Spring Break
Residents speak out
Jason Nevel
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
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Many people can identify with the positive and negative sides of the smoking ban - but not Guy Shadwick.
"I think it's total BS, and I think it's going to kill my business," said the manager of The Café and The Downstairs.
The statewide smoking ban will take effect Jan. 1, 2008, to the pleasure or dismay of many Illinois residents. Shadwick definitely represents the vexed side. "I've talked to hundreds of people who have said if they can't smoke in here, they're going to stay home and smoke."
He added he is not as concerned about college kids staying home but Macomb residents who stop by after work.
"A lot of my locals during the day smoke; probably about 90 percent of them smoke," Shadwick said. "That's where it's going to hurt my business."
For Shadwick, the smoking ban represents a larger-scaled problem. He said he is most perturbed about the government regulating what can and cannot be allowed in a private establishment.
"We paid for this. This is our property," Shadwick said. "What's next; you're not going to be able to drink in a bar?"
Kyle Morris, manager of The Ritz, said he is not as worried about the smoking ban affecting his business. However, he added that revenue may dip initially but will recover once patrons get familiar with the new law.
Unlike Shadwick, Morris said he can see both sides of the coin. Morris said one of the reasons behind the law was to protect employees from being exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis, and that most of the bartenders who work at The Ritz would rather work in a smoke-free environment.
"It sucks that … they can tell us what to do, but at the same time, the reason they say is to help protect the people who work there," Morris said.
Shadwick said most of the bartenders at The Café smoke and are fine with working in that setting. About five years ago, Shadwick said he spent $25,000 on fans to filter the smoke.
Western Illinois University students have mixed reactions to the smoking ban. Junior pre-law enforcement and justice administration major Ian McDowell said he is looking forward to going to the bars more in 2008 because he will not come home and smell like an ashtray.
"I think it's total BS, and I think it's going to kill my business," said the manager of The Café and The Downstairs.
The statewide smoking ban will take effect Jan. 1, 2008, to the pleasure or dismay of many Illinois residents. Shadwick definitely represents the vexed side. "I've talked to hundreds of people who have said if they can't smoke in here, they're going to stay home and smoke."
He added he is not as concerned about college kids staying home but Macomb residents who stop by after work.
"A lot of my locals during the day smoke; probably about 90 percent of them smoke," Shadwick said. "That's where it's going to hurt my business."
For Shadwick, the smoking ban represents a larger-scaled problem. He said he is most perturbed about the government regulating what can and cannot be allowed in a private establishment.
"We paid for this. This is our property," Shadwick said. "What's next; you're not going to be able to drink in a bar?"
Kyle Morris, manager of The Ritz, said he is not as worried about the smoking ban affecting his business. However, he added that revenue may dip initially but will recover once patrons get familiar with the new law.
Unlike Shadwick, Morris said he can see both sides of the coin. Morris said one of the reasons behind the law was to protect employees from being exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis, and that most of the bartenders who work at The Ritz would rather work in a smoke-free environment.
"It sucks that … they can tell us what to do, but at the same time, the reason they say is to help protect the people who work there," Morris said.
Shadwick said most of the bartenders at The Café smoke and are fine with working in that setting. About five years ago, Shadwick said he spent $25,000 on fans to filter the smoke.
Western Illinois University students have mixed reactions to the smoking ban. Junior pre-law enforcement and justice administration major Ian McDowell said he is looking forward to going to the bars more in 2008 because he will not come home and smell like an ashtray.
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