A success story from Rochester, New York, USA.
Johnny Savino started out as a bartender eighteen years ago. Along the way,
he became a banker, and spent fifteen years in the banking industry.
But he never stopped bartending completely. He liked the social
environment, but he hated the smoke. Many times he would walk into a place
with his girlfriend, or his buddies, and not order a second round
because it was too unpleasant to stay. Looking around, he often saw
people sliding onto a bar stool and pushing the nearby ashtray away.
There seemed to be a market waiting to be tapped, although when Johnny
broached the subject to others, they often dismissed the idea.
Restaurants in Monroe County, New York,
were eventually to go smoke free in January 1999,
but bars were a safe haven for smokers. Tobacco
seemed too powerful a force to fight.
In 1996 Johnny decided to go for it. Being a banker, he knew that
banks dislike startups and they also dislike bars. So he cashed in his 401K,
tapped out his savings, maxed out his credit cards, borrowed from his friends,
and started Johnny's Smoke Free Bar.
This didn't happen all at once. First he had to incorporate and find a location.
He took over two retail store spaces and, with the help of his brother, a
contractor, took out the wall between. The space already had attractive
stained glass and a tin ceiling. They added a brick floor, dark wood,
comfy old furniture, ceiling fans and plants.
Johnny's Smoke Free Bar opened its doors in 1997 and has been very successful.
It got a lot of local media attention, and is active in the community
by hosting meetings of the American Cancer Society
and American Lung Association. The bar attracts runners,
and is a popular gathering place for the Rochester Area TriAthletes (RATS).
Johnny's also sponsors two races each year -
on St. Patrick's Day, a "Runnin' O' The Green" five-mile run,
and on Halloween, "Run Like Hell", to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Johnny, a runner himself, sits on the Foundation's board and will be running
in a marathon on Oct. 25 in Dublin, Ireland to benefit the Arthritis Foundation.
Johnny's is music-oriented, featuring live jazz,
blues and acoustic acts. On Tuesday nights they move out the chairs and tables
for swing dancing. They offer a free beginner-level lesson for an hour and
then people dance for the rest of the night. Wednesday is health club night.
Show a membership card and get your first drink free, and for the
rest of the night pay reduced prices on light beers, wine and
non-alcoholic drinks. Friday nights are packed, often with hordes of
school teachers. :-)
It all adds up to success.
In December of 1998 Johnny took the plunge and left his day job as a banker.
The bar just took over another 1000 square feet.
There is a patio in back for diehard smokers,
but smokers who wander in unawares have commented that it's nice to
go home smelling clean.
Johnny's thus serves not only nonsmokers, but smokers
who need a break, and
people with nonsmoking guests who want to take them out for a good time.
SmokeFreeWorld will follow the story of Johnny's Smoke Free Bar with
interest. Watch this space for future stories and pictures.
Johnny's Smoke Free Bar
1382 Culver Rd Rochester, New York USA (716) 224-0990
Open daily, happy hour till 8pm. "All the fun without all the smoke."
(See the
New York State
page for more smokefree locations.)
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KATYA'S CHOICE
A success story from Palo Alto, CA.
[ Only 30 years ago, smoking was perfectly ok in most work situations in the US - even in hospitals. (!) This has changed through long, patient struggle. It is no longer socially acceptable to light up in most offices, and in many cases is illegal. California is one of the most nonsmoker-friendly states, but unpleasant situations still arise. Katya faced such a situation - at a time when she really needed the money. Names have been changed. ]
I had been temping here and there. I was also interviewing for staff jobs, and needed short-term assignments until something permanent came through. I got assigned to some light admin work at a company in Palo Alto. It was for two days only and I would be working for somebody named Mary. I rang the phone outside the door and it was opened by a thin, pale man with limp, long hair. I was immediately struck by the unventilated, smoky air. I came in, and he pointed to an inner office.
-Mary is over there, he said.
I came closer and saw an old woman , probably in her late 60, but maybe she just looked old. There were a pack of menthol cigarettes and an ashtray on her table.
I said hi and could not help asking in surprise:
- Are you guys smoking here?
She was taken aback.
- No, it is just me, she said.
- Don't you know it is illegal to smoke at work in California? she added.
At that moment, I realized that I just could not work there.
The air was so bad I was already getting a headache.
To spend eight hours in this building was beyond me, though I desperately needed money.
I was interviewing for different jobs, and this particular assignment was exactly at the same time I had an interview. Hesitating, I asked Mary if I could come late the next day
She quickly analyzed my reaction to smoke and my desire for flexibility, and refused, saying that she would find another temp. The whole conversation took about 10 minutes. I rushed from this place, and, once outside, breathed deeply and was relieved. I called my temp agency, explaining the smoky situation. They were surprised, but told me that this Mary had called and apparently made it clear that I was a bad match for her.
This is my bizarre story. Later on, I thought that this office woman no longer cared about anything and probably liked to hire temps who would not complain. I don't know about the other people, working there - but I couldn't handle it.
[Note: Katya found a permanent job with an internet startup company. ]
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A LOOK BACK IN CANBERRA (March 2000)
[This great perspective was sent by a volunteer with Canberra ASH
(Action on Smoking and Health) in Australia. So much improvement in the quality of life re: tobacco is because of the work of such organizations. Tourists take note!
