Local bar owners do not plan to participate in lawmaker ban
Bars across the state may be shutting their doors to lawmakers.
On Aug. 23 Protect Private Property Rights in Michigan said in a statement about 500 bars throughout the state of Michigan have made a plan to ban state lawmakers from their establishments as a way of protesting the smoking ban, but local business owners are not likely to participate in the protest.
"It's making a statement," said Steve Mace, spokesman for PPPRM. "These people are angry enough — scores and score of people saying if they see a lawmakers on their property they will call the cops, and I believe them."
The smoking ban went into effect on May 1, 2010, and bar owners statewide are claiming they are losing business because of the ban. Owners are demanding such decisions should be left up to the property holders.
The lawmaker protest ban begins Thursday and PPPRM distributed signs to participating bars reading, "No politicians since Sept. 1."
However, most local bars in Mount Pleasant have not heard of the proposed ban and will not be participating.
Fred Phillips, owner of Freddie’s Tavern, 705 S. Adams St., said the smoking ban has had a negative impact on his business, estimating nearly one hundred thousand dollars of business lost since last year's ban.
“They think it’s for the better of the community, but I don’t think so,” Phillips said of lawmakers. “It's still America and we should still have a choice on what we’re doing.”
Though his bar is not taking part in the ban, he said it's a novel idea.
Sitting down face to face to talk about the issues is the better option, but this protest could be the only way to get the attention needed, Phillips said.
"The people in Washington and Lansing aren’t really looking out for our best interest," he said.
Cheers Neighborhood Bar and Grill, 1700 W. High St., will not be participating in the ban. General manager, Rick Swindlehurt, said he does not know anything about the plan.
Mark Walz, manager at Coco Joe’s, 4855 East Blue Grass Road, said he also has not heard of the lawmaker ban.
“There are a lot of things I would like to change, but I haven’t heard about this before,” Steve Bissel, owner of the Blackstone Bar and Grill, 212 W Michigan St., said.
