Clearing The Air

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Did I miss anything?

There was another Hennepin county meeting today to vote on amending the smoking ban. I missed it, as I was out on appointments.

Since some people seem to have difficulty in seeing the importance of comparing the St. Louis Park Environmental Health Department secondhand smoke air quality test results to the OSHA guidelines, here it is side by side:

click to enlarge 1 milligram mg = 1,000 micrograms ug
(full OSHA table can be found here)

click to enlarge (actual SLP results found here)

The upper table is the actual OSHA permissible exposure limit table for airborne contaminants ie. these levels are the safe exposure limits for humans. You'll note that the nicotine* safe level is 0.5 milligrams mg / cu. M (or 500 micrograms (ug) / cu. M).

The bottom table is the actual St. Louis Park test results for 19 establishments of measured airborne nicotine* levels during busy evenings. You can see the median establishment, Applebees, had a reading of 3.3 micrograms ug / cu. M.

500 ug (OSHA safe level) divided by 3.3 ug (median reading Applebees) = measured airborne nicotine* levels are 152 times safer than OSHA regulations ie. In other words NO HEALTH HAZARD as per OSHA workplace indoor air quality standards.

It is therefore impossible to implement smoking bans based on the argument that secondhand smoke is a health hazard, that argument has been scientifically proven false.

* (As per air quality researchers) Nicotine is the only unique or "trace" chemical in secondhand smoke. If you measured for formaldehyde, the carpet and other interior sources of formaldehyde would corrupt the test result, formaldehyde is formed naturally in our atmosphere due to photochemical oxidation. Benzene is given off from burning foods in the kitchen or diesel exhaust outdoors so again a false reading would be obtained. Therefore, nicotine is the ideal chemical to measure for to determine secondhand smoke concentrations in the air. And then our comparison to OSHA guidelines is the logical manner in which to determine if secondhand smoke levels pose a health hazard, as you can see, they do not. If you wanted you could measure every airborne chemical in secondhand smoke and then also compare them to OSHA guidelines for that specific chemical, the results would be the same.

OSHA itself has stated regarding secondhand smoke:

"Field studies of environmental tobacco smoke indicate that under normal conditions, the components in tobacco smoke are diluted below existing Permissible Exposure Levels (PELS.) as referenced in the Air Contaminant Standard (29 CFR 1910.1000)...It would be very rare to find a workplace with so much smoking that any individual PEL would be exceeded."

-Letter From Greg Watchman, Acting Ass't Sec'y, OSHA, To Leroy J Pletten, PHD, July 8, 1997

Smoking cigarettes can be hazardous to the smoker, no argument there. However, secondhand smoke is not the hazard pro-smoking ban activists claim, except of course to those who rely on Nicoderm interests for further funding.

Monday, November 28, 2005

One of the largest organizations pushing for a smoking ban in DC takes millions of dollars from the Nicoderm folks - RWJF

$3,991,235.00 (click link) from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the owner of $5.4 billion in Nicoderm stock, to one of the more active smoking ban lobbying groups in Washington DC. I am referring to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. This is the sort of thing that perpetuates our skepticism of politicians today and destroys the credibility of an organiztion like Tobacco-Free Kids.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

In case you've misplaced your dictionary........

..........you'll find the definition of hypocrisy here.

HT: Craig Westover

It turns out that the St. Louis Park study I regularly cite......

......was to be heralded as a great achievement when it was cited by this online publication back in September 2004.

Secondhand Smoke Monitoring Seen as Alternative to Ban. The St. Paul Pioneer Press even did a story about it.....but as you'll note from the dead hyperlink in the story....the Nicoderm marketing department must have corrected the Pioneer Press on the position they were really supposed to have on the subject.

As the article points out:

"....The program gives advance notice to customers interested in dining in the non-smoking sections on how much nicotine they would inhale. According to Brian Hoffman, director of inspections for St. Louis Park, customers who think the level is too high can opt to go to another restaurant......"

And if you've followed Clearing the Air, you'll know that the St. Louis Park Environmental Health Department test results showed the secondhand smoke levels to be 500 - 15 times safer than OSHA guidelines for secondhand smoke. It's no wonder then that anti-smoking activists a.k.a Nicoderm marketing department want to bury information about this study.....it's hard to lobby for a smoking ban on the basis of health hazard when the city of St. Louis Park, MN. as well as the California EPA proved quite the opposite in their air quality testing.

MPAAT's lack of credibility.............

............began a few years back when they ran this scam ad about a woman who had cancer. (update 3/1/06: it is obvious from the dead link that MPAAT demanded this link be removed, but for the record the ad originally aired on WFTC UPN29 (Minneapolis, MN), 2003-01-11; more information can be found at this link.)

Problem was, this woman did not have cancer and in fact, turned out to be a paid actress. It seems MPAAT, like the other anti-smoking activists will stop at nothing to foster the fear mongering atmosphere they so desperately need to force their agenda on every Minnesotan and beyond. The problem of course is that their agenda destroys businesses and livelihoods as evidenced here:

http://www.cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2012/01/minnesota-hits-ominous-milestone-500.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/01/100-bars-and-restaurants-put-out-of.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

"Level the playing field" part deux.....

I've heard a Minneapolis bar or two demanding a statewide smoking ban to "level the playing field".

It should first be noted that the term level the playing field was coined by the Nicoderm funded anti-smoking activists, in hopes that the rose colored glasses crowd would be lulled into believing equality of business damaging mandates would somehow magically increase business.

Well guess what? New York's smoking ban is statewide and after barely a year 160+ bars & restaurants are out of business or headed that direction., 2,600+ jobs lost.

Ireland's smoking ban, also barely a year old with 300+ pubs closed and 7,600+ jobs lost.

If business owners want to demand state action to stay alive they ought to be demanding a pre-emption bill, which simply states that local governments cannot enact air quality laws which exceed the current statewide Clean Indoor Air Act. South Dakota did just such a thing about two years ago and it has been a resounding success.

A couple years ago the RWJF, American Lung, American Cancer, American Heart Association, and the rest of the Nicoderm marketing department attempted to get local South Dakota cities and counties to pass smoking bans. So the legislature of South Dakota stepped up and said to the pharmaceutical company pawns, "Ok, so you want a statewide smoking ban, we'll give you a smoking ban. First off, no local government may enact a law which supersedes our smoking ban, second, smoking is banned in all public and quasi public places, with the following exemption........ those establishments with a liquor license are exempt.

Guess what, those Nicoderm funded organizations like RWJF, ALA, ACS, AHA, AMA, ANSR haven't been back since........I wonder if MN. lawmakers also have the backbone to stand up against the pharmaceutical nicotine special interest organizations........I know the state lawmakers that I talk to do.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

The curtain has been opened and the scam is being exposed to the light of truth......

....I am of course referring to smoking bans and the business of smoking ban lobbying.

There is nothing new I can tell you about the dirty and scandalous business of smoking bans and their legislation......follow the money and you'll find the motive. Uncover the government air quality testing and you'll discover the facts.

What I can tell you about is what I have lived and breathed for 15 years, the business of clean air thru air filtration equipment.

On November 15, 2005 when the Hennepin County Minnesota commission decided to explore amending the smoking ban that has devastated so many establishments. Testimony was given by one individual who claimed to be a mechanical ventilation expert, hired incidentally by the smoking ban proponents. After his testimony, claiming there was no way to ventilate secondhand smoke, was finished; Commissioner Penny Steele asked a great question:

"Isn't indoor charcoal and wood-fired grilling a popular trend in bars & restaurants these days?....and isn't inhaling those fumes indoors potentially deadly?"

Expert reply: "....um, yeah"

Commissioner Steele: "Well, why isn't anybody dying in the restaurants from the cooking smoke?"

Expert: "Because they have special ventilation....."

Steele: "Couldn't establishment owners use a similar type of ventilation to also render secondhand smoke harmless?"

Expert: "uh, well, I suppose they could......."

And thus the above exchange killed this "expert's" testimony, along with the rationale for smoking bans altogether.

I have sold many Smokeeter ventilation systems to establishments over the years to solve secondhand smoke issues. And our primary design criteria is first to provide 10 - 15 air changes per hour of Smokeeter filtration. Which means the entire room is completely filtered every 4 - 6 minutes. Secondly, I insist on using electro-static filtration systems on tobacco smoke even though we also handle other types of filtration systems, because ESP filtration removes the smallest possible airborne particles.

