There are a number of reasons why a particular bar wouldn't go smoke free to grab all this potential business.
1. Bars have a reputation of being smokey places, and just going smoke free would not draw the smoke-avoiders to your bar. The bar would have to spend a fortune in advertising, on a continuous basis, just to get the word out. Because of this cost, for a single bar to go smoke free would be an almost guarenteed losing proposition. A general ban makes the advertising cost unnecessary, because the smoke avoiders would know all the bars were smoke free. 2. Despite all the proud promotion about the virtues of "free" enterprise, bars are regulated and licensed businesses. You just can't open a storefront and start selling beer, or even sponsor live music. Because there are a limited number of licenses, being in the Bar business is very profitable. You don't need to be much of an innovator. People can't go next door to drink, because the place next door doesn't have a liquor license. If the bar/liquor industry wants to see where a lot of their potential revenue from non-smokers goes, they should look at the money flowing into coffee shops like starbucks and caribou. We smoke-avoiders have gotten used to the idea that we can stop at one of these places, or schedule a meeting there, and we will have clean air. And don't try to tell me coffee and cigarettes don't go together like beer and cigs do! I know from experience that they go together just as well! John Harris said: > > > You had me on board until I read this > >> The numbers seem to be on the side of the >> smoke-avoiders, because there >> are lots more of us... > > Still, granting you the latitude that your numbers are > true, why on Earth would a bar/restaurant owner ever > allow smoking in their establishments? From the > sounds of it businesses are throwing away money but > not self enforcing the proposed ban. > > John Harris > webber-camden > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger. > http://messenger.yahoo.com/ > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > > -- Bob Treumann, Saint Paul Please Note: Replies to this email address all go to the trash except where the subject line contains a recognized mailing list identifier, such as [TCMETRO] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
