Karaoke Forums

Funny thing is in the the situation I went through with our short lived smoking law, all the people were whining about having non-smoking clubs - yet when the law went into effect, businesses reported anywhere from 20-70% revenue loss - again some to the point that they went under completely. Where were all these non-smokers that wanted this law? They sure as heck weren't supporting the clubs.

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well since we have our karaoke in a MWR building there is no smoke to deal with(I'm in Iraq), but we do start late at about 9 pm. We have been known to go until 3-4 in the morning singing as well.

Exactly!

Most of the people I've seen that complain of hte smoke, are INFREQUENT bar hoppers! Definately not spending regulars!

Toledo, OH, just passed an anti-smoking ordinance, and several bars have taken to putting jugs out, so you can make a donation to cover the bar owner's fine when you go up to get an ashtray from the bartender. It must be working fine, because more and more bars have marquee signs saying "We're smokin'!", or things to that effect.

I thought that the NY legislature was looking into repealling their law. Is that fight still alive?

I would be a frequent bar person but can't handle the smoke as well as I used to be able to. The thing that gets me around here is that some of the bars have a vent system but never turn the dumb thing on until you practically beg.

well.... its still being "discussed" .. but its not looking very favorable that it will be overturned. Lots of Insurance companies are lobbying for it to remain as it stands. We are still hoping... but its a slim chance, at best. I'll keep you posted if things change!

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[shadow=tomato]If you want your significant other to pay attention to EVERY word you say::
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I have to say..... I am not going to tell my customers they have to drink anything to sing. I agree it is a problem and I have had bar owners and bartenders come to me complaining about certain customers. My stance on this is if you want to tell them they need to leave because they are not buying anything but are singing, that is totally up to the management, but I am NOT going to go to customers and tell them either spend money or you have to relinquish your table and or leave. That is the Bar/Restaurants call, not mine. The problem most bar owners/managers have is they think the only gig you have is theirs, thats not so, and I have customers that follow me all over town. I refuse to lose customers because they decide not to drink 6 nights a week.

The only problem I have with the cover charge is that someone who comes in and spends 30-50 bucks a night drinking while doing Karaoke is gonna be pissed about having to pay a cover charge too. And there is no way to tell at the door who is and who isn't going to drink. It's just too hard to enforce.

Also, I live in a town of 125,000 people, and we have a no smoking ban within the city limits. In all honesty it affected my business for about 6 months, then it all evened out, not too many ill effects.

I wonder if there is a way to somewhat satisfy us non-smokers and the smokers. Here in Reno, the casinos are not really too bad...that is because they DO have good ventilation systems...in my previous life as an electical engr...the places that made chips for computers used a "laminar flow" system to keep dust away from the chips...this involved air coming from floor to ceiling. It seems perhaps someone could start a business selling a cheaper (MUCH CHEAPER)version of this system to bar owners.
Pass a law for "smokeless within standards"...a whole new industry can spring-up to make the equipment and check the results...give the bar owners some time ( a year or two) to install...if they install..people can smoke there..if they do not install..then people must smoke outside..seems reasonable.

But if you got a voucher for the amount you paid at the door to be used on food or drink, then there shouldn't be any problems. If you choose to drink, there you go, if not, you paid $5 to get in to sing & drink water - no one loses, the bar still makes money even on the non-spenders.
You don't think singers get "tinkled" if they are spending $30-50 bucks a night to drink & sing & the person who is sitting there nursing a soda & not spending a dime is getting the same shot to sing?
I don't have a problem with these types of singers, but I am not the one that is going to be the one to tell these people that they need to spend to sing, it's not what i'm hired for. I am hired there to provide karaoke. It is the bars job to monitor what people are drinking & whether or not they need to stay or leave. If they try to tell me that it is my job, then I pack up my gear & head on out the door.

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I was thinking of a non-smoking venue with a large opening in the side to an open air venue. Smokers can sit outside, still watch the show and then return inside when they're done while the non-smokers can sit inside.

I've been in some casinos and they usually use high volume air exchangers to completely change out all the air in the casino in a matter of a few minutes (this was advertised at one casino as being less than 5 minutes). I agree that high volume air exchange solves the problem for some people but for others it may not suffice. Unfortunately the law doesn't allow for any smoking in the building at all - with a few exceptions in some states and then only for a short period of time.

Anyone see the smoking 'lounges' in airports now? Last one I saw was really stripped down, had air ducts hanging down without any ceiling. It looked like a half finished room you're condemned to go if you smoke....

Truly the laws they're passing are creating a 'second class citizen'.... what's next? No drinking laws?

BTW, we don't live in a democracy... we live in a republic.

KM snip ~~


uhhhhhhh...... a Republican Democracy???


Lonman snip ~~


I agree with this 100%. Whether someone goes out 1 night... or 5 or 6 nights a week, they should PLAN on spending something. Afterall, they are being entertained, and its costing the venue several $ to provide them with that.

Renoman snip ~~


Funny thing is, here in NY the law was passed as a "clean work environment" for the EMPLOYEES, not for the patrons. And ironically, the people who hate the law most are the employees, because in most cases, they'd chosen to work in an environment where they COULD smoke. When the law first went into effect, we were working a gig where the bartender, in the middle of her shift, QUIT. She simply couldn't go that long without a cigarette. She was one of 6 employees, ALL of whom smoked. THAT was the beginning of the end for that CLUB. It closed its doors 3 weeks later.

KM snip ~~


To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me a bit.

All I can say is.... have YOU voted lately?


Cindy

If we were a democracy then 2 presidents would not have made it to office - Jackson and G.W. Bush. A republic is when you are repesented by proxy - Senators, Representatives. There was a president that tried to rule by popular vote, but we all know what a crazy presidency LB left behind....

And yes, I voted in the last election and every presidential election since I was 18. Miss the primaries sometimes because I was moving but I vote. If I don't vote I can't complain. and my political viewpoints are typically Libertarian.


Doesn't surprise me in the least. I'm glad they haven't passed any non-smoking laws in Alaska yet (as it applies to bars). Of course they were trying to pass the legalization of marjiuana during the last election too (not medical use, general permission to grow and smoke at home). With that mentality I don't think they'll ban smoking in bars anytime soon... (already gone in public spaces, federal/state buildings, some restaurants, etc, though).

ummm sorry for the word I used where you guys felt it had to be changed to "tinkled" good job btw, but I figured since in britain "P(&&^@"
means drunk and most of us work in bars around people who are that all the time. I will work on my language.