And my selling point always was that our equipment will meet or exceed all OSHA air quality standards when the customer purchases a system designed for 10 -15 air changes per hour. This guarantee is backed by the factory warranty as well, but truth be told we in the field didn't always have access to testing equipment to back the claim on every job. That is the reason I bring up the St. Louis Park, MN. Environmental Health Department air quality test results for secondhand smoke. The city inadvertently proved our claims for us.

Consider:

T.G.I. Friday's in SLP has 2 of my Smokeeter Crystal Aire systems in place, and the test results measuring secondhand smoke levels, when smoking was allowed, exceeded OSHA air quality standards by a factor of 68........68 times safer than OSHA guidelines...... show me the public health problem there.

Applebee's in SLP has 2 of my Smokeeter LS systems in place, and the test results measuring secondhand smoke levels, when smoking was allowed, exceeded OSHA air quality standards by a factor of 152........152 times safer than OSHA guidelines...... show me the public health problem there.

Santorini's in SLP has 1 of my Smokeeter Crystal Aire systems in place, and the test results measuring secondhand smoke levels, when smoking was allowed, exceeded OSHA air quality standards by a factor of 174........174 times safer than OSHA guidelines...... show me the public health problem there.

So I again express my gratitude to the SLP Environmental Health Department, they have provided testing that proves for our customers what we have always known to be true....you just can't buy advertising like that.

If your establishment needs a clean air solution please contact us here, even if your place of business has been forced to go non-smoking remember, there is no such thing as too much clean air. Global Air Filtration Systems.

The RWJF (Nicoderm financial interests) funding for smoking bans in homes....

.....has already begun, and you can rest assured that the very same American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, American Non-Smoker's Rights Foundation and other non-profits have their hands out to accept hundreds of millions of dollars from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in return for their lobbying our politicians for smoking bans in homes......not because they care or even that there is a shred of proof......but because money talks.......and lawmakers listen.

This Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant is appropriately titled Effect of Restrictions on Smoking at Home.

.....taking up smoking was reduced by bans on anyone smoking at home and also by restrictions on home smoking.
.........Bans in public places also reduced smoking uptake but had less effect than home bans....

At the bottom of this study you find financial credit is given to Nicoderm affiliated RWJF

Footnotes
Funding: Supported by grants from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The new face of pharmaceutical nicotine marketing promises the consumer will not have a choice so long as the Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson thru its sister foundation RWJF has media control and the money to influence politicians at will.

Still here's an ominous warning from Canadian physicians about alternative nicotine products like Nicoderm:

"While decided preferable to tobacco smoking, pure nicotine ingestion cannot be considered to be innocuous." found halfway down page 2 of this document from:
Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada

By the way Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada is the same organization who recently helped MPAAT find the 60 year old waitress who worked 40 years in a restaurant and now claims she has lung cancer. This commercial reminds me of the woman a few years back who graced our television screen with shaved head claiming she was a cancer victim "...and by the time we saw this ad she would be dead," ....of course she turned out to be an actress and the anti-smoking activists were exposed to be the lying, deceitful, charlatans they are.

.....Clearing the Air will follow up on the current MPAAT ad in the interest of learning the truth.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

St. Paul's most anti-business councilmember Dave Thune........

.....openly admits his new attempt to strengthen the St. Paul smoking ban is a symbolic measure in hopes of forcing the state to implement a smoking ban.

In Thune's own words: "The combination of Hennepin County, Minneapolis and St. Paul gives us enough clout to at least force a discussion," he said.

Further, Thune promises his new ban will be implemented within 30 days of passage because, "we just want to do it." He's so smug and cavalier about eliminating jobs and businesses.....what a class act this pompous windbag is.

Sorry to rain on your egomaniacal plans Davey but here's a technical bit of information that I send to Minnesota House and Senate members on a nearly weekly basis.

A government Environmental Health Department here in Minnesota tested air quality in smoking bars / restaurants and found that secondhand smoke levels are 500 - 15 times safer than OSHA regulations. The California EPA tested air quality in its outdoor smoking areas and found that secondhand smoke levels are 50,000 - 100 times safer than OSHA regulations.

It appears that science and facts interfere with the Nicoderm company demand for smoking bans.......I am curious though, just how much do the RWJF, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Non-Smoker's Rights Foundation etc. contribute to re-election campaigns these days?

RWJF owns $5.4 billion of Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson company stock.

I suppose with being on his knees all the time, Mayor R.T. Rybak must have been aware of the occupational hazard.....

Rybak to have knee surgery.

This explains so much about Rybak's support, or rather activism, for smoking ban ordinances.

Especially since this RWJF $50,000 financial grant states: Increasing the involvement of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities in clean air campaigns in Cleveland, Ohio, and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Perhaps this also explains Dave Thune's activism? Afterall, he did get the first smoking ban ordinance drafted in St. Paul.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that science proves them completely wrong. And they look so foolish having been used by the Nicoderm people at Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Does Johnson & Johnson / ALZA Corporation make a rainbow friendly Nicoderm CQ?

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Why pay for advertising?....When you can control the media instead......

.........More proof of RWJF exhibiting control over personal behavior....and further advocacy for elimination of alcohol consumption in our society.

The fact that this story1 receives above the fold prominence in the media, shows the stranglehold that an organization like Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has on mainstream media2. In case you haven't seen previous posts by Clearing the Air, aside from paying for smoking bans around the world3....the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is taking aim to diminish alcohol consumption4 next. Indeed RWJF was extremely influential in getting lower alcohol limits of .08 passed nationwide5.

What Robert Wood Johnson wants Robert Wood Johnson takes. And specifically they want your civil liberties in exchange for greater J & J profits.

ReVia is a drug developed by Merck to eliminate alcohol use, Merck is in partnership with Johnson & Johnson company.....and of course the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is the largest single shareholder of J & J stock, a $5.4 billion stake.

Nicoderm is a drug manufactured by ALZA to be a substitute for smoking, (distributed by Glaxo Smith Kline). ALZA is owned by the Johnson & Johnson company.........and again the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is the largest single shareholder of J & J stock, a $5.4 billion stake.

Is secondhand smoke a hazard? Answer scientifically proven by the American Cancer Society here.

PS: This researcher funded by RWJF confirmed that control of the media spin & coverage was indeed part of RWJF and smoking ban activists' strategy.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

I am somewhat apprehensive to publish Dr. Siegel's latest work....

While I admit I don't know Dr. Siegel, we have had occasion to email each other. I gather, as a general rule Dr. Siegel is on the other side of the smoking ban debate. However, unlike his comrade anti-smoking activists he can see when the "tin foil hat" lobbyists are going too far.

Consider Dr Siegel's reaction to anti-smoking lobbyist efforts to ban smoking outdoors:

If we cannot justify outdoor smoking bans on the basis that the behavior is substantially harming other people who need to be protected from the smoke, then we simply cannot justify these policies.

And the more anti-smoking advocates attempt to do just that, the more I become scared. The more it becomes apparent that there is a hidden agenda here beyond a public health one. The more it becomes apparent that there is simply not any regard for the value of individual liberty, privacy, or autonomy and that any means to achieve our desired goal is acceptable..

Now couple the good Doctor's point above with air quality facts that secondhand smoke concentrations are 150+ times safer than OSHA guidelines and you've got the entire reason why smoking bans ANYWHERE are ludicrous and unnecessary.

Secondhand smoke does not exceed (fail) OSHA air quality standards. Conversely, local politicians are content to allow OSHA air quality standards to dictate in our factories where welding smoke is MUCH heavier and more carcinogenic than secondhand tobacco smoke.

If local lawmakers want to ban tobacco smoke , which is 150+ times safer than OSHA air quality standards, then they must be consistent and ban factory process emissions which do not also exceed OSHA air quality standards for safety by the same 150+ factor. Doing so however would shutdown nearly every manufacturing facility in the country.

Read the entire letter by Dr. Siegel here.

Here's one that hits close to home.....

.....Minnesota bloggers know that when it comes to a "gathering of the minds" , the MOB meets at Keegan's in Minneapolis.

