1st Day as a No-Smoking Room ( my idea )
- Thread starter highrun55
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steveharn said:
I'd like to reply to this from a smokers point of view. I think the government should STFU and keep their nose out of it. If a business owner wants to allow smoking then he or she should be allowed. They are the ones that have to pay the bills, taxes etc...
With that said, I can totally understand a non-smoker not wanting to be around all that smoke. Even though it's bad for you health I'm willing to bet my ass the biggest gripe about it is the smell that gets on your clothes, in your hair etc...
I applaud this person for going the non-smoking route. One way you could probably lower the chances of losing your smoking customers would be to make a nice smoking area for them outside. It wouldn't need to have tables and chairs but at least have something that will keep them dry if it's raining. I have no problem going outside to smoke. Hell, I don't allow smoking in my own home..........and my wife and I are both smokers.
MULLY
a bench or 2 would be nice too
mullyman said:I'd like to reply to this from a smokers point of view. I think the government should STFU and keep their nose out of it. If a business owner wants to allow smoking then he or she should be allowed. They are the ones that have to pay the bills, taxes etc...
With that said, I can totally understand a non-smoker not wanting to be around all that smoke. Even though it's bad for you health I'm willing to bet my ass the biggest gripe about it is the smell that gets on your clothes, in your hair etc...
I applaud this person for going the non-smoking route. One way you could probably lower the chances of losing your smoking customers would be to make a nice smoking area for them outside. It wouldn't need to have tables and chairs but at least have something that will keep them dry if it's raining. I have no problem going outside to smoke. Hell, I don't allow smoking in my own home..........and my wife and I are both smokers.
MULLY
a bench or 2 would be nice too
Mully,
that is exactly what I did. Their is a full length extended roof over the sidewalk in my shopping center so no one will get wet.
There are 4 nice comfortable chairs and 2 sand filled ashtrays for them to use, and I clean them out twice a day if needed.
I take care of my people as much as possible.
Highrun55
9BallPaul
Banned
I do it cause it's fun
My young nephew gave me a fake cigar that lights up when wetted with your tongue. Looks pretty real, and I have lots of fun with it at concerts, crowded bars and other places where the pink-lunged set love to hang out.
My favorite thing is when I light it up and then see a self-righteous pink-lunger heading my way to chew me out -- and then they realize that they've been punked. Poor babies!
Let adults make adult decisions. This is -- or once was -- the United States of America.
My young nephew gave me a fake cigar that lights up when wetted with your tongue. Looks pretty real, and I have lots of fun with it at concerts, crowded bars and other places where the pink-lunged set love to hang out.
My favorite thing is when I light it up and then see a self-righteous pink-lunger heading my way to chew me out -- and then they realize that they've been punked. Poor babies!
Let adults make adult decisions. This is -- or once was -- the United States of America.
doitforthegame said:
Why are smokers so arrogant and think they have a right to pollute everyones air anywhere they feel like and then if you don't like say though! ??
I play pool I don't smoke and I have EVERY RIGHT to go into a public business and not smoke your smoke and breath healthy air.
Let me use your logic. If you don't like not smoking that stay home and kill yourself alone!
I don't need to see you killing yourself and I don't need to join you in you quest to die. But you can't see that because you are addicted to a powerful drug and the sooner you figure that out the better you and everyone around you will be.
Yes smokers claiming they have a right to kill them self and everyone around them is a pet peeve of mine.
9BallPaul said:
You mean.. The kind of "adult" decisions like deciding to go outside and smoke to respect those around you?
Sorry, dude. I just don't see that many "responsible" smokers. If you guys won't voluntarily respect your fellow man, the majority will vote to force you to.
Just a reminder. If you are a smoker, then you are in the SMALL minority.
