Larry and Patti Wojdyla held a benefit earlier this summer at their 29-year-old Irish pub to try saving it from a slowing economy, high gas prices and the recent statewide smoking ban that they say ate away profits.

The smoking ban, said Larry Wojdyla, was “the last nail in the coffin” for the downtown business at 418 S. Main St.

“I don’t care if other states (banned smoking) or not, it’s killing a lot of businesses,” he said. “The state should have given neighborhood taverns the option to go smoking or nonsmoking. We have several nonsmoking customers who had no problems coming here.”

After the ban went into effect at he start of the year, Wojdyla said profits fell as much as 25 percent, losing up to $6,500 per month. He said patrons were still coming but staying for less time and, therefore, spending less money.

“My place was a working man’s bar, where people want to sit down, chat with friends and have a cigarette,” he said. “Now people are thinking, ‘Should I go in and spend $3 for a bottle of beer or spend $16 for a 30-pack and smoke at home?’”

In addition to Wojdyla and his wife, their two adult children also worked at Flaherty’s. Now the family has filed for bankruptcy and Wojdyla said they are in danger of losing their home.

Source: Daily Herald.  Link

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