Owner Terry Keegan has become a friend and source of information regarding the smoking ban and business loss ever since the ban was implemented. Much to my chagrin, for the first 2-3 months Terry maintained that the ban had little effect on his business. He's a relatively quiet, yet hard working businessman who never complains. So when I noticed this letter on Fraters Libertas' site I knew it must be getting bad.

For the first three months of 2005, our sales were up 8% over the same months in 2004. For the most recent three months our sales are down 7.5% compared to the same months in 2004. That is a swing of 15.5%. Although our percentage decrease is smaller than some, it represents the difference between profit and loss. We have not had a profitable month since April, and the trend is downward. October 2005 was 17% down from October 2004. Cold weather will only accelerate the trend as smokers will be less willing to smoke outside. Hence, they will go to locations where they can smoke inside.

Read the full letter here

As a personal aside....Terry I am so disappointed......come on who's your smokin' ban daddy.....you didn't even have the decency to let Clearing the Air break the story first. Just for that I'll be lighting up a fat Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend next time I'm inside your bar.

....ya civil disobedience.......go on and catch me copper.

Yesterday in Hennepin County several references were made to secondhand smoke in homes.....

.....I thought I would provide some insight as to the stance the American Lung Association and other non-profits have, and the future legislation they may be positioning for.

Back on June 2, 2005 I was reviewing the comments section of one my earlier posts where someone sarcastically stated ......."I bet the American Lung Association will try to ban smoking in homes next....... To which Bob Moffitt the Communications Director of the American Lung Association of MN. responded verbatim, ....."Finally, no one here at ALAMN is talking about "outlawing smoking in homes." We don't recommend it, of course. You are correct in saying that it likely wouldn't be approved by a government agency, but it's not what anyone here is focusing on ......now."

Bob
American Lung Association of Minnesota, at Thu Jun 02, 07:53:13 AM CDT

The keyword of course is "now". But I'd bet dollars to donuts that there is a proposal writer among the non-profit organizations requesting a grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help them lobby for such a ban.

There will come a day when special interest groups will come to local government officials to demand a ban on barbecuing outdoors at your own home, the use of leaf blowers and lawn mowers in your own yard, sun bathing on your own patio..keeping a pet in your own house. etc. etc. As everyone of these and other personal freedoms erodes away, lawmakers will have to ask themselves... "did I contribute to those erosions of personal freedoms?"

And if you voted for a smoking ban, even despite the scientific evidence which proves secondhand smoke is far safer than OSHA regulations; then the answer will be a resounding......Yes.

As Hennepin County Minnesota looks to amend the smoking ban which has caused financial devastation to the local hospitality industry......

My disappointment is that from the beginning....nobody really listened to the debate that should have been going on...Is secondhand smoke a hazard? After all that is what the non-profits' and physicians' argument in favor of a smoking ban was based upon.

Instead we listened to oncologists who treated smokers with cancer, or studies financed by the pharmaceutical nicotine industry which stated..."we believe..." "it is estimated..." "it is speculated..." etc. They can't even keep their own exaggerations straight, one day they report secondhand smoke claims 3,000 lives nationally per year....the next day they say 38,000....and the next they claim 65,000. Perhaps they have to continually inch those numbers upward because with 1400+ jobs lost in Hennepin County due to the smoking ban...."3000" nationwide seems like a pretty insignificant number.

A ban on secondhand smoke is supposed to be based on answering the question of secondhand smoke is it a health hazard? And clearly the test results from the Environmental Health department of St. Louis Park, MN. and the California EPA prove secondhand smoke is not a health hazard as defined by OSHA.

SLP results were 1 - 33 micrograms/ cu. M. which is 500 - 15 times safer than OSHA requires; the median reading was 152 times safer than OSHA requirements . (measurement of indoor air quality in bars/ restaurants)

CA EPA results 0.01 - 5 micrograms / cu. M . which is 50,000 - 100 times safer than OSHA requires (measurement of outdoor air quality in smoking areas).

OSHA permissible exposure limit level for nicotine* is 0.5 milligrams / cu. M which = 500 micrograms / cu. M

* (As per air quality researchers) Nicotine is the only unique or "trace" chemical in secondhand smoke. If you measured for formaldehyde, the carpet and other interior sources of formaldehyde would corrupt the test result, formaldehyde is formed naturally in our atmosphere due to photochemical oxidation. Benzene is given off from burning foods in the kitchen or diesel exhaust outdoors so again a false reading would be obtained. Therefore, nicotine is the ideal chemical to measure for to determine secondhand smoke concentrations in the air. And then our comparison to OSHA guidelines is the logical manner in which to determine if secondhand smoke levels pose a health hazard, as you can see they do not.

And after all, lawmakers are content to allow OSHA air quality standards to regulate our factories where workers are exposed to welding and plasma smoke, oil mist and other process emissions at concentrations MUCH heavier and more carcinogenic than tobacco smoke.

The question is, do county commissioners and local politicians care less about the health of our factory workers than they do about the health of our restaurant and bar workers? Will lawmakers demand bans on all workplace procedures that do not also exceed OSHA safety guidelines by a factor of 152 times? Because if you do not apply the standards with equal measure then you open up new litigious grounds regarding the laws you arbitrarily enforce on one industry, yet not another.

Update: New air quality testing of secondhand smoke by the American Cancer Society proves levels are 25,000 times safer than OSHA permissible exposure limits.....in other words no health hazard.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Updated Hennepin / Ramsey Hospitality closings since smoking ban implementation

Update 2012: Over 500 Minnesota bars and restaurants have closed since smoking bans were enacted in the land of 10,000+ unemployed hospitality workers.

A newly discovered official report from the State of Minnesota Auditor's Office proves what many of us against smoking bans always knew, smoking ban activists lied to the public and lawmakers when they said smoking bans were "good for business". This State of Minnesota official report found that one year after the statewide smoking ban, revenue was down on average 31.9% in bars and taverns.

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2010/10/minnesota-releases-revenue-numbers-that.html

Smoking bans, a large majority of which were enacted between 2002-2006, were a significant contributing factor to worldwide economic meltdown:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

Something for taxpayers in smoking ban states to consider: Have you noticed that your property taxes continue to increase even as your property values decrease? Well, just because government over-regulation shut down thousands of bars & restaurants, eliminating millions even billions of dollars in local tax revenue, doesn't mean local government is going to do with less....guess who picks up the balance? You the taxpayer.

These businesses and jobs were eliminated by government intervention long before the economic crisis of '08-'09......and in fact were the cause of the aforementioned economic turmoil as the economic effects were identical in hundreds of other smoking bans around the globe.

See which MN lawmakers voted to eliminate choice and jobs here in MN. Here's a spoiler alert for you.....liberal lawmakers, called DFL here in MN, voted approximately 85-95% in favor of smoking bans....Republicans voted approximately 85-95% in favor of PRIVATE hospitality owners making their own business decisions....see vote link above.

Just remember what the Nicoderm (RWJF) funded smoking ban lobbyists told lawmakers "...smoking bans are good for business....." They just didn't mention that the business they were referring to was the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical nicotine business:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/12/minnesota-smoking-ban-triples-demand-of.html

(Closed businesses list updated 4/13/2009: As of 10/1/2007 a statewide smoking ban began to have a negative financial impact on bars and restaurants outside of the metro area, the metro area closings started to occur after Mpls, St. Paul, and Bloomington smoking bans in 4/2005)

According to this 2004 end of year Star Tribune article only 14 establishments closed in '04.....the last full year without a smoking ban. (Scroll down to The party's over heading)The party's over. A tough year for restaurant closings meant saying farewell to Chet's Taverna, Marimar, Giorgio's on France, Livingston's, Chives, Zaroff's Delicatessen, Margaux Limitee, August Moon, El Ray de Oro, 13 Moons, Amsterdam Bistro & Bar, Amie, Chi-Chi's and Stuart Anderson's Cattle Co.Since implementing smoking bans the Twin Cities area has seen over 400 hospitality closings......the facts speak for themselves, smoking bans are very bad for business and our economy.

Minneapolis, Bloomington & St. Paul MN. hospitality establishments out of business since the smoking ban began 3/31/05...... 100 closed in 20 months.