Russ
I just turned 30 in January. I quit smoking 3 months ago..finally...after my fourth attempt at doing so. I'd been a smoker for nearly 10 years. There are a couple things that are ironic about that. Prior to smoking myself...I was one of those people that was extraordinarily offended by smoke...and hated being anywhere around people that smoked. I definitely looked down upon those that did it. Then a funny thing happened. I went to college...and at some point during a Friday night out drinking...I started. It got worse from there because I didn't really start hanging out at the pool hall until after college. I started hanging out ant Markley Billiards in 1999. 90%+ of my friends...I'm associated with through the pool hall. Because of this...I would go EVERY day...holidays included. The problem is...everyone smokes. And I do mean...EVERYONE. Everytime I'd try to quit...I'd pick it back up because everyone smokes in the pool room. I couldn't quit smoking...until I quit the pool room. I have a table at home...I play there. I've found I've quit drinking too. I always smoke when I drink...and now that I quit smoking...I don't find myself drinking either. I haven't been to the pool room for the last three months, or to the bar more than once or twice...because I know both of them put the habit right back in front of my face. I'm sure at some point I'll be far enough removed from smoking that I can go back without being tempted...but the truth of the matter is...I'd rather play in a smoke free environment myself. Going to have to check out Drexeline. While I think everyone has the right to chose how they treat their body...I also think their behavior shouldn't impact the health of others. Breathing fresh air is a right. Smoking's a privelege. Even I lost sight of that when I smoked. I applaud every room owner out there that has, is, or will be making the transition to non-smoking. People love to shoot pool. They're not going to quit the game if they can't smoke. They'll simply go outside. But you WILL find...the people that DON'T smoke...won't even come in to begin with.
At least half the people in our straight pool round robin are non smokers which makes it not so bad. All the young ones smoke. No chance for the room to go non smoking. The owner is a 4 pack a day man and doesn't even consider quitting.
Dave Nelson
I wonder if I would get anywhere demanding an additional 10 ball spot from the smokers?
Dave Nelson
I wonder if I would get anywhere demanding an additional 10 ball spot from the smokers?
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Dave Nelson said:
"No chance" is prolly overly pessimistic. Insurance companies and Workmans Comp. providers are really killing rooms ( and all businesses in general) with the higher rates for fire and second hand smoke injury. The reason larger companies all do not allow smoking is the huge savings in insurance premiums. Who is the largest buyer of insurance? The US Govt. Who made all their workplaces "smoke free" first? The US Govt. No smoking laws are coming soon to everywhere. Our insurance company just informed us we are now "high risk" for a fire because we allow smoking. This is the THIRD insurance company to label us with something because of the age of our building and the fact we allow smoking. We have our choice of putting in a new heat sensor system ($15,000) a fire suppressions system ( $65,000) banning smoking or paying high risk rates from this point forward. Since many of you are smokers...WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE? I say YOU because the CUSTOMERS pay for this! All business expenses are paid by customers. So what would YOU want to pay for? We are estimating a minimum of raising pool rates 30% when our insurance renews. Or charge a cover charge to every person that walks in.
Any accountants here? suggestions?
I'm out of ideas right now.Financially we are at a point where it costs us more money to have smoking than what we would save just to ban it.
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cueandcushion said:"No chance" is prolly overly pessimistic. Insurance companies and Workmans Comp. providers are really killing rooms ( and all businesses in general) with the higher rates for fire and second hand smoke injury. The reason larger companies all do not allow smoking is the huge savings in insurance premiums. Who is the largest buyer of insurance? The US Govt. Who made all their workplaces "smoke free" first? The US Govt. No smoking laws are coming soon to everywhere. Our insurance company just informed us we are now "high risk" for a fire because we allow smoking. This is the THIRD insurance company to label us with something because of the age of our building and the fact we allow smoking. We have our choice of putting in a new heat sensor system ($15,000) a fire suppressions system ( $65,000) banning smoking or paying high risk rates from this point forward. Since many of you are smokers...WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE? I say YOU because the CUSTOMERS pay for this! All business expenses are paid by customers. So what would YOU want to pay for? We are estimating a minimum of raising pool rates 30% when our insurance renews. Or charge a cover charge to every person that walks in.
Any accountants here? suggestions?
Financially we are at a point where it costs us more money to have smoking than what we would save just to ban it.
Craig,
I looked at your website and your rates are very very low, you must sell beer ?
I think an increase is in order. Around here Im low at $5.00 per hour each and might have to go to $6.00 each soon.
I have no food or beer only snacks and sodas. Since going non smoking in March it has come back to almost normal, they go outside, but the economy is so bad and gas thats another story.
Good luck with whatever you do
highrun55
We sell no alcohol. Have no food other than candy and snacks. 91% of our income is through retail sales. Less than 9% comes from playing pool. Thats the problem. If 30% of our players smoke that means we will be incurring the expenses for having a smoking environment to accommodate 3% of our customers (per dollar). It's a tough business that is always a challenge. Today is a holiday so I am going to BBQ some burgers and try not to think about business.
Gas is.....here $3.90 a gallon
I'm sorry to tell you that prices are going up!?
Whether you like it or not, everyone in this buisness are going to have to do something....
