Last week, Tobacco Road Sports Cafe opened to a lot of chatter.
This week, they are no longer relying solely on their blog but have launched a full website with images, menus, a meet the chef and owners section as well as photos and information on how to hold an event in the restaurant. The website was designed by NCSU Design School Student David Link.
photo by Karen Crow from Tobacco Road
great logo!
Another non-smoking establishment opening up. Another one I have no plans for patronizing. Apparently they came to this conclusion after taking a poll? Yeah, internet polls are never hijacked, right?
This place lost 15 customers last night…probably for good. The owners clearly don’t understand that we live on ‘Tobacco Road” and its not just a catchy bar title.
How do you open a bar with this title in the heart of ACC basketball country, arguably the heart of college basketball, nationally, by many measures and on a night where TWO of the local teams are playing, do you choose to broadcast the audio of an NFL game over the basketball games?
Its not like Washington, Carolina, or even Atlanta were playing. It was Minnesota and Philadelphia…are you kidding me?
This is what happens when transplants move to North Carolina and think they can slap a catchy title on a bar but clearly don’t understand the history of college basketball in North Carolina…at all.
Furthermore, creme colored sheetrock with TVs is far from character. How do you not at the very least hang a few replica jerseys of Wake Forest, North Carolina State, North Carolina, or Duke?
A major disappointment. 15 lost customers at an average tab of $20-$30/each equals $500 in lost revenue in 1 night alone, probably for good. This money really could have helped actually make the place look like you understand what Tobacco Road really is…..
Well also how do you capitalize on the tobacco heritage of this region, include tobacco in the name of the restaurant, and then forbid its use on premises? I predict failure.
Frankly, the ‘non-smoking’ aspect was the only thing i did like, which was a draw in the first place but the rest was so overwhelmingly disappointing, that it tainted that one plus.
Considering they just opened they are doing a lot more right than wrong. Good to great food, love that you choose your own side, staffed correctly and excellant service. They are very customer focused so I am sure they will work through issues like Joe described.
Jeebus, Magnus—go smoke outside or don’t patronize the place. Just don’t bitch that they won’t let you in.
If I don’t bitch about it, they won’t know that they are turning customers away by not having a segregated and ventilated smoking area. I’ll happily patronize the establishments that do value my business.
I think they expect a certain amount of business to be lost from smoking customers. My guess is they are wagering they’ll attract more biz from non-smokers that way. It’s their decision, man.
Since almost 80% of adults don’t smoke and damn near 100% breathe, having a non-smoking business is a very shrewd business decision. Having a nonsmoking section of a restaurant works about as well as a nonpeeing section of a smimming pool.
My guess is MMI is right, here. I’m sure the smoking/nonsmoking decision was reasoned through. I think businesses are seeing the writing on the wall when it comes to this issue.
Magnus, you would probably be better off engaging the owners in a discussion about your concerns rather than just posting comments on a blog. The fiancee of one of the owners commented on the other post on this site, as well as posted on the restaurant’s blog about the decisions they made. I think that bringing your concerns directly to the source would be more satisfying for you, but I doubt that you’ll get them to change their minds. There is a lot of money to be made at a non-smoking establishment because there is a large market of non-smokers out there who do not wish to submit themselves to someone else’s deadly choices.
I must ask if you do not patronize other excellent establishments, such as Moonlight Pizza, just because they won’t allow you to smoke?
I might be splitting hairs here, but I don’t think any of these places specifically forbid *tobacco* use on the premises, but rather they forbid *smoking* specifically. There is a big difference between someone using smokeless tobacco products because their decision to use such products does not affect the health of those who choose not to use them.
^^ Deb, I’m pretty certain you can smoke at the bar at Moonlight.
For every potential customer that doesn’t go due to the smoke-free atmosphere, they’ll probably get a net gain of 1-2 nonsmoking customers who will be overjoyed to finally find a bar in Raleigh that’s smoke-free. (For godsake I still can’t figure out why they’re so rare here.)
I know I’ve never bothered visiting their other place, Amra’s, cuz I know the stench of cigars would make me puke all over their floors. So voila…they’re offering a choice—one smoky, one non. I look forward to trying the latter very soon.
As for joe’s complaint about which sports games are showing, it sounds like they simply need to be brought up to speed on which games appeal to the locals. I wouldn’t give up on them yet for that…like susie says, those issues can be worked out.
You know, as far as “sports” bars goes, nothing comes close to Players Retreat.
If you like marinating in stale smoke.
Just had this discussion with the employees last night—PR’s is NOT a sports bar. Unless you’re sitting just downwind of a smoker, Carcy, it’s a helluva joint. A good dive is hard to find, ya know.
I was so excited about this bar when I saw it under construction. There were so many great possibilities for this. A really nice sports bar named tobacco road to pay tribute to the great sports of our region. I visited last night and was completely let down to see that the name was the only cool part of this bar. This could be any restaurant on Glenwood. It is just a big clean room with TVs everywhere. I like the multiple viewing angles but there is no sign of character in the entire place.
As far as the food is concerned I was extremely let down. I have never seen smaller wings in my life. We had a friend from out of town and I was truly embarrassed. I got the East Carolina BBQ sandwich. This was the worst BBQ sandwich I have ever seen. IT was chopped into tiny cubes of pork and had no seasoning at all. They gave me some vinegar with pepper flakes in it to put on it. Is this a joke? This is NOT Eastern NC BBQ. Oh but don’t worry you can get a tomato sandwich for $7. It is a slice of tomato with mayo!
I guess this bar is really more for people who want to sip their martinis and have sports in the back ground while they talk about where they are from.
On a side note I liked the nonsmoking and as crowded as it was the service was great.
I highly doubt they give a rats butt about the loss of joes business because he cant be bothered to walk outside and smoke on the patio. Especially since its been packed in there almost every night…i cant imagine what it would be like with smoke
I love this place for sports, it’s a nice place where guys can watch the game and we girls can also have drinks and talk. But the food is terrible. I love the idea that they made the menu different than your typical sports bar, but the food really wasn’t that good. So as a sports bar, I give it an “A”, as a restaurant I give it a “D”—- I won’t be ordering food again
That’s odd—I actually go there specifically for the food sometimes. That’s not to say I haven’t had disappointments (the duck confit flautas sound great, but are so tiny as to be insulting), but my overall experience there has been outstanding. It’s definitely better than your typical chicken fingers & burgers sports menu.
222 Glenwood Ave
Raleigh, NC
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