Updated list in no particular order (includes updates from City Pages, MN Monthly, Pioneer Press, Twin Cities Business Journal, KMSP 9 news, WCCO, and more)

1) Hop's Maple Grove, MN.
2) Denny's Restaurant Plymouth, MN.
3) Copelands Minneapolis
4) TGIF Brooklyn Center, MN.
5) TGIF Minneapolis, MN.
6) Nick & Tony's Minneapolis, MN.
7) America's Original Sportsbar Mall of America Bloomington, MN.
8) Jillian's Mall of America Bloomington, MN.
9) Park Tavern Bloomington, MN.
10) Larry's Lounge in Long Lake, MN.
11) Goodfellow's Minneapolis, MN.
12) Chang O'Hara's (bankruptcy protection) St. Paul (Now the Happy Gnome)
13) Mainstreet Bar & Cafe Maple Grove, MN.
14) Bilimbi Bay Minneapolis, MN.
15) Bilimbi Bay Apple Valley, MN.
16) Bilimbi Bay Eden Prairie, MN.
17) MN Sports Cafe
18) Jacobs 101 Minneapolis
19) Café Di Napoli Minneapolis
20) Majors21) Southtown Bingo Bloomington, MN.
22) Italiani's Plymouth, MN.
23) 3 Muses
24) 13 Moons Minneapolis, MN.
25) 510 Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.
26) Amie
27) Chez Foley Wayzata, MN
28) Chives29) El Rey de Oro
30) Mpls. Café Minneapolis, MN.
31) Soul City Supper Club
32) Tonic of Uptown Minneapolis, MN.
33) Porter's Minneapolis, MN.
34) Molly Quinn's Minneapolis, MN. (local media covers this closing)
Breakaway Bar -(Luke is still hanging on as best he can, stop by and say hello)
35) Minnehaha Grill
36) Margarita Bella Minneapolis, MN.
37) Olive Garden38) Knuckleheads Comedy Club Mall of America Bloomington, MN.
39) Asian Infusion, St. Paul, MN.
40) Big E.’s Soul Food, Minneapolis, MN.
41) Chet’s Taverna, St. Paul, MN.
42) Ciatti’s, Maplewood, MN.
43) Jazzmine’s, Minneapolis, MN.
44) Katsu Sushi, St. Paul, MN.
45) Le Bambou, Minneapolis
46) Mangia, Minneapolis, MN.
47) Margaux Limitée, St. Paul, MN.
48) Marketplace Café, Minneapolis, MN.
49) Red, Minneapolis, MN.
50) Rockin’ Lobster, St. Paul, MN.
51) Bobino's Starlight Lounge, Mpls, MN.
52) Wazobia Nigerian Cafe, Minneapolis
53) Waldo's
54) Player's Mall of America Bloomington, MN
55) Shamrock's W. 7th St. Paul (rumor is this one is a personal vendetta by some pro-smoking ban city council members in St. Paul against an owner who testified against the ban. In other words the city refused to extend a license on a technicality, but that's just the rumor from some St. Paul hospitality business owners, feel free to correct me on this one Mr. Thune)
56) Mojito's St. Louis Park, MN.
57) Stasius Bar Minneapolis, MN (reopened under new mgmt?) Bob Moffitt Communications Dir. for American Lung MN once referred to Stasiu's as his "old stomping grounds". I doubt he shed a tear though in realizing his role in contributing to their demise, because as the Lunger tells us no bars or restaurants have gone out of business due to the smoking bans. In fact, to hear the media & Bob tell it, none of these 76 establishments went out of business at all, they've simply closed their doors for an extended period of time to count all the profits that the smoking bans have bestowed upon them.58) Little Jack's Minneapolis story here
59) The Buttery St. Paul
60) Cracker Barrel Brooklyn Park, MN.
61) Perkins St. Louis Park, MN.
62) Howie G's Plymouth, MN.
63) Jake's Moundsview, MN.
64) Dixie’s Calhoun Minneapolis, MN.
65) Hamlin’s Cafe
66) Loring Grill67) Pineda Tacos Minneapolis, MN.
68) Sidney's Minneapolis, MN.
69) Sidney's Minnetonka, MN.
70) Sidney's St. Paul, MN.
71) Sidney's Edina, MN.
72) Zeno's Minneapolis, MN.
73) Zeno's Eden Prairie, MN.
74) Louis XIII Edina, MN.
75) Bobino's Minneapolis (not same as Starlight Lounge)
76) Diner Minneapolis, MN.
77) Big City Tavern
78) Tiburon Minneapolis, MN.
79) Viking Bar Minneapolis, MN. (And now for the real shocker the uber liberal Star Tribune writes a page 2 story which attributes it demise to the smoking ban.......the Star Tribune until now seemed as though they were in the pocket of pharmaceutical nicotine interests.)
80) Sharx Nightclub Minneapolis, MN.
81) Peter's Grill Minneapolis, MN. Incidentally, Peter's Grill was one of the establishments which was about to buy Smokeeter air cleaners from me prior to talk of the smoking bans. Thank god the city council spared them from having to make that investment.
82) Mike's Bar St. Paul, MN (read more here)

For those readers not from here, St. Paul city council member David Thune was one of the first lawmakers influenced by Nicoderm funded activists....some of these same Nicoderm funded activists like the American Cancer Society (who received $99 million from Nicoderm partner Robert Wood Johnson Foundation RWJF) contributed big $$ to local politicians to influence their vote.

83) Billy's Lighthouse Long Lake, MN.
84) Over the Rainbow St. Paul, MN. (read more here)85) Boom Minneapolis, MN. (read more here)
86) Sophia's Minneapolis, MN.
87) Pizza Pie & I Minneapolis
88) Grandma's Saloon & Eatery Plymouth, MN.
89) The Little Wagon Minneapolis -update: reopening 3/07 under new management90) Ricky's Loft Minneapolis
91) Bennigan's Maplewood, MN.
92) Homestead Restaurant Golden Valley, MN.
93) Pickle's Lounge St. Paul, MN.
94) LeVain Minneapolis this closing is also mentioned on their website.
95) The Carousel St. Paul, MN.
96) Irv's Minneapolis, MN.
97) Sully's Minneapolis "...closing Jan. 31, 2007 due to drop in business because of smoking ban..." -comment provided by Sully's management to Clearing the Air in a telephone interview.
98) Main Event Bar Minneapolis
99) Odaa Minneapolis
100) Robert Lee Restaurant Minneapolis
101) Baja Riverside Bar & Grill Minneapolis. This article points out how a record number of closed bars & restaurants leads to a dangerous trend of unsafe neighborhoods.
102) Sports Break Bar St. Paul
103) The Quest Minneapolis (for those unfamiliar, this is one of the largest nightclubs in the Twin Cities, once owned by Prince) story here in City Pages
104) Five Restaurant & Street Lounge Minneapolis. The Star Tribune has the story here, but will typically remove the link within days.....the Star & Sickle is embarrassed that the smoking ban agenda, which they endorsed, is destroying the hospitality industry here in record numbers.
105) Auriga Minneapolis
106) Urban Wildlife Bar and Grill, Minneapolis
107) Popeye's Minneapolis
108) All Stars Bar Spring Park, MN
109) Westrum's Tavern Minneapolis, MN. Southwest Journal tells the story, though they don't tell you what we all know.....Judy Westrum's 40 year old business really began to decline once the smoking ban was enacted. The medias' intentional suppression of the financial damages inflicted upon the people in the hospitality industry by government smoking bans is an absolute crime.110) Decoy's/AlleyCat, NE Minneapolis
111) Italian Pie Shoppe St. Paul, MN. (original site closed, now in new location)
112) The Lake Inn, Minneapolis
113) Trikx St. Paul, MN closing announcement
114) Timberlodge Steakhouse Roseville
115) Andy's Garage St. Paul, MN.
116) Fhima's St. Paul, MN.
117) French Press St. Paul, MN.
118) Andy's Tap Bloomington, MN. story in the Star Tribune . But true to their pro-smoking ban agenda, the Star Tribune would never report that Andy's or any of the other 118 bars & restaurants were forced to close due to revenue losses from the smoking bans. Andy's survived 42 years in business....suddenly and mysteriously the Strib would have you believe the customer base for Andy's Tap just disappeared. With 42 years business experience for Andy's, 70 years for Porter's Bar, 40 years for Westrum's Tavern.......it must have been an unprecedented, colossal, and historic event which forced these businesses to close; and it was...........the smoking bans.
119) Backyard Bar & Grill Bloomington, MN
120) Bridgeman's, Richfield
121) Riverside Restaurant, Minneapolis
122) The Poodle Club, Minneapolis
123) TGI Fridays Brooklyn Park, MN.
124) Coyote Grille Brooklyn Center, MN. Mgmt. here holds no punches as they boldly report the smoking ban led to their demise more here
125) A Rebours St. Paul, MN. more here from the Pioneer Press (they (Pio Press) are known for removing their links within days)
126) Margaux St. Paul, MN. closing announcement here
127 ) Chico Chica St Paul, MN
128 ) Ruam Mit Thai St. Paul, MN
129 ) Cafe of the Americas, Minneapolis, MN
130) Willie's Wine Bar Minneapolis, MN.
131) Old Chicago Minneapolis, MN. (Comment from a reader) Just heard on the news that Old Chicago in DT Minnepolis will close due to the "decrease of traffic in the area." No mention of the smoking ban, but I have heard from bartenders at Old Chicago that the "decrease in traffic" started with the smoking ban.
132) Shelly's Restaurant St. Louis Park, MN has closed as announced in the Star Tribune.
133) Roberts on 10 Maplewood, MN.
134) DD's Cafe Crystal, MN.
135) TimberLodge Steakhouse St. Louis Park, MN.
136) DooLittle's Plymouth, MN.
137) DooLittle's Coon Rapids, MN.
138) TGI Friday's Plymouth, MN.
139) Copper Bleu Lakeville, MN.
140) Pizza Nea Minneapolis, MN.
141) Rush (formerly Rodeo) Cottage Grove, MN.
142) T.F. Boonies Detroit Lakes, MN.143) Dale's Beltrami County, MN.
144) Git R Done Beltrami County, MN.
145) Mason's Beltrami County, MN.
146) Northwoods Steakhouse Beltrami County, MN.
147) Pour Willie's 71 Bar Beltrami County, MN.
148) Union Station Beltrami County, MN.
149) Ember's Mankato, MN. Co-owner Nicole couldn’t fight back tears while talking about how much she’s going to miss her co-workers and customers.
150) Larry’s Bar in Fergus Falls, MN. story here
151) The Broken Axe Moorhead, MN. Management stated by phone that the smoking ban was the greatest single contributing factor for the loss of revenue and subsequent closing. 12/31/07 was their last night of business.

