Smokers light up across state line

Some people are traveling from Ohio to Pennsylvania bars where they can smoke.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

SHARON, Pa. — Geno Rossi used to see the same faces day after day at the bar he manages, Our Gang Lounge on Sharpsville Avenue — until Ohio banned smoking.

“There are a couple of [periods of the week] that are really dead and then we started getting people in. We figure they’re coming from Ohio,” Rossi said.

It’s all part of a phenomenon that some Pennsylvania barkeeps are seeing since Ohio authorities started to crack down on the smoking ban passed by voters. The ban prohibits smoking in most public places, including bars.

“Yeah, I’ve heard some people say they’ve come here because they can’t smoke in Ohio,” said John Brent, a bartender at Billy’s Black and Gold, also on Sharpsville Avenue.

The Ohio smokers tend to come over to the sports bar on weekends, he said.

Cathy Dubrasky, owner of the Golden Bear Tavern in West Middlesex, Pa., has been noticing new faces throughout the week too.

Crossing state lines

“We get a lot of people from Hubbard. They’re just as close to here as some of the bars in Hubbard,” she said. The Golden Bear Tavern is about four miles from the state line, she estimates.

The nearby Middlesex Tavern is also seeing an increase, says manager Cindy Sheasley.

“We just had a group of four people come in and say ‘Since we can’t smoke on Ohio, we’ll make this our hangout,’” Sheasley said.

In Lawrence County, Nite Trax Lounge on U.S. Route 224 has seen such an increase that they’ve had to add more bartenders and waitresses to some shifts, said Debi Spincic, a bartender at Nite Trax for 15 years.

Patrons are coming from Boardman, Poland and Struthers to the bar, which is only about an eighth of a mile from the Ohio line.

“There’s a lot of people who come and see the ashtrays and say ‘Thank God we can smoke, we thought we were in Ohio,’” Spincic said.

She estimates business has increased 20 percent to 25 percent since the smoking ban went into effect.

Ohio bars suffer

While Ohio’s smoking ban has been a boon for Pennsylvania bars on the border, it has been a bust for Ohio bars near the state line.

Harry Leftheris has seen a 35-percent drop in business at his tavern in Masury, just yards from the Pennsylvania line.

Ironically, Leftheris is licensed to sell cigarettes and tobacco products in his tavern.

“I’m allowed to sell it here, but you can’t use it here,” he said.

Leftheris said he’s fully supportive of efforts to repeal the smoking ban.

“These people are taking my livelihood away from me,” he said.

Others are experiencing similar problems and no one has seen any increase in business from nonsmokers.

Dave Driscoll, owner of R.P. McMurphy’s Sports Bar and Grill in Brookfield, said the only thing keeping him in business is the large deck he has outside where customers can smoke.

“About 75 percent of my customers are outside now and 25 percent inside,” he said. He expects to put heaters on the deck in the winter to accommodate the smokers.

Losing business

Others aren’t so lucky.

Fred Longely, owner of the State Line Bar and Grille in Brookfield, doesn’t know how much longer he will be in business. He estimates 65 percent to 70 percent of his customers have gone elsewhere.

It’s the same story at the Hollywood Lounge in Brookfield.

“I’ve probably lost 60 percent of my tips,” bartender Tina Capozzoli said.

But the boon for Pennsylvania bars may be short-lived. The Pennsylvania Legislature is considering its own ban on indoor smoking. Several versions of a smoking ban are being studied by the state’s lawmakers.

cioffi@vindy.com