Tobacco.org

RC Business: Smoking Ban Has Been 'Positive' 

While some establishments across KELOLAND are waiting for the smoking ban to go to a public vote before they snuff out smoking in their restaurants, many popular bars in South Dakota's second largest city have already made the switch.

You'll find a busy waitstaff, tables filled with food and plenty of hungry customers over the noon hour at Sports Rock in Rapid City, but you won't find a single ashtray. The bar went non-smoking this summer when the ban was first discussed in Pierre.

"A lot of customers wanted to come in and eat and have an environment where it wasn't full of smoke, and we just felt that we should accommodate them because there's a huge number of people who did request that," General Manager Debbi Davids said.

Months later, they've had the option to switch back and allow smoking, but Davids says her customers seem to like the change.

Jump to full article »