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Local bar owners react to smoking ban  

Contrary to the conventional argument that banning smoking will have an adverse impact on bars as regular smokers whom have grown accustomed to pulling up a stool and lighting a cigarette will now elect to stay at home, several Ypsilanti restaurateurs not only welcomed the smoking ban but celebrated it.

For Linda French, longtime owner of Sidetrack Bar and Grill, the legislation couldn't come soon enough as they had taken steps to limit smoking at the Ypsilanti nightlife fixture even before the bill had been introduced at the state level.

"We actually welcome it," French said enthusiastically. "For years we were smoking and we had a small non-smoking section, but about a year ago we stopped smoking for lunch and dinner and it increased our business tremendously."

When the bill's passing was announced, French said there was typical grumbling from some of her regulars but she doesn't anticipate the smoking ban affecting area bars and restaurants in any way. In fact, she is confident that her fellow restaurateurs will see an uptick in business as non-smokers will be more apt to patronize the local nightlife.

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