Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Restaurant imposes own smoking ban

Owner concerned about specifics of city proposal

By CAROLYN CARY
ccary@TheCitizenNews.com

The Huddle House in Peachtree City has been in place for over 10 years and has allowed smoking for most of that time.

Current owner Mimi Gentilini purchased the business eight years ago and was concerned at the number of teenagers smoking on the premises. A cigarette machine was housed in the entryway.

When she observed a 12-year-old smoking in the restaurant, her mind was made up. While it was producing a good revenue, Gentilini felt it was not setting a good example and had the machine removed.

The New Jersey native has lived in Peachtree City for 17 years and at one time was a heavy smoker herself. She quit smoking 22 years ago when she started her family.

In March of this year she decided to go totally nonsmoking, and a green decal at the entrance announces this fact. When asked how many people let her know they would never be back, Gentilini said fewer than six. Now new customers are taking the place of those plus many more new ones.

“Teenagers are still coming in before and after school, but they are doing their homework instead of smoking,” she said. “I support several school projects, among them the McIntosh High School card discount program, the McIntosh Touchdown Club, and the school cheerleaders and football program. I also sponsor a girls softball league.”

But she is concerned about a proposed citywide public smokin ban, and particularly by wording in a letter dated June 2, 2004 she received from the city of Peachtree City concerning a workshop today at 6 p.m. It said, in part, that if a smoking ban ordinance were passed it would “prohibit smoking in all enclosed public places in Peachtree City ... and within 25 feet of buildings where smoking is not permitted. Proposed penalties include a $50 fine for a person smoking in a designated ‘non-smoking’ area, and imposes fines on businesses failing to comply with the ordinance from $100 for a first violation to $500 and suspension of any licenses held for the third or more violations within one year.”

“In the first place, am I supposed to run out in my parking lot and chase people away?” Gentilini asked. “And what if someone decides they don’t want the Huddle House as competition, and deliberately smokes outside my door? I would like to know who and how this ordinance would be enforced.”

She added, “I believe that nonsmoking buildings should be a market-driven situation. Let business owners decide individually as to maintaining a smoking or nonsmoking facility. If the nonsmoking facilities were recognized, more business owners would also volunteer to go in that direction.”