City smoking ban causes little suffering

HATTIESBURG — Two years after a citywide smoking ban was implemented in Hattiesburg, most owners or managers of local bars and clubs say their businesses have suffered little ill effect.

The exception is the End Zone.
"It's killed us," said Gale Walker, owner of the End Zone, citing a 30 percent decrease in bar sales since the ban went into effect.
Jeremy White, a manager of Buffalo Wild Wings, said initially there was a temporary downturn.
"When it first went into effect it affected us. We had people that quit coming," White said.
But he said that his business has experienced a 5 to 6 percent increase over last year's sales.
The ordinance, passed by the City Council in November 2006, banned smoking inside all businesses with employees or buildings accessible to the public. The ban also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of the entrances of these buildings...read more