“For the first time, we could really taste the beer and food.”
—Bob
Latona Pub opened in 1987 as a smoking bar. In 1994, as people were becoming more aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke, Latona adopted a nonsmoking policy. After the switch, there was some anger at first.
“We lost some regular smokers, but we gained the appreciation of nonsmokers. The employees loved it too.” It took about six months to establish the non-smoking culture, but eventually everyone caught on. “A lot of smokers only smoke in bars; it isn’t a huge deal for every smoker,” states Bob. The Latona Pub was one of the first bars in Seattle to go smoke free.
“We thought about it for a year before going smoke free…the biggest factors were customers requesting a smoke-free environment and employees didn’t like the smoke.”
—Bob
Financial impact
“The Latona lost some regulars, but other regulars liked it. It is a nicer environment to be in, and that is a big advantage.” Bob felt that the financial impact would vary depending on the type of bar. Overall, “There is not a big financial incentive, but every person who comes to your place enjoys the experience more.”
Employees’ views
A bartender at the Latona Pub who went through the transition reported, “It was so nice to come home and not smell like cigarettes. I could actually smell the shampoo in my hair.”
Other factors
“Smokers don’t like a smoky environment either,” Bob says. “It would have helped if someone said ‘Go for it, it won’t hurt your business’ and if the consequences for going smoke free were clear.” Now Bob serves in that role for others.
“It’s a hell of a lot easier going smoke free now…It is still a big decision, but people understand the reasons behind going smoke free and the culture of nonsmoking is greater than it was ten years ago.”
—Bob
“I would run home and wash the cigarette smoke off my clothes and body. I felt like it would permeate the outer skin layer, almost eating your skin…I didn’t feel like I should be subjected to that. It is nice to go to work and not have to run to the shower afterward.”
—Gretchen
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