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Post by rick on Dec 6, 2006 16:21:38 GMT -5
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Post by crusaderjoe on Dec 6, 2006 17:37:45 GMT -5
What is going on in Valpo seems similar to what was passed in Florida and in other parts of the country. I want to say the ban has been in existence for awhile now--for about maybe two years...but I could be off.
I recollect hearing the same arguments for and against when this issue reached the ballot. Most citizens wanted the ban (I think it passed by about 70 percent of the vote), but there was a vocal minority of business owners who were upset about the potential for the decline in revenue. I do remember reading articles after the ban took place where some businesses lost a ton of revenue and some closed up completely because of the ban. I think those circumstances were the exception though and not the norm.
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Post by rick on Dec 6, 2006 18:11:48 GMT -5
What is going on in Valpo seems similar to what was passed in Florida and in other parts of the country. I want to say the ban has been in existence for awhile now--for about maybe two years...but I could be off. I recollect hearing the same arguments for and against when this issue reached the ballot. Most citizens wanted the ban (I think it passed by about 70 percent of the vote), but there was a vocal minority of business owners who were upset about the potential for the decline in revenue. I do remember reading articles after the ban took place where some businesses lost a ton of revenue and some closed up completely because of the ban. I think those circumstances were the exception though and not the norm. What kind of businesses had to close? Do you recall? |
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Post by Valpower on Dec 6, 2006 18:55:40 GMT -5
What is going on in Valpo seems similar to what was passed in Florida and in other parts of the country. I want to say the ban has been in existence for awhile now--for about maybe two years...but I could be off. I recollect hearing the same arguments for and against when this issue reached the ballot. Most citizens wanted the ban (I think it passed by about 70 percent of the vote), but there was a vocal minority of business owners who were upset about the potential for the decline in revenue. I do remember reading articles after the ban took place where some businesses lost a ton of revenue and some closed up completely because of the ban. I think those circumstances were the exception though and not the norm. What kind of businesses had to close? Do you recall? I don't know, but this sounds like ominous news for all of Valpo's hookah lounges. It's interesting; it seems that, this nation's strength of conviction in the healthful righteousness of smoking bans is proportional to the gas guzzled by its SUVs. |
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Post by crusaderjoe on Dec 6, 2006 19:01:35 GMT -5
Rick, I don't remember other than the fact that I think they were eateries. I did a quick google search for some articles on the impacts of the ban against businesses in Florida and found one that can be read here: www.sptimes.com/2003/12/21/State/Smoking_ban_chops_bus.shtml Granted, its almost three years old and a snapshot article, but it does convey what some business owners and employees experienced. Again, this is not to say that all restaurants suffered economically or closed as a result of the smoking ban (restaurants open and close at the drop of a hat in Florida all the time), but it is an interesting article nonetheless I think. I'm sure the concerns illustrated in the article are going through some proprietor's minds in Valpo presently. |
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Post by rick on Dec 6, 2006 19:40:13 GMT -5
I assumed the bars would be the first to go belly-up. Schoops, a local hamburger joint in Valpo decided to go nonsmoking and from my conversations with the staff, business has not suffered at all. I know I would never go bowling or let my kids go bowling because of the cigarette stench. But a Valpo alley (Inmans) decided to go nonsmoking and I let my son go there now. There is another new restaurant (newly built, not new), Suzie's Cafe that is nonsmoking and it's always packed. And whenever I go to Bob Evans, there is always room if a customer chooses smoking but the wait for nonsmoking is often horrendous despite there being empty seats in the smoking section. I wonder what Applebee's will do. They have a bar surrounded by nonsmoking seating. Chile's has a bar as well on the opposite side of the food section. I think most of the bars will just stay bars and smoking will be allowed there. That is until the next statewide ballot initiative banning smoking comes around.
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Post by valpo04 on Dec 6, 2006 21:24:48 GMT -5
The Applebee's here is non-smoking (due to county law) and their bar is always full... I think there is definitely a ton of people who like going to bars, but hate the smoke.
Or the ever increasing morbidly obese population...
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Post by rick on Dec 6, 2006 22:16:59 GMT -5
SUV's are evil.
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Post by rlh on Dec 6, 2006 23:13:45 GMT -5
Let's see, I'm old....obese...and drive an SUV.....you may be on to something here.....  |
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Post by valpotentate on Dec 7, 2006 8:10:40 GMT -5
Well, there was a huge uproar here in Columbus when the non-smoking ordinance was passed here. Bar owners especially were outraged claiming a huge loss in business. That led to the most recent vote on two issues: the "Smoke Free Ohio" bill and the "Smoke Less Ohio" Bill. The latter was actually an amendment to the constitution to put smoking back in bars, etc and would have killed all potential later bills on the issue. It went down and now the entire state is smoke-free. It would seem to me that this will kill the loss of revenue debate unless people are driving out of state. We'll see...
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Post by rlh on Dec 7, 2006 10:50:12 GMT -5
Hey, valpotentate.....is the Plugged Nickel still in Columbus. Drank many a beer there while going to broadcasting school....
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Post by valpotentate on Dec 7, 2006 12:23:05 GMT -5
Yes, it is still around. I've not been there myself, but I've heard good things.
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Post by rlh on Dec 7, 2006 22:42:46 GMT -5
We had a lot of fun there...my x-wife used to work there while I was in school and our whole school gathered there almost every night....Some very good memories
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Post by valpo04 on Jan 17, 2007 17:05:44 GMT -5
The Maryland General Assembly think its likely that a state-wide smoking ban will pass here this year... I think thats how it should be, so individual counties don't have to deal with it and bars in such counties won't have to worry about losing business to the bar down the street that happens to be in another county.
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Post by valpofansince68 on Jan 17, 2007 18:42:31 GMT -5
I have a daughter with TERRIBLE Asthma....I never could go into anything but a non smoking restuarant....YEAH for VALPO!!!! By the way is the "BIG WHEEL" restuarant still in town ?
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