Clearing the Air: Hermiston bowling alley kicks the habit

Published 5:19 pm Saturday, July 2, 2005

HERMISTON – Some might think owner Lorna Hummell and manager Tom Reed are taking an economic gamble when they make the Desert Lanes bowling alley smoke-free starting Tuesday. But history is on their side.

Bowling alleys – and even bars – around the state that have taken the same plunge have seldom lost business and have most often been rewarded in the long run with more customers. The same is true in states like California and New York, which ban smoking in all workplaces, no exceptions.

“We’ve had quite a bit of both,” Reed said of comments in support of and opposed to the planned ban. He and Hummell decided to start the ban in July, so bowlers would have fair warning before leagues start at the end of summer. Smoking will still be allowed in the lounge.

Reed noted that Desert Lanes already offered smoke-free bowling on Fridays until 6 p.m. and all day Saturday. Plus, “anytime there was a group with lots of kids, like a church group, I encouraged the adults not to smoke.

“Most of them are good about it,” he said, quickly adding, “but when you tell people you can’t ever smoke here again, that’s a little harder to take.”

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Hummell said while she expects some people might not come back in the fall for league bowling, the alley will likely attract new customers.

That’s been the case with most bowling alleys in Oregon that have gone nonsmoking.

The Premier Bowl in Redmond has been smoke-free for a year and recently added its lounge to the ban.

A heart attack helped inspire co-owner Patti Sundita. She attributed the attack to years of smoking and the smoke-filled air she was exposed to at work. She said the ban was for the health of other employees and its customers as well.

“Bowling is an activity families can participate in together, and we felt family outings shouldn’t have to be dangerous,” she said.

Some customers threatened not to return, but overall, the response has been “amazing” since the change was made, manager Brett Eddy said.

Gene Osborne, who made the Canby Bowl a smoke-free zone four years ago, said he lost about 20 bowlers initially but has gained new customers “ten-fold” because of the family atmosphere.

Wilsonville Lanes draws customers from many miles away because of its smoke-free atmosphere, its manager said.

Health concerns prompted Hummell to make the change. She’s suffered from asthma for years but didn’t want to give up the business her parents built. She said people have told her they would go bowling with their kids if there was no smoking.

Under Oregon law, smoking has been outlawed in all workplaces since 2001 – except bars, bowling alleys and bingo halls. The law also prohibits local governments from overruling those exemptions at the polls. Corvallis and Eugene voted to go completely smoke-free before the Legislature acted.

That means unless the state alters the law, which isn’t likely anytime soon, it’s up to owners like Hummell to extend the smoke-free workplace rules.

Bars in Corvallis and Eugene have not only survived the smoking ban, but many have prospered from it, according to several studies and news surveys. The fact that only 23 percent of Oregon adults smoke, according to the state Department of Human Services, helps explain that.

Still, the prospect of bars banning smoking on their own is slim, although some owners and managers are intrigued by the idea or resigned to eventually being required to make that move.

Rogena Olson, owner of Cadillac Jack in Pendleton, formerly Shakers, would like to make her bar smoke-free but said it’s probably not practical economically until it’s a requirement for all bars. Consequently, she would like the Legislature to delete the non-smoking exemptions.

“I think it’s terrible that 75 percent of the people don’t smoke” but the workplace rules don’t apply to all businesses. “I’m looking forward to banning smoking some day,” she said.

The restaurant portion of the business is non-smoking from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.,when family dining is offered. The evenings are “a lot of fun” at Cadillac Jack, she said, “but I don’t come around because of the smoke.” If she does, it sparks her asthma and allergies, she added.

Amy Horning, manager of Midway Tavern in Hermiston, said smoking isn’t an issue at the bar because customers know what to expect. “Plus, we have good air ventilation, so it’s not a real smoky atmosphere anyway.”

But since the trend around the country is increasingly smoke-free, Horning said she expects, eventually, “it will probably all go non-smoking.”

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