Statewide smoking ban may mean loss of business for some

A proposed statewide smoking ban has some folks concerned. Like Allen County's current ordinance it would eliminate smoking in restaurants and other public places.

Right now there's not a smoking ban in Whitley County. If passed, the manager of Richards Restaurant says it may effect her restaurant's bottom line. And as you can imagine smokers aren't happy about the possibility of a ban.

"Bunch of bologna," smoker Harold Waldeck said.

Folks sitting in the smoking section of Richards Restaurant in Columbia City aren't fond of the idea of a statewide smoking ban.

"Well it's freedom of choice, they're taking it away from us. What's next? Probably won't be able to chew gum after awhile."

Karen Schnorr's the manager at Richards. She says a decent percentage of money it takes in comes from smokers.

"15 percent of sales comes from smoking. The rest is from non-smokers, Schnorr said.

If the statewide smoking ban passes not being able to light up inside may mean a decrease in sales for Richards.

"I think it will hurt at first but I think in the long run sales will go up."

Schnorr says she believes that because people have walked out in the past once they saw how close they had to sit to the smoking section.

"Because of people leaving that are offended by the smoke. (Megan) And you guys have had that happen in the past? (Karen) Yes at least a couple of times a week."

At the end of the day Schnorr hopes the statewide ban will pass.

"Secondhand smoke is bad and I have a lot of employees that don't smoke, I have a lot that do. The ones that don't smoke and work in smoking find it offensive."