Smoking ban hit some businesses' bottom line

SPRINGFIELD -- For many people, a night at the bowling alley meant more than knocking down pins; it also meant enjoying a drink and a cigarette at the bar.

A little more than three months ago, though, that all changed when Springfield's smoking ban went into effect.  

Steve Weimer, who owns Enterprise Lanes, says since smoking was barred indoors, more bowling lanes are silent and the bar is a lot emptier.

"The people that used to stay after they got done bowling would come up to the bar, maybe have a pizza and have a beer and a cigarette. They get done bowling now and they leave," explained Weimer.

The bar side of his business is down by 30 to 40-percent, which forced Weimer to make adjustments.

"We have definitely cut back employee hours. We've cut back some of the hours we're open."

At Trolley's Grill downtown, the owner says he expected business to drop by about 20-percent but that's not what happened.

"We can mark it down on the calendar and you can look straight back to the middle of June when it just took a 48-percent dive," said Ryan MacDonald, owner of Trolley's Grill.

MacDonald admits the heat and Park Central Square construction may have also contributed to the drop.
     
Without an outdoor patio--where smokers can still light up--McDonald says his business would be in real trouble.
   
Just down the street from Trolley's, Big Whiskey's hasn't noticed any change.

"Maybe it has equalled out. Some of the smokers that we've lost, we have gotten some non-smokers that are coming out more often and it's just kind of evening out," said Michael Hartley, manager of Big Whiskey's.

Hartley says the outdoor patio satisfies the smokers, while the clean air inside pleases the non-smokers.

Those who have seen their business drop off are hopeful they will recover-- given a little time.

"People at some point in time want to be out doing things, they want to socialize," said Weimer.

Since the smoking ban went into effect, the city has received 38 complaints.
   
Of those, not one company has been issued a violation, which would happen only if it's the third strike against the business.