152) VFW Post 8854 St. Paul, MN. (this was the last remaining VFW in St. Paul)

153) Northern Lights Bar and Grill Montevideo, MN
154) Detoy's Family Restaunt Granite Falls, MN
155) Langesson's Benson, MN

156)- Buffet Holdings Inc. Eagan, MN. owns Country Buffet, Ryan's and Tahoe Joe's brands, 626 establishments in total, files for bankruptcy.

157) - Maurer's Parkside Lounge Rick Maurer said, "... the smoking ban dealt it a deadly blow, taking away more than a quarter of its clientele." (the quote and link is to a Pioneer Press article 2/7/08, and as part of mainstream media's concerted effort not to report any negative aspects of the smoking ban; is subject to be removed at any time)

158) -Back to the 50's Ramsey, MN.

159) Don Pablo's Minnetonka, MN.

160) 4 Alarm Bar & Grill Rockford, MN.

161) New Delhi Bar & Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.

162) Richard's on Main Norwood / Young America, MN.

163) Emma's Restaurant & Lounge Minneapolis, MN.
164) Cafe Limon Minneapolis, MN.
165) Chang Bang Minneapolis, MN.
166) 700 Express Minneapolis, MN.
167) Soba's Minneapolis, MN.
168) Cafe 44 Minneapolis, MN.
169) Pane Vino Dolce Minneapolis, MN.

170) Don Pablo's Eagan, MN.
171) Don Pablo's Woodbury, MN.
172) Baker's Square Plymouth, MN.

173) Oakies of Oakdale, MN. -owner Charles Senkler informed Clearing the Air "....the bottom dropped out of both food and beverage sales with the State Wide Ban....."

174) Isabel's Minneapolis, MN.

175) Baker's Square Minnetonka, MN.
176) Joe's Crab Shack Maple Grove, MN.

177) Baker's Square Burnsville, MN.
178) Baker's Square St. Paul, MN.
179) Baker's Square Minneapolis, MN.
180) Baker's Square Stillwater, MN.
181) Baker's Square St. Anthony, MN.

182) Bentley's Vadnais Heights, MN.

183) Bingo Plus Inver Grove Heights, MN.
184) Hillcrest Bingo St. Paul, MN.
185) Midway Bingo St. Paul, MN.
186) Cottage Grove Bingo (formerly Fantasy Cruise Bingo) Cottage Grove, MN. the closing of bingo halls due to smoking bans, documented here, is particularly damaging because bingo halls provided tens of millions back to the community in charitable funding for hockey leagues, little league baseball, etc.......not anymore; thanks to the Nicoderm special interests and the non-profits they funded. (By the way I personally designed and provided Cottage Grove Bingo a $35,000+ state of the art, air filtration system......theirs was the best of the best)

187) Romano's Macaroni Grill Burnsville, MN.

By the way, 187 closings are approximately 1/3 of the total liquor licenses in Minneapolis.....so you can see that it is an unusually high percentage of closings that have ocurred since smoking has been banned here.

188) Passage to India Minneapolis, MN.
189) Lotus Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.

190) Temple Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.

191) Romano's Macaroni Grill Rochester, MN. story here

192) Joe's Crab Shack Roseville, MN.

193) Finnegan's Pub Delano, MN.

194) Grandma's Saloon Minneapolis, MN. closing 5/22/08 -The president of Grandma's Corporation, Brian Daugherty, said legislation like the smoking ban has deteriorated the state of hospitality jobs in Minneapolis. The ironic thing here is that this quote and link comes from liberal U of M online publication the MNDaily, whose members from day one have argued that smoking bans are not to blame for hospitality closings.

195) Foundation Nightclub Minneapolis, MN.

196) Minnehaha Lanes St. Paul, MN. .....had complained in the past that the smoking ban, which took effect in St. Paul more than a year before it reached the rest of the state, had driven a primary source of income — bowling leagues — away.. more here.

197) Campiello's Minneapolis, MN. (13 year history comes to an end with its closing 6/20/08)

198) Alleygator's / Spectrum Lanes Maple Grove, MN.

199) Sweet Lorraine's Minneapolis, MN.

200) The OZ in Elko, MN. local website comment "Well the problem with oz was that the owner was a complete retard when it came to owning a buisness. The owner of oz was an eye doctor for the past 20 years or so before she decided to try her luck at the restaurant buisness." Somewhat disrespectful of course, but the fact that this bar was owned by a former doctor, lends some credence to the speculation that healthcare or pro-smoking ban groups have tried to buoy up the hospitality industry, without success, in order to hide the fact that smoking ban laws have decimated the hospitality industry.

201) The Norseman Cokato, MN.

202) Henry's Restaurant Willmar, MN.
203) West Indie's Soul St. Paul, MN.
204) Ravello's Long Lake, MN.

205) Ginnelli's Pizza Minneapolis, MN.

206) T.J. Finnegan's Mankato, MN.

207) Sugar Room Lounge Mankato, MN.
208) The Vault Belle Plaine, MN.

209) Timber Lodge Steakhouse Mankato, MN.

210) Timber Lodge Steakhouse Eden Prairie, MN.

211) Brix Bistro & Wine Bar St. Louis Park, MN.

212) Paradise Restaurant & Cafe Minneapolis, MN.

213) Totino's Italian Kitchen Minneapolis, MN.
214) Mysore Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
215) Chevy's Fresh Mex Minneapolis, MN.
216) Manhatten Loft Minneapolis, MN.
217) Canary Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
218) Little Nikki's Minneapolis, MN.

219) Timber Lodge Steakhouse West St. Paul, MN.

220) Lyn-Del Lanes Bloomington, MN
221) American Legion Bloomington, MN.

