A Cry for Help

The Mainline Bar & Grill, located in Downer, MN, has posted the following comment on their website:

201!!! Remember that #. All right, this is gonna be a little awkward but I think it needs to be put out there. The Mainline is down 45% since the inception of the smoking ban. I was told there’d be tons of new customers because of the ban…..Well, I haven’t seen any and apparently i’m not the only one. As there are now 201 bars/restaurants/bingo halls that have gone out of business since the ban went into effect. Please check it out. I don’t want to be on this list! Don’t let anyone tell you that no ones biz is hurting because of it. IT’S A LIE! A GREAT BIG ONE! Any how, we really need customers or were going to be done for. I’ve had to sell my motorcycle, my house is for sale. If I get that sold we might make it. So for all of the people who wanted a smoking ban, please get out and support your local bars and restaurants or they won’t be there much longer….. Radio advertising sure doesn’t bring people out, so it’s up to YOU!!

It’s ridiculous that any legislation would affect any business’ bottom line by 45%. The anti-smoking crowd will never admit that smoking is an integral part of many small taverns. By taking that away, the business owners are forced to alienate many of their best customers.