]
I joined Canberra ASH back in 1984 when I arrived in
Canberra. It was as a result of an ad on a milk carton. I just wanted to be
able to go out and have dinner somewhere without feeling sick. They
couldn't help but said they were lobbying. I ended up on a stall and things
went from there.
It was pretty hectic in the 80's. When I arrived in 1984 the situation was:
. smoking in workplaces, including the Department of Health!
. smoking on buses, both local and interstate
. no massive billboards in the ACT (not allowed) but there were shop
awnings promoting tobacco, full frontal shop ads (still there but only by
circumventing the law creatively like in creating an ad with empty
cartons), and small ad stations in the malls;
. smoking in all public places including shopping centres and food shops,
banks etc.
. smoking in the hospital wards;
. smoking in all cafes and restaurants bar two exceptions;
. advertisements in all newspapers and magazines;
. smoking on aircraft.
There is still lots of work to be done but we have pretty good legislation
compared to most places. Smoking is banned in all shopping centres,
virtually all cafes/restaurants, and on all transport (ignored sometimes by
taxi-drivers). Most public places are non-smoking inside, eg banks, shops.
All the tourist sites are smoke-free inside. The Public Service is
non-smoking which means a massive number of workers are working in a
non-smoking environment .... officially OH&S legislation entitles everyone
to a safe environment but in practice it hasn't happened yet. In my view
making the workplaces smoke-free created a massive turnaround in public
perception of smoking .... friends suddenly felt they had a right to ask
people not to smoke near them.
My four-year old had the good fortune to be born when the public places
legislation came in. She has rarely been in a smoking environment and is
shocked when I tell her what it was like just a year before she was born. I
still get shocked when I go out of Canberra - non-smoking eateries is so
much the norm here that I even forget to ask when interstate because it
doesn't even cross my mind that they might SMOKE in a restaurant!
A great place to come for a holiday.
We have a lot of festivals where officially smoking is banned indoors. For
example a 4-day folk festival at Easter will have smoking banned in the
halls and tents were entertainment occurs. It isn't adhered to 100% but it
would only be an odd smoker that is seen ignoring the signs inside, most
accepting that they have to smoke outside.
This weekend I went to an outdoor festival in the city and watched dancers
and singers performing on stage. Thousands of people. For the first time
ever I didn't have to move because of someone sitting down next to me and
lighting up. In the crowd I didn't see or smell a single smoker for two
hours. It was incredible.
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INN'S NO SMOKING POLICY BENEFITS CANCER SOCIETY
The Victoria a fifteen room inn in Bethel, Maine, has a strict no smoking policy. Guests are not allowed to smoke in the guest rooms or common areas. The penalty is a $200 fine. All fines are contributed to the American Cancer Society to benefit lung cancer research.
Many inns have similar policies but fines are most often used for laundering and thorough cleaning of rooms and common areas. Says Innkeeper Kate Botka, "When guests realize they are jeopardizing other guests' health and not just paying for the dry cleaning bill, they are less apt to smoke." Eric Botka, Innkeeper and Chef, has caught guests lighting up in the hallway. "Guests don't realize what a keen sense of smell I have as a chef. It's hard to sneak a smoke by my nose," says Botka.
They established the policy because most of their comforters, duvets, draperies and laces are hand made and probably would have to be completely replaced rather than just
dry cleaned if smoke were present. The no smoking policy has been a great
success. Upwards of a third of the guests comment that they wouldn't stay someplace that allowed smoking and are very pleased that The Victoria is smoke free. They often comment upon checking in. Those who do smoke have been very careful for the most part and even without specifically mentioning the policy, have gone way out in the yard to light up.
The Victoria Inn is also listed on the Maine page.
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ISAAC'S IS FOR THE BIRDS (AND FISH, AND TREES...)
Isaac's Restaurant and Deli of Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
with branches in Lancaster County, York, Harrisburg, Hershey and Wyomissing, has gone smokefree as of April 1, 2000. No fooling.
The theme of Isaac's is nature and healthy dining. This is reflected in the design of each branch, which has an aquarium and plants and is distinguished by some individual feature such as kites, tropical fish or colorful flags. The items on the menu are named after birds. They have been in business for 15 years, consistently winning awards for their cuisine and service. The decision to have smoking sections was left to individual managers. However, according to Rebecca Ainsworth, Isaac's Director of Marketing, there has been a considerable increase in families dining out, and they tend to prefer smokefree seating. Sometimes potential customers had to be turned away because the smokefree sections were filled. So, Isaac's took the plunge - it is now a smokefree chain and all future locations will be smokefree.
Positive comments from customers have outnumbered complaints by about ten to one. At a business expo of the York (PA) Chamber of Commerce, the Isaac's booth received many spontaneous visits of congratulation. The one smoker who stopped by to complain took an Isaac's coupon anyway. :-) Must be those enticing menus. Isaac's is friendly in other ways as well: braille and large print menus are available, and sandwiches are not flung at you take-it-or-leave-it ; you can request variations to accommodate your health needs.
Isaac's president, Philip Wenger, believes the new policy "coincides perfectly with Isaac's mission statement to provide each guest with an extraordinary dining experience with quality food and a fun atmosphere. After all, evidence clearly shows second-hand smoke is a health threat for children and we are striving to provide a better place for them."
Isaac's also does catering, hosts parties and offers take-out. They are winners of the "Best take out food in Harrisburg" award. It's hard to argue with success.
Isaac's locations are listed on the Pennsylvania page.
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