March 29, 2004
City Says Smoking Ban Did Not Effect Bar Biz; Bars Say Ha!
The City releases information that the smoking ban did not affect the restaurant and bar business, but, of course, that's the City's opinion. Increases for liquor licenses, restaurant & bar jobs, and tax payments, make it seem that the ban had no effect. However, other groups point out that information is flawed because it does not separate restaurants and bars. As David Rabin of the New York Nightlife Association says, "There's no separation between Starbucks and McDonald's and the nightclub and bar industry." Plus he points out that some bar wokers might have had to take on second jobs, to make up for lost tips. Health Commissioner Thomas Friedman says that stand-alone bars around the country aren't doing well, so one cannot be sure where the downturn in bar business may stem from. The City will present the data today.
One bar owner complains that pre-smoking ban, a person could drink and smoke at his bar for 6 hours. Now a person will drink for just (JUST) 4, and then smoke for 2 hours. Which might be an interesting twist in the smoking ban: You may be more sober at the end of the night, thus making less rash decisions to drunken dial that idiot who said he was going to call you after your last date but now it's been a week and where the hell is that phone call. You'll still be getting lung cancer, emphysema, and all other smoking-related illnesses, but hey, you only live once and you might as well have your dignity intact by not drunken dialing.
The Daily News looks at how some establishments are getting around the smoking ban: Caffe on the Green in Bayside, Queens, has a tent called the "Butt Hutt"; Luke & Leroy has a fake sidewalk with fireplace (named best smoker's retreat by NY magazine); and davidburke & donatella has a 41-foot Ford Excursion (no, it's not for a bunch of prom-minded Long Islanders!) that is a smoking lounge.
Gothamist on the smoking ban's first anniversary. And today's Gothamist Interview with Tom Vaught, a bartender, has this timely quote: "I don't go to gyms to get drunk and I don't go to bars to get healthy." Read more.
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By the way - the same bar owner who claims lost revenue due to patrons going outside to smoke is also stupid enough to open another bar across from himself. David McWater - according to the article - owns Nice Guy Eddie's and Julep. Add to these JP Warde's, The Library and the "velvet roped always a new lounge every year" next to the Library and you have five bars all next to each other. Perhaps it's not the smoking ban that's killing biz, but an oversaturation of bars.
Good point, chaoskitty. How many bars can the East Village have is a good question, but it's better by the question of how many drunks can there be in one neighborhood.
Good Lord! Imagine what one must smell like after exiting a limo crammed with 20 people smoking. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer runs a cigar lounge (or something that involves him smoking for several days) and his face becomes all brown and leathery and he says...."Don't look at me...I'm grotesque!"
OLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEW
Devout Christians . . . . . Devout Nonsmokers
Novel Smoking Ban Compromise Idea:
Ban Smoking above 14th Street;
Allow Smoking below 14th Street!
It should read "City Says Smoking Ban Did Not Affect Bar Biz; Bars Say Ha!"