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Statewide Smoking Ban

Published on July 30, 2008 2:58 AM

Clients at The Pub in Kennewick have not been able to smoke inside since the state issued a ban 2 1/2 years ago.

April Mowery, a manager, says: “Now guys can come in after work and have a drink without their wives knowing because they don’t smell like smoke. Revenue fell for the bar in the months after the ban and angry customers vowed they wouldn’t come back. But business has bounced back, I see more nonsmoking customers than before the ban. I think people like it more.”

The study of the State Department of Revenue shows that taverns and bars in Washington saw a more than 20% increase in gross income in 2007, compared with 0.3% in 2006.

Department spokesman Mike Gowrylow says: “We’re not totally surprised because experience in other states is similar. Eighty-two percent of the public doesn’t smoke, so if you clear out the smoke, you greatly expand your potential customer base.”

All 3 cities reported drops in taxable retail sales at taverns and bars from 2005 to 2006. Kennewick saw the biggest jump, at almost 36%. Ken Nelson, the city’s director of economic development, says: “I do think it’s had a positive impact on lunch business.” Pasco and Richland rose 5% and 6.4%. The biggest fall happened from 2004 to 2005, when taxable retail sales from Pasco’s taverns and bars dropped almost 35%, from $1.37 million to $896,600.

City Manager Gary Crutchfield said: “The city does not take sides on the smoking ban issue although residents generally like the change. Initially everybody’s up in arms about it. Overall, a majority of people feel it was important to our personal environments.”

The ban hurts some business to the point of shutting them down. According to the Department of Revenue, gross income for other businesses affected by the ban did not see such dramatic changes. Restaurants across the state saw a gross income increase of 8.7% in 2007 compared with 8.2% in 2006 and 8.5% in 2005. 2007 was the biggest hop for all: Richland at 12.8%, Pasco at 15.3% and Kennewick at 7.9%.