Mount Pleasant business owners say state-wide smoking ban has had little impact

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Local businesses owners say much hasn’t changed since the statewide smoking ban took effect three and a half months ago.

The law started in May, banning smoking from places of work, restaurants and bars. The only businesses that aren’t affected are casinos, smoking bars and smoking stores.

Chris Plotzke works at SIX Lounge, 1901 S. Mission St., a hookah bar. He said he hasn’t really noticed too much of drop in business since the law was put into place.

“Surprisingly this summer, townies have really kept us alive,” he said. “So when the college kids come back to town, we’re thinking it will really get busy.”

Plotzke pointed to the rising popularity of hookahs as a factor, especially since anyone that owns a hookah in the Mount Pleasant area comes to them for their hookah products.

“The main rule that has changed is that you have to be 18 to enter a place like this,” Plotzke said. “We used to get more high schoolers in before the ban, but not anymore.”

At one point before the ban, the business considered selling food like burgers and pizza at the lounge. However, the new law also bans the serving of food at smoking bars.

Because the ban started a week after students left, Ben Breidenstein, co-owner of the Bird Bar and Grille, 223 S. Main St., said the timing was convenient. Enforcing the new law hasn’t become too much of a problem yet, he said, and people have been fairly compliant.

The Bird now features a designated outdoor patio area where customers are allowed to smoke and still drink.

“There’s slightly more problems with unruly people in the street,” Breidenstein said, “only because there are a lot more people on the patio smoking.”

The business has still not decided what it plans to do once winter comes.

“I’ve toyed with the idea of putting an outdoor propane stand,” he said. “But because there isn’t too much room out there I don’t have too many options.”

The area’s health department has received many questions from business because of the ban’s different rules.

Lisa Cross, a health educator at the Central Michigan District Health Department, said businesses want to comply with the law.

She said the law is complaint-driven. The department would go to the business and investigate if one is made.

“I want people to understand that the health department can’t just drive around inspecting business in regards to the smoking ban.” She said. “There always has to be a complaint made first.”