds buzzing in your business - SWAT'EM)
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To: jsbankston
You got that right!!!! I live in Florida and have not patronized one restaurant since the ban went into effect on July 1,2003.

If restaurant owners don't care enough about there property rights then why should I support them??

Let you non-smokers who are now thrilled that you can breath clean air go twice as much!!!
112 posted on 11/06/2003 12:11:50 PM PST by cherinfl
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To: MTR
Good for you,taking your money elsewhere is the way to go. Make sure you write a letter to the idiots in the state house and alert them to this fact.
113 posted on 11/06/2003 12:11:56 PM PST by Mears
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To: cinFLA
"Totally unsubstantiated bs. I have already debunked some of their 'data' in a previous post."

Not until you tell us who you called. Until you come clean on who you called, you have not debunked anything. I would believe the article over your "claim" any day.

Now, who did you call?
114 posted on 11/06/2003 12:12:01 PM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: GWfan
Someone with good,common sense----Thanks,it's refreshing.
115 posted on 11/06/2003 12:19:29 PM PST by Mears
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To: cherinfl
I'm going to all the ones where you used to go in Florida. Ah the clean air. Ah I can taste my food. I even left a better tip because my eyes didn't burn and my nose did not run in my food.
116 posted on 11/06/2003 12:25:26 PM PST by hotshot
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To: cinFLA
Some of the worst hit places in Delaware, when it comes to restaurants, were those that had gone non-smoking on their own. Their market niche was taken away from them by the government.

If a place does a booming business with the same management and the quality of food and service for 20 years, bad food and bad management have nothing to do with why they are in financial trouble after a smoking ban. Stop being so silly and start being realistic.

The weather in Florida is vastly different that that of Delaware or other places in the northeast. Folks are not going to go where they don't like and why should they - it is their money they are spending.
117 posted on 11/06/2003 12:27:17 PM PST by Gabz (Smoke-gnatzies - small minds buzzing in your business - SWAT'EM)
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To: hotshot
"I'm going to all the ones where you used to go in Florida. Ah the clean air. Ah I can taste my food. I even left a better tip because my eyes didn't burn and my nose did not run in my food."

So you are punishing the business that used to cater to your preferences. You no longer reward the business that went out of their way to satisfy you. Sounds like you are a real loyal consumer. These business are probably really hurting now that you aren't spending all your lunch money at their place!
118 posted on 11/06/2003 12:30:07 PM PST by CSM (Moose Flatulence, MF for short is a bain on our future. Stop the MF today!!! (Flurry, 11/06/2003))
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To: Gabz
These places are closing because the antis who promised a huge increase in business with smoking bans LIED.

I don't know that they lied; but they certainly did get it wrong. I think they just waaaaaay overestimated the number of people who stayed away from bars/restaurants because of the smoke.

119 posted on 11/06/2003 12:32:40 PM PST by kevao (Fuques France!)
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To: maryz
Making Mass non-smoking will not level the playing field for those establishments that are on the NH,RI,and VT border.CT also,but I think it has a ban.

Most of Southeastern and Central Mass is less than an hour away from Providence,a great restaurant city. A statewide ban in Mass will create a mess because Mass is geographically a small state and very easy to leave for an evening out.
120 posted on 11/06/2003 12:32:50 PM PST by Mears
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