Smoke-Filled Rooms Can Be Good for Local Pub Business

Some local bar owners are eager to see smoking return to their taverns, while others are enjoying the clean air that resulted from Illinois' 2008 smoking ban.

Two proposals to relax the smoking ban are bouncing around the state legislature now, and Illinois would be breaking new ground by backing off its no smoking stance—no state has ever weakened its smoking laws or ever issued smoking licenses, according to Smoke Free Illinois.

Tom Hinsdale, of said he has been following these proposals for years.

“I very much want this to happen,” Hinsdale said. “My business has decreased 40 percent since the smoking ban.”

While some Illinois bars have seen a decrease in customers in the wake of the ban,  Hinsdale said his business didn't bounce back because he doesn’t have a beer garden or smoking room to offer patrons.

“My business will go up at least 30 percent,” he said. “All of my non-smokers have said smokers are welcome here.”

On March 9, an Illinois House committee approved HB 1310, sponsored by State Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights), which states that the local liquor control commissioner would have the power to issue smoking licenses to bars and other adult-oriented establishments posting no more than 10 percent of revenue through food sales.

Joanne Lef, of , said she would have no problem getting the license.

“I would want to get the license for the convenience of my customers,” she said.

Lef said she seen a 20 percent decrease under the ban.

“My business has been on or off since then,” Lef said. “I may have some of my customers back since then, but I spent more money to accommodate the customers.”

McCarthy Favors Smoking Ban

State Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park) said while the bill is still in its formative stages, he does not plan to back off the smoking ban by supporting the bill.

“I think it is a good thing to be supportive of the state ban,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t support the village and county bans because I believed it would only work with a statewide ban.”

McCarthy said he understands that mayors of towns near the border may want to issue smoking licenses so they don’t have to compete with other states, but he hopes surrounding states will realize that a smoking ban is a good idea.

Michelle Fugiel, of , said she has enjoyed the smoke-free atmosphere and doesn’t think she would apply for a smoking license if the bill passes.

“It stunk, now it’s clean in here and I enjoy it,” she said. “If the [ban] went through, it went through. They don’t have to go back on it.”

Fugiel said she lost at least half of her customers immediately after the smoking ban in 2008, but has seen more customers come back with the beer garden in the summer months. Her only complaint, along with Hinsdale, is that the City of Oak Forest does not permit tents or canopies for smokers in the winter months.

Smokers Lead, Non-Smokers Follow

Hinsdale said lawmakers may see the numbers to support the smoking ban—about 80 percent of adults are non-smokers—but have not studied the behavior of pub-goers, which he believes needs to be done.

“The behaviors of pub-goers are ambivalent with a smoking atmosphere. Non-smokers will go with their smoking friends anywhere,” Hinsdale said. “If six people go out and two people smoke, those two will get the whole crowd to go to a smoking bar. Smokers lead people to the smoking bars.”

“Customers have left for more smoking-friendly bars,” he added. “Non-smokers will not abandon smoking bars.”

With that reasoning, Fugiel said, if the city of Oak Forest decides to issue smoking licenses to bars she would be forced to get one, too, in order to stay competitive.