It’s worse at Tony’s Sports Bar & Restaurant in Queens Village. “It killed our business,” said owner Tony Narain. Within the past year, alcohol and beer sales have declined 70 percent, he said. “I’m losing money right now.”

Source: Newsday. Link expired.

Bar owners and their patrons said the past 12 months have been an economic disaster: Bar stools and cash registers are empty, clubs break the law just to survive and smokers are pushed into the street to puff.

“New York City has gone from the city that never sleeps to Sleepy Hollow,” said Tom Carrube, manager of Sharkey’s Sports Bar and Grill on Staten Island. He estimates that revenue has plummeted 60% as regulars stay home or head to nearby New Jersey for a beer and a smoke.

Source: NY Daily News. Link expired.

DALLAS — Monday will mark the first anniversary of Dallas’ smoking ban and across the city some restaurant managers have said they have lost business while some even blame the ban for their closing.

Members of the restaurant association said their alcohol sales have dropped since the ban by 20 percent to 25 percent.

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A sales-tax report Greeley released this week shows the smoking ban is likely sucking business from restaurants and taverns frequented by smokers.

The city compared December 2003 and 2004 sales at several former smoker hangouts and found that revenues were down 5 percent-15 percent this year.

Kidder sold The Brewery, 2215 9th St., because he said he couldn’t make a living under the smoking ban.

“I’ve talked to two or three others who say they are not going to stay in business,” Kidder said. “And I’ve talked to three bartenders who said January was the worst month they’ve ever had.”

Source: Greeleyt Tibune Link