We’ve reported extensively in recent months about Eddie Bonner, owner of the Maple Avenue gay bar Illusions, and his opposition to Dallas’ new smoking ordinance. Today Bonner gets some love from the mainstream press, as The Dallas Morning News follows up on our report from a week ago saying that Bonner plans legal action to prevent the ordinance from taking effect. Bonner’s beef is simple: The vast majority of his customers smoke, but Illusions has no patio, and there isn’t room to put one in. Therefore, he claims the ordinance puts him at a competitive disadvantage with other bars where people will be allowed to smoke on patios. Bonner has said that if the ban takes effect, it will put him out of business, and he acknowledges that his odds of winning in court are slim, but he isn’t going down without a fight.
GOOD FOR YOU! Eddie Bonner. At least SOMEBODY has the balls to stand up for Smokers Rights. I would join you but I don’t have a clue as to how to help? It’s not fair to the bars without patios and it’s not fair to smokers either. What’s a drink without a cigarette? For decades….Smokers have gone to bars because that is basically the only place one can go to meet people and feel comfortable lighting a cigarette. If you don’t smoke, well go to a place that doesn’t permit it. This is the most ridiculous law I’ve ever heard of! First it was the workplace, which is understandable…..relegating smokers to the outside or basement. Then it was not smoking in front of most building within 15 feet…..Then the hospitals banned it from the campus…..Now BARS????? Look at the West End compared to Addison…..The West End businesses went down the tube because of it. It PISSES smokers off! I don’t see any NON-SMOKERS opening up NON-Smoking BARS!!!! because people wouldn’t go. There has got to be a common middle ground and banning it from the bars is not the way. Maybe have half the bar smoking and half non-smoking. IF smoke bothers people they can go outside! I for one will quit going to the bars thereby the ton of money I spend on keeping them in business is GONE! I just can’t tell you how BOILING MAD i AM!!! America, this is discrimination against a certain part of society…once again. After the smoking ban, Illusions ship will sink! I would like to join any group opposed to the smoking ban.. Thanks
Greg Coleman
Meh. We non-smokers like not having secondhand smoke give us black lung. And while I can’t say I oppose the smoking ban, I can understand there are a whole bunch of people that are getting slighted in the deal.
Patios are going to be the only option which probably help most establishments become a more attractive place to hit, smoking or non. Considering the room around Illusions is basically nil, then he has an uphill battle but instead of suing knowing he’s going to lose, why not work with the city to see what options there are? A defiant attitude will just shut him down quicker but if there are concessions to be made that he can ably do, then that might be a road to go down. Instead of spending the money on a lawsuit, perhaps save it for remodeling. Illusions is a nice bar actually and while I don’t frequent the place, it is nice to have a place to go to that isn’t on the strip.
By the way, Arizona State University did a study on smoking bans affect on sales and results were it didn’t BUT that people did move over to the patio-laden spots which of course makes sense. I say that because I do get the feeling that a lot of people share whiteboy’s threat of “I for one will quit going to the bars thereby the ton of money I spend on keeping them in business is GONE!” Hate to burst your bubble, man, but it probably won’t matter too much. You can help Mr. Bonner by donating some of that money to him to remodel the place perhaps.
As for us non-smokers, yay Dallas! But that’s just me.