Smoking ban spells the end for pub grub

ST. PETERSBURG -- About 2:15 p.m. Friday, Tom Sadlier walked through the door of the establishment at 2329 28th St. N and made a bit of history.

His order -- potato chips and a grilled cheese sandwich -- was the last food served by a restaurant that is becoming just a bar, in part because of the hassles of dealing with the coming ban on smoking.

Sadlier, who is 59, had been eating at the restaurant for 10 years, when it was Hot Dog Heaven and then when the name was changed to Dooly's Pub in 2001. No more, because that newest name now carries a new mission -- no food, just drinks.

He has seen three owners run the restaurant. Although the latest, Janet McCann-Dooly, changed the name to Dooly's Pub, she only recently decided to close the kitchen.

"I stopped promoting the food business when I heard about the smoking ban," said McCann-Dooly, who added that her food business was already struggling before Amendment 6 passed in November. The amendment prohibits smoking in restaurants and other indoor workplaces. McCann-Dooly bought the restaurant/bar a year and a half ago with plans to expand and lease the space next door to run a catering business.

When business started to decline, McCann-Dooly planned to aggressively seek a bigger clientele. Then she learned of the smoking ban.

"I finally said, 'Okay, I give up,' " choosing to leave her bar open without serving food.

Other owners plan on waiting until July 1, the deadline given to enforce the amendment. About 70 percent of Florida voters said "yes" to the amendment in November, but the Legislature won't actually implement the amendment until it meets in March.

Tim Ziegler, owner of Coach's Bar & Grill at 4685 28th St. N, plans to wait until then.

The amendment prohibits tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces. It allows exceptions in private households unless they provide commercial child, adult or health care. It also provides exceptions for retail tobacco shops, designated smoking guest rooms in hotels and public lodging establishments, and stand-alone bars.

"It's not clear," Ziegler said. "It would be helpful if they'd let us know the guidelines and rules." He points out that the amendment needs to be more specific when defining "stand-alone bar" and other terms.

For now, Ziegler has cut his food menu to one daily special, fries, cheese sticks and drinks.

Back at Dooly's, customers are disappointed to hear the kitchen has to close because of the smoking ban.

"I think it's ridiculous," Sadlier said.

"It was clear what they were trying to get at when they passed the amendment, but now there's too many question marks with it. It's going to take a lot of hashing out to make sure it's down correctly."

-- Times researcher Kitty Bennett contributed to this report.

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