News
Cigar business owner wants to bring sales outdoors
Monday, August 19, 2013
ketv.com (Omaha)
A local cigar business owner wants to take his sales outside his Old Market store, but some hope his plan goes up in smoke.
Chaz Kline, owner of SG Rio, discussed with the Omaha City Council about creating a temporary tobacco license ordinance.
"The way the city ordinance is written, the tobacco license is restrictive to the actual physical location," Kline said.
If approved, it would allow for a six-day special permit for retail sales of cigars and cigarettes. The city would charge a fee of $25 a day.
"We've been asked multiple occasions over the years to provide cigars for an event. Either come out and roll cigars or come out and provide cigars," Kline said.
Mark Welsch, president of the Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution or GASP, thinks the new ordinance should go up in smoke.
"Creating an ordinance specifically to allow more tobacco to be sold tells everybody, especially our little kids, smoking is OK," Welsch said. "They could set up a stand outside of a playground in our city parks. They could set it up in Gallagher Pool if they wanted to. Where does it end?"
Welsch said events, such as Jazz on the Green or the recent MAHA Festival, should be family friendly, not filled with second-hand smoke.
"I don't think it needs to get worse. If anything, I think we should ban smoking in all of our parks," Welsch said.
Kline said he just wants to extend his business temporarily when he's asked to provide cigars for fundraisers or other events and do it legally.
