With recent talk of a city wide smoking ban, we get a local business banning smoking
on their own and it appears that business is not hurting at all. Sitwells does sell alcohol, but I don't consider it a bar. Could bars survive this type of self ban?
Many bars in Austin are suffering very significant drops in revenue as a result of the smoking ban. Two that I know of had drops of 60% the first month.
ReplyDeleteThe neighborhood bars do the worst.
The trendy yuppie bars fare much better.
The Anti-smokers said that businesses would not suffer when they were pushing the ban in Austin.
Drink prices and covers will go up after a smoking ban. Count on it. The bars have to make up their revenue somehow.