As Wisconsin goes smokeless, Lake Co. taverns hope customers return

Rita Pavlin was among the Lake County bar owners who watched helplessly as customers flocked north across the border when Illinois went smoke-free in January 2008.

Now, as Wisconsin prepares to ban smoking in public places starting July 5, Lake County taverns are gearing up to welcome back many of those former patrons with open arms.

Some small-scale marketing campaigns and drink specials are being considered as an enticement, and there is some optimism the new smoke-free law will be an incentive for many Illinois patrons to stay closer to home.

However, Pavlin and others doubt they'll recoup all their losses from two years ago.

"I'm hoping to get back half the customers I lost," said Pavlin, vice president of the Tavern Owner's Association of Lake County and owner of Steve's Sports Bar on Route 173 near Antioch. "We are hoping (Wisconsin's) law will balance things out more, but the economy will still hurt us."

Under the new Wisconsin law, smoking is banned in all workplaces, including offices, taverns, restaurants and other public places. Violators could be fined up to $250 depending on the number of previous violations.

Unlike the Illinois law, it's up to the local governments to decide how far smokers must stand from a door. But it's expected most cities will mirror the Illinois law and require smokers to stand about 25 feet from all building entrances.

Since the Illinois smoke-free law began, eating and drinking establishments along the Wisconsin border - specifically in Fox Lake, Spring Grove and Antioch - have complained it has cost them business.

Lake County bar and restaurant owners said customers defected across the border to sit in places where they could eat, drink and smoke.

Customer loss estimates range 10 percent in some businesses to as much as half in others.

Many of those Lake County business owners think the new Wisconsin law will provide a more level playing field.

"I'd say it would be helpful and should do a lot to bring people back home," said Tony Bodanyi, owner of Jimmy V's Sports Bar in Fox Lake, a 10-minute ride from the Wisconsin border. "It should bring back some of the customers we lost. Not all of them, but some should come back."

Bodanyi estimates he lost 10 percent to 15 percent of his business when Illinois went smoke free.

However, some Lake County officials say the real culprit is a weak economy, and that business will improve with more jobs and higher salaries.

Kristine Anderson, the alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention coordinator for the Lake County Health Department, said there is no data showing people left for Wisconsin because smoking was allowed in taverns there.

"We are in the midst of a terrible economy and most people are going out less as a way to save money," Anderson said. "It's hard to point and say whether smoking or the economy have caused a loss in customers since 2008."

The information Anderson said she has received has been in the form of numerous phone calls from people saying thanks for pursuing smoke-free areas in Illinois and Wisconsin.

"There is data that shows there are more nonsmokers than smokers in Illinois," she said. "And a lot of those people from both Wisconsin and Illinois have thanked us for helping to get the law changed and giving the nonsmokers a place to go."

Fox Lake Mayor Ed Bender said he believes people will start coming back to local restaurants and taverns when the economy stabilizes.

"I'm glad it's a level playing field again and we have an opportunity to recapture some of the customers lost," Bender said. "But, until the economy completely stabilizes and people have more disposable income and the ability to get out more, I don't think we will get too many more customers. People are on a tight budget because of this economy."

Still, Pavlin and the tavern association want to be proactive and they plan to create a small marketing campaign to attract lost customers.

"The tavern association will be running information on our website, and we are urging all taverns and restaurants to do the same," she said. "We will also try and do some ads in some places to let people know Wisconsin will be smoke free, but it's something we are still looking into."

Bodanyi said he plans to join the initiative and post information on his Facebook site, as well as adding some specials to try to win back some customers from Wisconsin and generate some new business.

"Something saying 'smokers welcome back to Illinois' is definitely something we are looking into," he said. "We're not sure what exactly at this point, but we are going to do some marketing to get some of those people back."