We are currently looking at all of our food and beverage prices. I don't like it but, nobody I know wants to pay more than $.50 a rack......so, we need to accomodate all the increases in our operating costs somewhere???
I wish everyone the best of luck here; however, the harsh reality is that something needs to give -- so we really have no other choice than to increase the prices we charge for food and beverages.
We've been a non-smoking local neighborhood "Pub" for about a year and a half since the State of Washington passed a smoking ban on all public places -- it hurt our sales the first year by roughly 20% -- but, slowly our sales have grown and we are now doing a little better than we were before the smoking ban.
I know for us that alcohol sales are an essential element for what we offer. Some days the restaurant does really well, other days the bar pulls us thru, the next day maybe pulltabs (gambling) does well, pool leagues and tourneys help for sure.
Best of Rolls to Ya,
I'm sorry to tell you that prices are going up!?
Whether you like it or not, everyone in this buisness are going to have to do something....
We are currently looking at all of our food and beverage prices. I don't like it but, nobody I know wants to pay more than $.50 a rack......so, we need to accomodate all the increases in our operating costs somewhere???
I wish everyone the best of luck here; however, the harsh reality is that something needs to give -- so we really have no other choice than to increase the prices we charge for food and beverages.
We've been a non-smoking local neighborhood "Pub" for about a year and a half since the State of Washington passed a smoking ban on all public places -- it hurt our sales the first year by roughly 20% -- but, slowly our sales have grown and we are now doing a little better than we were before the smoking ban.
I know for us that alcohol sales are an essential element for what we offer. Some days the restaurant does really well, other days the bar pulls us thru, the next day maybe pulltabs (gambling) does well, pool leagues and tourneys help for sure.
Best of Rolls to Ya,
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.50 cents a rack?!?
I think you got trapped in a time machine. I havent seen 50 cent coin op tables since I was in this dump in Paris TN about 1995. That was the 6 foot kiddie bar box they had. Maybe it was a 5 foot table now that I think of it.
Everyone is hurting in the business. Hope you keep trying new things and fight like hell.
I think you got trapped in a time machine. I havent seen 50 cent coin op tables since I was in this dump in Paris TN about 1995. That was the 6 foot kiddie bar box they had. Maybe it was a 5 foot table now that I think of it.
Everyone is hurting in the business. Hope you keep trying new things and fight like hell.
Pii said:Why are smokers so arrogant and think they have a right to pollute everyones air anywhere they feel like and then if you don't like say though! ??
I play pool I don't smoke and I have EVERY RIGHT to go into a public business and not smoke your smoke and breath healthy air.
Let me use your logic. If you don't like not smoking that stay home and kill yourself alone!
I don't need to see you killing yourself and I don't need to join you in you quest to die. But you can't see that because you are addicted to a powerful drug and the sooner you figure that out the better you and everyone around you will be.
Yes smokers claiming they have a right to kill them self and everyone around them is a pet peeve of mine.
Not every smoker is arrogant.
MULLY
cueandcushion said:.50 cents a rack?!?
I think you got trapped in a time machine. I havent seen 50 cent coin op tables since I was in this dump in Paris TN about 1995. That was the 6 foot kiddie bar box they had. Maybe it was a 5 foot table now that I think of it.
LOL Paris, TN. You ever play Mutt?
mullyman said:
Mully- they just don't get it and they never will. I am a non-smoker/former smoker/cancer survivor/pacemaker wearing old guy. But if I want to go into a pool room that allows smoking, I have a choice. I can go in and deal with the smoke or; I can stay out of the room and not deal with it. It is simple as that. It has nothing to do with the health issues of smoking, or how stinky it makes your clothes or how expensive it is (mostly because the nanny state taxes the crap out of it....because after all, it is for the children....). It is about choices. And the choices that some individuals make I don't agree with, but I respect their right to make the decision. If I want to go to a poolroom without smoke, I can convince the room owner of the benefits of going non smoking; find a non smoking room; open my own non smoking poolroom; or take up golf. We are guaranteed the right for the "pursuit of happiness", not a guarantee of happiness. There is an element of people that believe you have the "right to choose". But that right apparently only applies to those ideas and activities that fit their agenda. I understand the displeasure with smoking. But I don't understand the elitism associated with the "....and they pollute my air!" crowd. First, they don't pollute your air, it is not your possession. We all share it equally. Second, you have the choice if you wish to expose yourself to the smoke. DON'T GO INTO THE ROOM! Trust me...no one is interested in your whining. Just find the non smoking room that caters to lemmings.