Anna Faltermeier/Sun TribuneAngela and Scott Johnson of Kansas City enjoy a laugh over cigarettes Saturday, July 12, at Rancho Grande in Parkville. The recent smoking ban in Kansas City has been driving some customers to non-smoking bars in the Northland.
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K.C.’s smoking ban brings business to smoking communities
By Michael Westblade
With Kansas City’s smoking ban in full effect and North Kansas City on its way, many smokers are headed outside the city looking for a place to light up, bringing new business to Northland communities.
John Hugunin, a manager at the Pub House in Liberty, said the bar has seen a lot of new customers from the other side of Interstate 35.
“We have a lot of people coming over from Kansas City because there’s no smoking there,” he said. “There are people who will drive the extra five miles to smoke and drink, and I’ve personally spoken to several people who came here from Kansas City to smoke.”
Amanda Jaycox, a manager at Rancho Grande Cantina in Parkville, said business jumped when Kansas City’s smoking ban went into effect June 20.
“I would say there was a good 10 percent increase (in business) when the smoking ban hit Kansas City, especially right after,” she said. “People would come in and we’d ask them, ‘would you like smoking?’ and they’d say, ‘you can smoke here?’ Word got around and we got really busy.”
Nick and Jake’s in Parkville has also seen a spike in business, though not quite as much as Rancho Grande. Tim Kitzmiller, manager, said the smoking ban had brought in some new customers to the restaurant.
“There are definitely different times when I can attribute new business to the smoking ban,” he said. “I’ve had servers tell me, ‘hey, this table is from Kansas City because of the smoking ban.’ We have a couple here and a couple there, but we haven’t had a huge influx. It’s nothing tremendous, but I’m not looking forward to (a smoking ban) going into effect for us.”
Michelle Nardella, co-owner of Mark and Michelle’s Bar and Grill in Gladstone, said while it was hard to judge an increase during
summer, she had definitely seen new customers, many from Kansas City.
“I don’t know that I would say there’s a huge spike at this point because people can still sit outside and smoke, but I do know there’s an increase and there are a lot of new faces,” she said. “We have people come in specifically because (of the ban on smoking in Kansas City).”
In Platte Woods, Gators VIII has also seen its share of the influx of smokers coming northward.
Tammy Sanders, manager, said while they had begun to see new customers from other bars that have had to ban smoking, they’re still pretty even with the bars in Kansas City.
“We’re seeing some other people from some other bars coming in,” she said, “but we’re not making millions, yet.”
Staff writer Michael Westblade can be reached at 389-6636 or michaelwestblade@npgco.com.
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John Hugunin, a manager at the Pub House in Liberty, said the bar has seen a lot of new customers from the other side of Interstate 35.
“We have a lot of people coming over from Kansas City because there’s no smoking there,” he said. “There are people who will drive the extra five miles to smoke and drink, and I’ve personally spoken to several people who came here from Kansas City to smoke.”
Amanda Jaycox, a manager at Rancho Grande Cantina in Parkville, said business jumped when Kansas City’s smoking ban went into effect June 20.
“I would say there was a good 10 percent increase (in business) when the smoking ban hit Kansas City, especially right after,” she said. “People would come in and we’d ask them, ‘would you like smoking?’ and they’d say, ‘you can smoke here?’ Word got around and we got really busy.”
Nick and Jake’s in Parkville has also seen a spike in business, though not quite as much as Rancho Grande. Tim Kitzmiller, manager, said the smoking ban had brought in some new customers to the restaurant.
“There are definitely different times when I can attribute new business to the smoking ban,” he said. “I’ve had servers tell me, ‘hey, this table is from Kansas City because of the smoking ban.’ We have a couple here and a couple there, but we haven’t had a huge influx. It’s nothing tremendous, but I’m not looking forward to (a smoking ban) going into effect for us.”
Michelle Nardella, co-owner of Mark and Michelle’s Bar and Grill in Gladstone, said while it was hard to judge an increase during
summer, she had definitely seen new customers, many from Kansas City.
“I don’t know that I would say there’s a huge spike at this point because people can still sit outside and smoke, but I do know there’s an increase and there are a lot of new faces,” she said. “We have people come in specifically because (of the ban on smoking in Kansas City).”
In Platte Woods, Gators VIII has also seen its share of the influx of smokers coming northward.
Tammy Sanders, manager, said while they had begun to see new customers from other bars that have had to ban smoking, they’re still pretty even with the bars in Kansas City.
“We’re seeing some other people from some other bars coming in,” she said, “but we’re not making millions, yet.”
Staff writer Michael Westblade can be reached at 389-6636 or michaelwestblade@npgco.com.