Summing up the smoking ban

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Summing up the smoking ban

Submitted by Rick on Tue, 04/18/2006 - 12:39pm.

From The Girl Gets Away:

Gauging from my own experience in bars, the Washington State smoking ban has been a great success. However, a situation in which most people are happy with the results of a ballot measure for which most people voted makes for a slow news day, so instead we get stories like this.
In the four months since the state banned smoking in public places, this is how the ban has affected local restaurants and bars:

• Forced the owner of a 70-year-old Olympia cafe to put his business up for sale.
• Helped business soar at a Northeast Seattle brew pub by attracting new customers who come for a smoke-free meal.
• Driven away so many regulars at an Everett bar that the owner laid off two bartenders.

The effects of the ban seem to vary widely. In some upscale Seattle bars, the ban has attracted new, nonsmoking customers. But owners of some blue-collar neighborhood joints say their business has fallen by half.
Obviously, the smoking ban is an example of liberal elitists pushing their nonsmoking agenda onto blue-collar neighborhoods, trying to replace gin joints with brew pubs, and opponents of the smoking ban have the hard data to prove it.
The overall impact on businesses statewide is difficult to judge. The state Department of Revenue said it won't be able to determine whether restaurants and bars have suffered until it gets taxpayer data for the first quarter of this year.
Oh wait. No they don’t. They’re just guessing. In the meantime, no effort should be spared in implying that this public health issue is actually a matter of class warfare.

Go Read more.

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Clarification

Submitted by Rob Richards on Tue, 04/18/2006 - 11:36pm.

Although I have no inside information I have it from reliable sources that the Spar is being sold because their restaurant in Chehalis is doing poorly and forcing them into bankruptcy. I think the smoking ban is a face-saving excuse for selling, but I highly doubt it's the primary reason.

The owner could have been

Submitted by The Fire Inside on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 6:24am.

The owner could have been close to bankruptcy before the smoking ban and then, once there was a dip in customers (remember, The Spar was big with cigar enthusiasts) that was the death knell.

Just throwing it out there.

I saw that too.

Submitted by Rick on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 6:02am.

They're claiming there is no connection. But why blame the ban and not the bankruptcy? You'd think, if they really wanted to sell the Spar, the bankruptcy would make the perfect excuse: it has nothing to do with the local economy or performance of the Spar. If they blame it on the smoking ban, it might put off potential buyers. I don't get it.

You definetly have to

Submitted by Rob Richards on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 10:31am.

You definetly have to consider that, but, the Spar is a very popular eating place. Ever try to get some breakfast there on a weekend morning? It's always packed. I don't think the smoking ban would be enough to put them out of business. Just because people aren't smoking cigars there doesn't mean they aren't still buying them there.

Has anyone heard about any potential buyers? I personally hope that it remains "The Spar" no matter who buys it. It's a landmark and a piece of Olympia history. However, I think maybe an antique shop would be nice to have there, not enough antiques downtown.

Yeah, my winter cigar

Submitted by white feather on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 2:40pm.

Yeah, my winter cigar smoking has come to a halt since the ban. But at least the Lucky Eagle lets you smoke cigars in the restaurant.

B & B Outdoor Smokers

Submitted by Crusty on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 8:19pm.

Yes I make butt stops outside B & B on the fringe. If I can't get the fringe I go to the park. But I also have a very large malamute so sometimes I go to the park anyhow. It's my means of avoiding conflict between my dog and the bird. Ever meet the bird? It rocks! I don't think Lobita would eat the bird but she does stare at it without blinking. She slobbers a little too. I don't know if it is I wanna eat that snack slobber or I wanna eat that bird slobber because she is a adopted. I am also afraid she will make the bird nervous. It is a nervous bird anyhow which is why it takes trips.

So today we got tea to go and went to the park. Of course I threw my butt in the trash. After I climbed out we went home.

Smokers can be considerate, to birds and others. Most of us long to quit. I will, someday. Until then I will be considerate to birds and people and throw my butt in the trash. If you see a slobbering dog beside a trash can howling like a wolf, help me out before you dump your trash. Howling is her distress signal. Leaving scat is another type of signal. Apparently scat has many meaning to dogs. It's marking territory in small amounts, fun on manicured lawns, and protective on sidewalks and cross walks. She stopped traffic for me to rest one time. She also left a big pile behind me at B & B when I was standing there chatting and wondering why everyone was walking around me so wide. Then I smelled it. Luckily I am always prepared!

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