Smoke Free Success Stories in the Workplace
The costs of tobacco use to an employer are significant. Direct costs to the employer include employee healthcare costs associated with tobacco use, increased cleaning costs and damage to property. Indirect costs include lost productivity, absenteeism, and recruitment and retraining costs resulting from death and disability related to tobacco use.These local businesses have discovered that instituting their own smoking bans is proving to be a smart move.
The Shadow, 550 N. Rock Rd.
An excerpt from an article by Pat Sangimino of the Wichita Business Journal, 2008
Diane Cline, tired of waiting for city and state lawmakers to unravel the public smoking debate, is instituting her own ban. The Shadow Bistro and Bar will go smoke-free May 1, 2008 making it the first Wichita nightclub to do so. It's a movement that has already been launched in several U.S. cities. "It's the right thing to do," says Cline, The Shadow's owner. "Smoking is bad for you, and second-hand smoke is worse for my employees."
Uptown Bistro, Old Town Square
An excerp from an article by Pat Sangimino of the Wichita Business Journal, 2008
A number of local restaurant owners anticipated a ban would someday arrive in Wichita, including Melad Stephan, who made the Uptown Bistro smoke-free two years ago. He also opened Oeno, a wine bar in Old Town, last year with similar restrictions. "People thank me all the time for making them smoke-free," Stephan says.
Madrocks, 1821 E. Madison Ave, Derby
An excerp from an article by Pat Sangimino of the Wichita Business Journal, 2008
Madrocks opened in derby earlier this year. Owner Michael Monteferrante says its smoke-free concept has been a huge success. "So far, three months into it, our employees love it and so do the patrons," Monteferrante says.
At Madrocks, diners can enjoy a smoke-free dining experience and smokers still can head to an outdoor patio equipped with fireplaces in the winter.
Riverside Perk, 1144 N. Bitting
An excerp from an article by Denise Neil of the Wichita Eagle, 2008
The turning point for Burgandy Dreiling came the day she took a muffin home from Riverside Perk, the popular neighborhood coffeehouse that she manages and her parents own. When she took a bite, something tasted funny - bad funny. After a few seconds, she realized the problem. The muffin tasted like smoke, the same cigarette smoke that has permeated the coffeehouse during its 12 years of business.
"The thing of it is, our coffee shop is more of a healthy, natural type of place," Dreiling said. "But to have the more natural stuff and then have the smoke to go along with it just makes no sense." Dreiling suggested something drastic: turning the Perk - a notorious smokers' haven - into a smoke-free zone. It's a risky move, admits Dreiling, who estimates that as many as 80 percent of the Perk's regulars are smokers. But it's the only move that makes sense to her. "For a nonsmoker to come in and buy a muffin that tastes like smoke - that's not fair to them," Dreiling said.
Other smoke-free successes
The Beacon, 909 E. Douglas - smoke free on the weekends
Rendez-Vous, under construction at 912 E. Douglas - smoke free
Oeno,
Old Town Square - smoke free
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