Winds of change blow through The Grove
Bar owners go smoke-free, anticipate eventual ban
Kim Yawitz worked for years in bars and restaurants and found herself coming home to throw her clothes in the wash.
Yet she was unable to shake the smell of cigarette smoke.
Yawitz ruminated on her past experiences and compared them with those of Ruth Orabka, who would come to manage Yawitz's club. She realized the two of them had almost always worked in places that allowed smoking.The desire to not smell of smoke, coupled with the actions of other bar and restaurant owners in The Grove, caused Yawitz to make The Gramophone a smoke-free music venue when she opened it three months ago at 4243 Manchester Ave.
It joined nine other establishments in the trendy section of Forest Park Southeast that have adopted the smoke-free policy.
Yawitz had concerns about people wanting to smoke, especially since The Gramophone books an eclectic mix of musical acts. She thought some groups might attract crowds of smokers.
Few people have told her they would prefer it to be a smoking establishment. Instead, people have told her first-hand and through e-mails that they appreciate the venue being smoke-free.
Corey Lawson, owner of rBar, said the decision to open his establishment smoke-free was made using the same method he and his partners used to develop their business plan.
They surveyed about 500 people -- family, friends and friends of friends. He said 87 percent preferred a non-smoking venue.
Lawson said rBar tries to market itself by promoting other attributes, but he admits being smoke-free is attractive to some people.
"We've chosen to let that grow organically rather than spend advertising dollars on it," he said. "We didn't do it to try to position ourselves as being more progressive or more in-the-know. It was just an honest choice we made."
Jay Wille, who lives in the Garden District, had drinks recently at Atomic Cowboy. He said that while he used to smoke, and he still does occasionally, he likes the option of having non-smoking places to frequent.
"I do like the fact that it's non-smoking, because I can go there and not have my clothes smell like smoke," he said.
Not every bar and restaurant in The Grove is non-smoking. Nancy Novak owns Novak's Bar and Grill,
Novak said it's what her customers want and has not considered going smoke-free.
"If my customers would demand it, I would give it to them," Novak said. "The majority of my customers smoke while they drink. Regardless of whether they smoke or not, they smoke while they drink. There's plenty of outdoor space for people to go if they don't want to be around the smoke."
Stacy Reliford of the
"The owners are connected and committed for other reasons than just being smoke-free," Reliford said. "I'm hearing from business owners they are doing so because they feel eventually the city will be smoke-free and they're making that decision proactive.
Novak believes there will eventually be a state-wide ban on smoking in
Lawson and Yawitz both believe a state-wide ban is coming. Lawson said he doesn't know if that will happen next year or in coming years.
"We see where there are places in surrounding counties that are smoke-free," he said. "We know the reality."
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