222) Starbucks 2221 E. Main Frontage Road. Albert Lea, MN.
223) Starbucks 599 Northtown Drive NE. Blaine, MN.
224) Starbucks 2331 108th Lane NE. Blaine, MN.
225) Starbucks 12555 Ulysses St. NE. Blaine, MN.
226) Starbucks 5512 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Center, MN.
227) Starbucks 615 66th Av. N. Brooklyn Center, MN.
228) Starbucks 6901 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Center, MN.
229) Starbucks 14637 County Road 11 Burnsville, MN
230) Starbucks 250 E. Traveler's Trail Burnsville, MN.
231) Starbucks 3450 124th Av. NW. Coon Rapids:, MN.
232) Starbucks 2740 Main St. Coon Rapids, MN.
233) Starbucks 13131 Riverdale Drive Coon Rapids, MN.
234) Starbucks 1140 Torgerson Drive Fairmont, MN
235) Starbucks 2280 Grant St. Faribault, MN.
236) Starbucks 1731 N. Frontage Road Hastings, MN.
237) Starbucks 3156 Century Av. N. Mahtomedi, MN.
238) Starbucks 1881 Madison Av. 239) 1680 Warren St. Mankato, MN.
240) Starbucks 1201 E. Main St. Marshall, MN.
241) Starbucks 5101 County Road 101 Minnetonka, MN.
242) Starbucks 5980 Neal Av. N Oak Park Heights, MN.
243) Starbucks 4000 Annapolis Lane Plymouth, MN.
244) Starbucks 144 Tyler Road N. Red Wing, MN.
245) Starbucks 2665 Commerce Drive NE. Rochester, MN.
246) Starbucks 1539 17th Av. E Shakopee, MN.
247) Starbucks 242 W. 7th St. St. Paul, MN.
248) Starbucks 9000 Hudson Rd. Woodbury, MN(What's the reason for reporting the closing of non-smoking places like Starbucks? Many of the Starbucks in MN went smoke-free voluntarily before the statewide smoking ban. Logically then, much of their success was that they (and a couple other non-smoking establishments) had cornered the small smoke-free niche market, but once every other establishment was forced to ban smoking.....Starbuck's no longer had the corner on that smoke-free business......revenue losses and closure quickly followed)

249) Bennigan's St. Louis Park, MN.
250) Bennigan's Bloomington, MN. Nationwide Bennigan closing story here.
251) Steak & Ale Bloomington, MN.
252) Durkins Pub Anoka, MN.
253) Narrows Maple Grove, MN.

254) Denny's Golden Valley, MN
255) BJ's Lounge Minneapolis, MN.
256) Johnny A's Bar & Grill Minneapolis, MN. -owner John Alexander testified against the smoking bans on numerous ocassions, knowing from the beginning that the Nicoderm funded activists were lying when they claimed smoking bans were good for business......now he has firsthand proof that he was right.

257) Benchwarmer Bob's Sportsbar & Grill Burnsville, MN.
258) Bill-A-Bong Bar & Grill Bloomington, MN.

259) Dos Amigos Mankato, MN.

260) Giorgio's Minneapolis, MN.

261) Major's Sports Cafe Vadnais Heights, MN.
262) Major's Sports Cafe Roseville, MN.

263) Zander Cafe St. Paul, MN.

264) Shep's Bar Cologne, MN.
265) Canyon Grille Eden Prairie, MN.

266) VFW Mound, MN.

267) American Legion 25th Av. S. Minneapolis, MN.
268) Pi Nightclub (which took over above Legion) Minneapolis, MN. is closing according to Pioneer Press
269) Lodge Bar Minneapolis, MN.

270) Wild Oaks Lounge Cologne, MN.

271) Jake's Sportsbar Crystal, MN.

272) Chevy's Fresh Mex Eden Prairie, MN closed is now Baja Sol Cantina273) JP's American Bistro Minneapolis, MN.
274) Rossi's Steak House Minneapolis, MN.
275) Babalu Minneapolis, MN.
276) Otho Minneapolis, MN.
277) Cintia's of Mexico Minneapolis, MN.
278) Safari Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.
279) Cafe Havana Minneapolis, MN. owner John Rimarcik phoned me back in 2005 proclaiming he was happy to have the city of Minneapolis ban smoking.....at the time I didn't think that would be a profitable ordinance for the city's only cigar bar, apparently I was right.
280) Restaurant Indio Minneapolis, MN.
281) Sawatdee Minneapolis (uptown)
282) Bavarian Haus Hutchinson, MN. (announcement in Hutchinson Leader)
283) Morelos Mex Grill Minneapolis, MN.
284) Cliquot Club Minneapolis, MN.
285) Monte's Steakhouse Faribault, MN.
286) Crab House Fridley, MN.
287) Harold's Chicken Shack Minneapolis, MN.
288) Matty B's Urban Bar & Restaurant St. Paul, MN.
289) Vera's Minneapolis, MN.
290) Matty B's Urban Bar & Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.
291) Woody's Rockford, MN.
292) California Cafe Mall of America Bloomington, MN.
293) Espresso Royale Minneapolis, MN.
294) Sauced Minneapolis, MN.
295) La Bodega Minneapolis, MN.
296) Stone's Stillwater, MN.
297) Fugaise Minneapolis, MN. (closing 3/14/09)
298) City Billiards Minneapolis, MN.
299) Harvey's Minneapolis, MN.
300) The Times Minneapolis, MN.
301) Sam's Wine Shop Minneapolis, MN.
302) Chelly's Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
303) Manny's Tortas Minneapolis, MN.
304) Obrien's Decoy Minneapolis, MN.
305) Applebee's Lake Calhoun Minneapolis
306) Bayport Cookery Bayport, MN.
307) Burrito Loco Minneapolis, MN.
308) Checkered Apron Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
309) Mill City Pizza Minneapolis, MN.
310) Jitters Minneapolis, MN.
311) Tin Cup St. Paul, MN.
312) Three Fish Minneapolis, MN.
313) Bella Sera Wine Bar Ristorante Maple Grove, MN.
314) Cork's Grill & Wine Bar St. Cloud, MN.
315) McMillan’s Restaurant St. Cloud, MN.
316) Roster's Sports Bar & Grill St. Cloud, MN.
317) Bakers Square St. Cloud, MN.
318) Outback Steakhouse St. Cloud, MN.
319) Hooter's Restaurant St. Cloud, MN.
320) River City Restaurant & Pub Chaska, MN.
321) Chestnut's Restaurant & Lounge Chaska, MN.
322) Bayrischer Hof German Restaurant Montrose, MN.
323) Vineyard Restaurant Anoka, MN. closing 5/31/09
324) Wildwood Pizza Mahtomedi, MN. closing 5/12/09
325) Saba's Shakopee, MN.
326) The Little Wagon Minneapolis, MN. (see #89 above)
327) Pressbox Sportsbar & Grill Minneapolis, MN.
328) Mell's Beauty Bar Minneapolis, MN.
329) Boulevard's Bar & Grill Brooklyn Center, MN.
330) Jazzy Fox Bistro Restaurant Fergus Falls, MN.
331) Tacos Blass Minneapolis, MN.
332) Dinkytowner Minneapolis, MN.
333) Safari Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.
334) D'Amico Cucina Butler Square Minneapolis, MN. closing 6/27/09
335) Mabuhay St. Paul, MN.
336) Club 3 Degrees Minneapolis, MN.
337) Trocaderos Minneapolis, MN.
338) Morton's Steakhouse Minneapolis, MN.
339) Al's Bar St.Louis Park, MN. (had been a Twin Cities favorite for 83 years)
340) Mairin's Table Minneapolis, MN.
341) Grandma's Saloon West Duluth, MN. closing by the end of 2009
342) Bellanotte Minneapolis, MN.
343) Gusto Cafe and Wine Bar in Hopkins, MN.
344) Pastrami Jacks' Eden Prairie, MN.
345) Applebee's St. Paul, MN (University Av.)
346) The Lake House Forest Lake, MN.
347) Myth Night Club Maplewood, MN. (Minnesota's largest music venue)
348) Uptown Bar & Grill Minneapolis, MN.
349) Outback Steakhouse Eden Prairie, MN.
350) All American Grill & Brewhouse Waverly, MN.
351) Whole Hog Heaven Waconia, MN
352) Figlio's Minneapolis, MN
353) Decoy's Grill & Bar White Bear Lake, MN
354) Canyon Grille Coon Rapids, MN.
355) Cafe Brenda Minneapolis, MN. (closing Dec. 5, 09)
356) Tejas Edina, MN. (closing Dec. 30, 09)
357) Cafe Agri Minneapolis, MN.
358) Timber Lodge Steakhouse Spring Lake Park, MN.
359) Michael's Steakhouse Worthington, MN.
360) Escape Ultra Lounge Minneapolis, MN.
361) Grizzly's Grill & Saloon Apple Valley, MN.
362) Bella Blaine, MN.
363) Pasquale's Blaine, MN.
364) Black Dawg Bar & Grille Burnsville, MN.
365) Bali Minneapolis, MN.
366) Panino's Minneapolis, MN.
367) Timberlodge Steakhouse St.Cloud, MN.
368) Chamber's Kitchen Minneapolis, MN.369) Hollywood Ranch House New Germany, MN.
370) River Rock Bar & Grill Monticello, MN.
371) Maggiano's Little Italy Eden Prairie, MN.
372) Laredo's Tex-West & Cantina St. Louis Park, MN.
373) Manhattan's Minneapolis, MN.
374) J J's Dry Dock Minneapolis, MN.
375) Pak Zam Zam Minneapolis, MN.
376) Prima Minnetonka, MN.
378) Stacatto Minneapolis, MN.
379) The Green Room Waconia, MN.
380) Renegades Bar & Grill Burnsville, MN.
381) Sawatdee Bar & Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
382) Zake's Minneapolis, MN.
383) Jade Asian Minneapolis, MN.
384) Picosa Minneapolis, MN.
385) Machu Picchu Minneapolis, MN.
386) LoTo St. Paul, MN.
387) Bibo Eagan, MN.
388) Black Bear Lodge & Saloon Rogers, MN.
389) Picosa Minneapolis, MN.
390) Il Vesco Vino (Rizzo's) St. Paul, MN.
391) Canyon Grille Eden Prairie, MN.
392) Breakaway Bar Robinsdale, MN.
393) Viva Italia Eagan, MN (closed 12/2008)
394) Stand Up Franks Minneapolis, MN.
395) Timberlodge Steakhouse Maple Grove, MN.

