Pedestrians walk along Block Avenue near The Lightbulb Club on Thursday.
Photos by Todd Gill, Flyer staff
One of the smokier clubs in downtown Fayetteville might not be smoky for much longer.
Owners of The Lightbulb Club, located at 19 N. Block Ave., this week announced on Facebook that they’re “giving serious consideration” to becoming a non-smoking bar.
“We’re starting to feel like it might be a good idea in general,” the post read. “We know some are pro, some are against, but given the tight quarters, we’re leaning towards going non-smoking.”
Most of the feedback has been positive since then, and club owner Wade Ogle said on Thursday he’s ready to at least test the waters beginning Monday, Feb. 4.
“We’re going to give it a shot, and see if it’s one of those things that just looks good on Facebook, or if people will really get behind the idea,” he said.
Ogle, who was one of the more vocal opponents of a failed proposal that would’ve banned smoking in all Fayetteville bars two years ago, said that while he’s interested in experimenting with going non-smoking at his club, his feelings about a city-wide ban have not changed.
“I still think that as rational adults, we should be able to make that decision for our businesses, based on the needs and wants of our clientele,” he said.
Ogle said he would reserve the right to “bend the rules” to allow customers to smoke inside the club during cases of extreme cold weather, for example.
“I don’t know if it will be permanent, or if it will last a month, or what” he said. “We’re ready to try it, and see how it goes.”
I know I’d be more happy going there if they do.
I don’t go there often, but seems more of a smoking crowd place.
Members of the smoking crowd should still be able to assuage their nicotine addictions by licking the walls. Maybe the Lightbulb Club could market this as a smoking-cessation aid and have it made eligible for insurance coverage. It could be a great additional income stream.
I don’t go anywhere that there is smoking. It would be nice to have more options for entertainment that are smoke-free.
I didn’t know that there was still anyplace that was smoking, I thought it was bant. Good to hear that the options are still open, score one for business owner’s prerogative.
The smoking ban is for restaurants with the primary (only?) distinction between restaurant or bar being the percentage of revenue coming from food sales vs alcohol sales.
When it gets crowded in there, it feels like I’m inside of a cigarette.
I’m glad their doing this. They’ll have to be smoke free for years though before the smell smoke and hipster perspiration fades away.
The word hipster may currently be the least meaningful word in the English language.
Hipsters don’t sweat? What does hipster perspiration smell like– Axe? Old Spice? Bay Rum? Hai Karate?
I guess they’ll need a sodium-content warning on the walls.
PBR, Pall Malls, and mothballs.