Smoking or nonsmoking?

(Credit: Sam Riche / Metromix)

While Indy’s leaders, businesses and patrons fume on both sides of a proposed smoking ban, more local bars are taking it upon themselves to clear the air.

Some, like Brothers Bar and Grille in Broad Ripple, have gone totally smoke-free. Others — Landsharks, for example — have chosen to give up one night of smoke a week (“Kick Butt Thursdays”).

Since early March, the Vogue has made all ticketed concerts nonsmoking, and Matt Schwegman, entertainment director, said the response has been “99 percent positive.”

“We’ve had more people coming back to the club saying ‘Thank you. I couldn’t come to shows here before because it was too smoky,’.” he said.

But they’re not ready to ban cigarettes from the club altogether, he said.

“There’s still some of that old-school thinking that the smokers are going to be so upset about it that you’re afraid to pull the trigger,” he said.

Lindsay Grace, campaign coordinator for Smoke-Free Indy, is trying to change that perception. She and her group continue to petition the City-County Council for a citywide ban.

“They’re thinking, ‘We’re going to go out of business if we go smoke-free,’” she said. “Brothers is a shining example in this city of what a smoke-free business can do.”

THEY QUIT SMOKING
Brothers Bar and Grille, 902 Broad Ripple Ave.
Cloud 9 Bar and Grille, 5150 W. 38th St.
Deano’s Vino Restaurant and Wine Bar, 1112 Shelby St.
Hard Rock Café, 49 S. Meridian St.
Jillian’s, 141 S. Meridian St.
The Music Mill, 3720 E. 82nd St.
Radio Radio, 1119 Prospect St.
The Rathskeller, 401 E. Michigan St.
Rick’s Café Boatyard, 4050 Dandy Trail
Scotty’s Brewhouse, 3905 E. 96th St.
Source: takenote.tv

E-SMOKES
How are some people getting away with “smoking” in a smoke-free bar? They’re puffing on electronic cigarettes, which mimic the real thing, down to the red glowing tip. Some have nicotine in them (in varying strengths), but none have tobacco or other harmful chemicals. A vaporizer inside the tiny gadget lets out a real puff of smoke. At $89-$150 each, though, these babies will cost you a few cartons’ worth of dough. Info: ecigarettesusa.com, smokingeverywhere.com, e-cig.com.