396) Decoy's Grill & Bar Hopkins, MN
397) Grape Vine Cafe Duluth, MN.
398) Tejas Texas Grill & Saloon Hermantown, MN.
399) LeGrand Supper Club Duluth, MN.
400) Billy Mac's Rochester, MN.
401) 418 Club Minneapolis, MN.
402) The Rock Maplewood, MN. from Mpls. Star Tribune article comes this quote from owner of The Rock Bar "Brian Bauman said his business took a hit from the statewide smoking ban in 2007..." (highlighted quote is a link to the article, but since the Star Tribune promoted the failed smoking ban policy they will likely remove that link, which is why we at CTA have at least preserved the quote)
403) Zen Asian Minneapolis, MN.
404) Kabobi Eden Prairie, MN.
405) L'Ecosse Minneapolis, MN.
406) NBA City (Target Center Timberwolves Complex) Minneapolis, MN.
407 Major's Sports Cafe Golden Valley, MN.
408) Istanbul Minnetonka, MN.
409) Cowboyz Rockford, MN.
410) Hooter's Minneapolis, MN.
411) Gabby's Minneapolis, MN. (owner personally informed me that revenue losses after the smoking ban were dramatic)
412) Major's Sports Cafe Bloomington, MN.
413) Hell's Kitchen Duluth, MN.
414) Uncle Franky's (Dinkytown) Minneapolis, MN.
415) Harry's Food & Cocktails Minneapolis, MN.
416) Armatage Room Minneapolis, MN.
417) Subo Minneapolis, MN.
418) Rumours & Innuendo St. Paul, MN.
419) Fuddrucker's Maple Grove, MN
420) Fuddrucker's Eden Prairie, MN
421) Fuddrucker's Bloomington, MN
422) Fuddrucker's St. Louis Park, MN
423) Ciento's Golden Valley, MN. (was in Major's #407 location after their closure)
424) Psycho Suzi's Minneapolis, MN. (closing original location to move into former Gabby's #411 location)
425) Sauce Pizza & Wine St. Louis Park, MN.
426) Ringo St. Louis Park, MN.
427) Moon Rock Bar & Grill Champlin, MN.
428) Palomino Restaurant & Bar Minneapolis, MN.
429) Da Afghan Bloomington, MN.
430) Cafe Bonxai St. Paul, MN.
431) JJ's on Main Street Annandale, MN. ending a 75-year run that began not long after the repeal of Prohibition. story here
432) Kieran's Irish Pub (name later changed to Old Pub) Minneapolis, MN. was a local favorite for 16 years (this is the original location at 4th & 2nd)
433) Azia Restaurant & Bar Minneapolis, MN.
434) Volnay Bistro Bar Wayzata, MN.
435) The Kitchen Stillwater, MN. (reported as closed in City Pages)
436) Town Talk Diner Minneapolis, MN. (reported as closed)
437) Liberty Frozen Custard Minneapolis, MN. (closing 1/28/11)
438) Pop Restaurant St. Paul, MN.
439) Hot Shots Night Club / Burnsville Bowl Burnsville, MN. listed as closed on this website
440) Tri-City American Legion Post # 513 New Brighton, MN. more here
441) TGI Friday's Roseville, MN. more here
442) Pearson's Restaurant Edina, MN. more here
443) OM Minneapolis, MN. more here
444) The Favor Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
445) 20.21 (Wolgang Puck) Minneapolis, MN (final dinner service 3/12/11)
446) Baja Sol Cantina Eden Prairie, MN.
447) Le Crazy Taste Bakery Minneapolis, MN.
448) Kozy's Steak & Seafood Edina, MN.
449) Aperitif Woodbury, MN.
450) Tillie's Bean Minneapolis, MN.
451) Tea Garden St. Paul, MN.
452) Willie D's Southern Style Minneapolis, MN.
453) Fishman's St. Louis Park, MN.
454) Applebees (Block E) Minneapolis, MN. more here
455) 501 Club Minneapolis, MN.
456) Baggan's Pub Fridley, MN.
457) Sharky's Grill & Bar Columbia Heights, MN.
458) Olive Garden Brooklyn Center, MN.
459) Porky's St. Paul, MN. (local icon for 58 years now closed)
460) Guadalajara Restaurant Monticello, MN.
461) Forum Restaurant and Bar Minneapolis, MN.
462) Panchero's Mexican Grill Minneapolis, MN.
463) Schumachers Hotel & Grill New Prague, MN.
464) Time Out Restaurant & Sports Bar Blaine, MN
465) Space Aliens Blaine, MN.
466) Purple Sandpiper Bloomington, MN.
467) Tinucci's Woodbury, MN.
468) 3 Monkey's Minneapolis, MN.
469) Hard Rock Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
470) NorthCoast Wayzata, MN.
471) Wayzata Eatery Wayzata, MN.
472) Alaska Eatery St. Louis Park, MN.
473) Karma Minneapolis, MN
474) Joe Senser's Sports Bar & Grill Eagan, MN.
475) The Inn Minneapolis, MN.
476) Soul Daddy at Mall of America Bloomington, MN.
477) La Sirena Gorda Minneapolis, MN.
478) Pacific Islander Minneapolis, MN.
479) Bumper's Restaurant & Sports Bar Burnsville, MN.
480) Yukon Club Minneapolis, MN.
481) Union Bar Minneapolis, MN.
482) Barnacle Bill's Brooklyn Center, MN.
483) Doc Holiday's Delano, MN.
484) Turtle Bread Minneapolis, MN.
485) CiCi's Pizza Plymouth, MN.
486) Cici's Pizza St. Paul, MN.
487) Cici's Pizza Eagan, MN.
488) IL Gatto Minneapolis, MN.
489) Duplex Restaurant / Bar Minneapolis, MN.
490) Time Out Restaurant & Sports Bar Eagan, MN.
491) Bullwinkle's Saloon Minneapolis, MN.
492) Prairie Ale House Eden Prairie, MN.
493) TGIFriday's Woodbury, MN.
494) Tickle's Piano Bar Minneapolis, MN.
495) 414 Soundbar Minneapolis, MN.
496) Banana Joe's Minneapolis, MN.
497) Woodbury Grill Woodbury, MN.
498) Tubby's Bar & Grill Minneapolis, MN.
499) Sunny's Bar Minneapolis, MN.
500) Sunnyside Up Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
501) Cafe Twenty Eight Minneapolis, MN.
502) TGI Friday's Rochester, MN.
503) Aviary Restaurant Rochester, MN.

