Smoking Ban Workaround?

¡Mirad! ¡Un pistacho fumador!

According to The Star Tribune in Minneapolis St. Paul, numerous bars have been holding "theater" nights allowing for a loophole whereby essentially all patrons are actors. The smoking ban has been in place since October.

Lisa Anderson, owner of Mike's Uptown bar in Hill City, said that last Saturday she staged a "theater night" and packed in four times the usual crowd that has come in since the smoking ban took effect.

Anderson said she has been helping other bar owners who want to put on their own tobacco productions.

"I'm going to continue to do this,'' she said. "It increased my business.''

So will Brian Bauman, owner of The Rock nightclub in Maplewood, which staged a theater night Tuesday and nearly doubled the usual crowd.

At least 10 other bar owners wandered through his bar that night, taking stock of the event's success.

It won't work for every bar or restaurant because some are carving out a niche with nonsmokers, he said.

I wonder if this would work in Philly? Honestly, I've kind of enjoyed the smoking ban. Especially for places like Medusa.

Link (via Reason Hit & Run)