Owner says smoking ban hurt business

Larry’s Bar, an establishment which has operated along Pebble Lake Road on the south side of Fergus Falls since 1997, will officially close Dec. 31. The new nonsmoking law was cited as the biggest factor which led to bar owner Donna Seibel not applying for a new liquor license.

Seibel and her late husband, Larry, started leasing the building from the American Legion 10 years ago.

The restaurant business at Otter Supper Club also has decreased since the smoking ban took effect, Buchanan said. On a positive note, the establishment has seen an increase in the offsale (liquor) business.

“I surmise that smokers who formerly would spend an hour in our lounge figure they’re better off buying liquor at our offsale location — and spending more time in the warmth and comfort of their homes,” Buchanan said. “At home they don’t have to leave warm confines and go outside into the cold to smoke.”

Source: The Daily Journal Online. Link

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 29th, 2007 at 10:22 am and is filed under Bars/Taverns, North America, Restaurants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.