504) Dailey's Pub Mound, MN.

505) Abu Nader Deli St. Paul, MN.

506) Amici Pizza Minneapolis, MN.

507) Betty's Pies Mahtomedi, MN.

508) Chula Vista St. Paul, MN.

509) Leaning Tower of Pizza Minneapolis, MN.

510) Q Kindness Cafe St. Paul, MN.

511) Sui Yep Cafe St. Paul, MN.
512) Champps Americana Sports Bar & Grill (Butler Square) Minneapolis, MN.
513) Rosen's Bar & Grill Minneapolis, MN.
514) John O's Brooten, MN.

515) Metro Bar & Grill Rochester, MN.
516) Nikki's Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
517) Chan's Chinese Restaurant Eden Prairie, MN.
518) Gladius Minneapolis, MN.
519) Drink Minneapolis, MN.
520) Smalley's 87 Minneapolis, MN.

521) The Great Sun Buffet & Bar Minneapolis, MN.
522) Senser's Bar & Grill Plymouth, MN.
523) Hooter's Burnsville, MN.
524) Scooter's Bar & Grill Big Lake, MN.
525) Nick & Eddie Restaurant/Bar Minneapolis, MN.
526) Caribe Bistro St. Paul, MN.
527) Vescio's Trattoria (skyway location) Minneapolis, MN
528) Aribel's Richfield, MN.
529) Risotto Restaurant & Bar Minneapolis, MN.
530) Lakeside Drive-In Big Lake, MN.
531) O'Malley's on Main Prior Lake, MN.
532) Spin NightClub Minneapolis, MN.
533) Star Bar Columbia Heights, MN
534) Jack's Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
535) Mill City Cafe Minneapolis, MN.
536) Chico's Restaurant & Bar Onamia, MN.
537) Bennigan's Moorehead, MN.
538) Mikki B's Anoka, MN.
539) Kabob's Indian Grill Maple Grove, MN.
540) Taj Indian Grill St. Anthony, MN.
541) M & S Grill Minneapolis, MN.
542) 620 Grill Northfield, MN.
543) Throwbacks Grille & Bar Woodbury, MN.
544) Richard's Restaurant & Pub St. Peter, MN.
545) Cedars Grille St. Peter, MN.
546) Matty's Brainerd, MN.
547) T.G.I. Friday's Mankato, MN.
548) Famous Dave's Mankato, MN.
549) Coffee News Cafe St. Paul, MN.
550) Howl at the Moon piano bar Minneapolis, MN.
551) The Hanger Room Willernie, MN.
552) Abdul's Afandy Minneapolis, MN.
553) Chula Vista Mexican Restaurant & Cantina St. Paul, MN.
554) Chico's Place Becker, MN.
555) Bootlegger's Minneapolis, MN.
556) Salida Depot Big Lake, MN.
557) Basement Bar & Grill Prior Lake, MN.
558) Aura Restaurant & Bar Minneapolis, MN.
559) PrimeBar Minneapolis, MN
560) Kinsen Noodles and Bar Minneapolis, MN.
561) Cat-Man-Do Minneapolis, MN.
562) D'Amico Kitchen Chambers Hotel Minneapolis, MN.
563) King & I Thai Lounge & Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.
564) Kikugawa Sushi Minneapolis, MN.
565) Thom Pham's Wondrous Azian Kitchen Minneapolis, MN.
566) El Meson Minneapolis, MN.
567) Papa's Restaurant Minneapolis, MN.

(200+ establishments closed pre 2008, long before any economic downturn, so economy was not a factor, smoking bans were) List last updated 2/12.

*list of closures in Hennepin & Ramsey Counties in Minnesota since smoking ban implementation 3/31/2005, as reported by members of the public, and when possible verified with the respective city.......reports of bar / restaurant closures due to smoking ban apparently are not being reported by the Star & Tribune.....perhaps because of their editorial agenda in favor of smoking bans.

(Ventilation equipment is allowed in the industrial workplace to remove welding smoke, why not in the hospitality workplace to remove tobacco smoke? The fact that Nicoderm, Nicorette, Nicotrol, money via RWJF is used to finance smoking ban lobbyists is the likely reason......it's all about making money not concern for health)

Apparently the pro-smoking ban activists lied to lawmakers and the employees who would later lose their jobs. when they stated that smoking bans were good for business.
The pharmaceutical nicotine industry which funds non-profit organizations to lobby in favor of smoking bans, continue to tell lawmakers that smoking bans are a boon for business. However, the business owners previously mentioned, and laid-off employees tell a different story.What motivates Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, and Chantix drug makers Johnson & Johnson Company, Pfizer, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to continue funding smoking ban efforts? Nearly $1 billion in smoking cessation products sales annually for starters.

Johnson & Johnson’s private foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to smoking ban lobbyists; such as the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, American Non-Smoker’s Rights, etc. The motive appears to be a rent seeking agenda, J & J’s wholly owned subsidiary ALZA manufactures Nicoderm and Nicoderm CQ for GSK; additionally J & J’s purchase of Pfizer home healthcare products unit means J & J also profits from Nicotrol product sales. Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, and Nicotrol products are alternative tobacco products, which directly benefit from smoking bans. Here in Minnesota, Blue Cross Blue Shield, as well as ClearWay MN crowed about the three-fold increase in demand for alternative nicotine products after smoking ban legislation was implemented. Perhaps a BOYCOTT of all Johnson & Johnson products is the proper response to their lack of ethical business practice.

But that's the dilemma our local politicians find themselves in........on the one side is the rich and powerful special interest group demanding laws that financially benefit their marketing interests.....and on the other side is the individual whose rights they were elected to uphold and serve. I guess it all comes down to a simple question: are they a servant of the people, or a slave to big money interests?
Oh.....and then there are these pesky little air quality test results that prove secondhand smoke concentrations are 2.6 – 25,000 times safer than OSHA workplace air quality standards.

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/02/air-quality-testing-and-secondhand.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/04/bmj-published-air-quality-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2004/04/american-cancer-society-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/11/johns-hopkins-air-quality-testing-of.html

It's clearly time to reverse these anti-business smoking ban laws, in light of the fact that politicians are influenced by distorted and omitted data from the pharmaceutical nicotine industry and the non-profit organizations in their employ. Especially when you consider the tens of thousands of individuals now unemployed due to these onerous and unnecessary laws.

(text in red = supporting data hyperlink)

There has been a concerted effort by local politicians and the media to dismiss hospitality closings due to our overall economic slump. However, over 200 of the closings above ocurred between 3/31/05 (date of local smoking ban inception) - 12/31/07 , which not only preceeded our economic slump; but was the cause of our economic slump.

Liberal politicians and Nicoderm funded smoking ban activists were the catalyst in destroyng business and jobs thru over regulation.......and subsequently our local and global economies. (MN Republican party platform included a plank to oppose property rights destroying smoking bans see section 7 paragraph S)

Elsewhere smoking bans eliminated 100,000+ jobs:

Smoking bans increased unemployment at a time when our economy was booming......but eliminating one hundred thousand+ hospitality jobs.....eventually has a negative trickle down effect on other industries. IE 100,000 unemployed hospitality workers stopped buying houses, or worse had their homes foreclosed upon, stopped buying cars, stopped buying computers, TVs etc., then the home-builders, automakers, electronic manufacturers, realtors, etc. started losing their jobs because of the effect from the 100,000+ unemployed bar and restaurant workers.......and the snowball races downhill.

3,382 UK pubs closed after their nationwide smoking ban

1,000 -2,000 US bars & restaurants closed after various local smoking bans were enacted

Nearly 300 Mpls / St. Paul bars & restaurants closed after smoking bans were enacte d

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Casino revenue losses in Colorado after smoking bans

Washington state gambling revenues fall sharply

Trump and Atlantic City casinos lose significant revenue after smoking ban

In a related story:

Worldwide closing of liquor licensed establishments (from smoking bans) is causing revenue losses in the beer industry:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/07/15/is-trouble-brewing-in-the-u-s--beer-industry.html?sid=101

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