In an effort to accommodate smokers under the city”s new smoking ordinance, at least three Columbus bars and restaurants no longer will admit minors.
The Columbus City Council Tuesday passed a citywide smoking ordinance banning smoking in “all enclosed public places,” including restaurants.
But the ordinance, which is modeled after a Tennessee law, allows smoking in “age-restricted venues” — or bars, restaurants and other establishments which only allow people age 21 or older to enter — and “private clubs,” which restrict access to the general public.
Additionally, the ordinance allows businesses with three or fewer employees to designate enclosed smoking rooms, inaccessible to the general public, and provides exemptions for “non-enclosed areas of public places, including, open-air patios, porches or decks.”
As a result of the ordinance, Sey”s Sports Bar and Grill, located off Highway 45 North, and Zachary”s, located on Fifth Street North in downtown Columbus, now only will admit patrons over the age of 21.
“We are going to take the adult venue route, so we will continue to offer smoking and non-smoking sections,” said Doug Pellum, owner of Zachary”s. “You”ll just have to be 21 to come in now.
“Fifty percent of our business is smoking, and we wanted to be able to offer both sections and the only way to do that would be to eliminate the under-21 crowd, which is only about 2 percent of our business,” he added.
“Of course, we would”ve preferred for them to not pass a smoking ordinance at all, because we feel like the business owner should determine whether he wants to allow smoking or not or let the customer decide with their pocketbook,” said Clyde Rhea, a co-owner of Sey”s Sports Bar and Grill. “(But) this ordinance is a consolation where we can still allow smoking in the bar. Due to the fact a large majority of our customers are smokers, we”re going to have to take that option (and restrict admittance to those over the age of 21).”
Additionally, the restaurant at Tampico Bay, located on College Street, will remain non-smoking, but the Tampico Bay Marina Bar and Grill, at the same location, has split into two businesses.
A recent building addition to the bar now will operate as a separate business, The Three Amigos Saloon, and will be non-smoking, but the existing Tampico Bay bar will only be accessible to patrons over the age of 21 and will be a smoking facility, said owner Carlos Rosales, noting patrons can access The Three Amigos Saloon, for a non-smoking experience, either through the Tampico Bay restaurant or through separate entrances near the Tampico Bay parking lot.
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