Mark Aleman is the President of the Great River Restaurant Association, and he owns two Quincy restaurants: Tony's Old Place and The Ritz. And he doesn't smoke.
"Let the customers decide, because they are ultimately the ones that tell us what they want. We went from our Garden Room, which seats 60 people--that was our smoking section, in 1991. We're now down to our lounge, which seats 10."
A statewide proposal banning smoking in restaurants, bars, and all other public places is once again working its way up the legislative ladder.
Amy Looten of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce says the issue goes well beyond smoking.
"We are opposed to the government feeling that they have the right to make a business decision for a private business owner," she said.
Looten and Aleman agree that the ban raises other issues: What's the definition of a public place? Who would enforce a smoking law?
And they also wonder: If the proposal passes, will bars and restaurants lose valuable customers who smoke to places right across the river.
"Many of the small businesses operate on a very small profit margin," said Looten. "10% could really hurt."
"Just as we had the Atkins phase, and everybody started having Atkins-type dishes, we respond to what our customers ask for," said Aleman.
A statewide public smoking ban is currently under consideration in the Illinois House.
4 comments:
Left the non-smokers sit outside for a change.
Smoking stinks, only pigs do it in public. Also, don't ask the government to pay for your iron lung when you need one! Don't wanna hear the you can't work because of your lung cancer, emphysema,etc, & had to go on public aid because lost my ins ....
What you pay in tobacco tax don't cover ----
Better yet, keep smoking, non-smokers will win by attrition!
Why should I, a non-smoker, have to subject myself to the stench and annoyance of tobacco smoke when I'm dining out? Do smokers have so little self-control that they can't go an hour without lighting up? Of course, I suppose when smokers aren't willing to pay heed to the dangers associated with tobacco use, why should we expect them to have the common courtesy not to puff away in a restaurant (even though it annoys most of the people paying good money to enjoy a meal). As far as I'm concerned, if you're stupid enough to smoke, you deserve the health problems you'll eventually end up with.
Rock on 3:29
The problem is, the more smoking is restricted, the more offensive it is when you are around a butt-head. Years ago, 2nd hand smoke didn't bother ya that much cause you always got a dose of it, but now, it's a lot more intrusive & offensive in the instances you are exposed. Really, it ruins the whole situation when it is done in front of ya now. Best way to fix that would be to ban it everywhere. You can't relieve yourself in public, shouldn't be allowed to smoke, either, anywhere!Smokers, I'd like to tell ya what you can do with your butts instead of smoking them!!!
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