Most opposition to smoking bans goes up in smoke

When Jamie Booth's family bought Reilley's Grill & Bar on the north end of Hilton Head Island in November 2006, the place smelled like an ashtray.

After 18 years of serving patrons who smoked, the building had the unmistakable scent of tobacco, a smell so strong that some would-be customers walked out.

To eliminate the stench, Booth remodeled the restaurant and reopened it in June 2007, just after the town passed a workplace smoking ban that drew fire from some of Booth's fellow restaurateurs.

Beaufort County and Bluffton each passed similar measures at about the same time. When the bans went into effect, many local business owners worried they would lose customers. Booth was among them.

He's not concerned now.

He said he found that "the people (who) refused to eat here before because it smelled so bad were coming back."

Looking back on the town's debate, Booth said he considers the ban "one of the best things that's ever happened" to the restaurant business in the area.

Other proprietors didn't speak in terms quite so glowing, but many agreed concerns about the ban have largely been forgotten. Some of them think the ban might have even helped businesses appeal to more patrons.

Booth, whose family also owns a south-end location of the bar and grill, occasionally warns unsuspecting visitors who light up about the ban. He and other business owners said compliance and enforcement haven't been issues.

Government officials on Hilton Head and in Beaufort County said they have received few complaints and haven't issued any citations since a municipal court denied a legal challenge to the ban filed by The Lodge, a south-end cigar shop and martini bar.

Officials at The Lodge could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The state Supreme Court, spurred by a Greenville case, upheld local governments' right to ban smoking in bars, restaurants and other public places earlier this year.

Hilton Head assistant town manager Greg Deloach and staff attorney Brian Hulbert said people appear to be complying willingly.

To adjust to the new rules, many establishments have taken steps to accommodate smoking guests outside.

At the Okatie Ale House, for instance, co-owner Tim O'Gorman planned an outdoor patio with tiki bar in part with smokers in mind. He also set up heaters to keep them toasty in the cooler

months.

O'Gorman suspects he might have lost a sliver of business to nearby competitors in Jasper County, where no ban exists. But he said the net impact of the county's ban has been positive because it increased the appeal of his establishment to older Sun City Hilton Head residents.

The ban's effect, even at a place that caters to younger crowds, has been minimal, owners said. At One Hot Mama's American Grille on Hilton Head, owner Orchid Paulmeier said patrons who want to smoke can simply walk outside to a large open courtyard shared by several neighboring businesses.

In hindsight, Paulmeier said quarrels over the bans feel like ancient history.

"It seems like such a long time ago," Paulmeier said.