To the editor:
On July 19, the Crowbar Inn & Restaurant in Trafalgar closed for fair week as it does every summer.
Owner Brian Maschino used the week to clean, paint and prepare for upcoming expansion. The air in the bar was fresh, and at the end of the day he went home “with clothes that still smelled like Downy instead of smoke.”
By the end of the week Maschino had made a decision. The Crowbar Inn would be smoke-free when it reopened July 26. Patrons were notified by a sign on the door which was also captured in a Facebook post.
Maschino, who smoked only when he was at the bar with patrons, said his decision was based on two factors: his bottom line and the desire to keep a clean establishment. He heard repeatedly that the smoke kept customers away. Hundreds of “likes” and comments on Facebook –- even from smokers — proved that the abundance of new customers will outweigh the few who may not return.
Maschino hopes the ban will encourage those customers who, like himself, want to quit smoking but find it hard when surrounded by smokers.
The smoke-free atmosphere creates a healthy environment for everyone, including his employees. One happy fill-in employee is a nonsmoker who worked at The Crowbar through college and is now a respiratory therapist who helps those with diseases caused by smoking.
We applaud Maschino for taking this big step that is good for people, good for business. There are still some hold-out bars in Johnson County that might want to take a hard look at their own establishments.
Nancy Voris
Tobacco Free Johnson County
