Businesses harmed by smoking Bans - The Facts on second hand smoke

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

Home Contact Us

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

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