Smoking ban kills business, owner auctions it at eBay

[Buffler]

Hotel, Club Owner Turning To Internet To Net A Sale

You've probably seen the commercials, showing what you can do on eBay. Well, with a click of the mouse, you could add buying hotels and nightclubs.The owner is closing up shop because of the state smoking ban, and he's tuning to the online auction site to net a new owner.

Hotel Oneida is for sale, so folks worldwide can check it out on eBay. They can also bid on it, with an asking price of $350,000. Richard Pfhol, the owner, is selling this property, which features, among other things, two bars, because customers there can no longer light up.
"My biz is down, 50/60 percent that was during the slow part, now were going into the slow, it's not worth staying open," said Pfhol.
Pfhol says he's using eBay because the web site reaches so many people.

But he's not stopping at selling off the hotel. He's also selling Pfhol's Beach House, a waterfront nightclub and bar located in Sylvan Beach. That property is going for $750,000. On eBay, you can check out pictures of the property, and a description which draws attention to the location.

Full story:
http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=1597530&nav=2aKDKAc7

He is planning on opening in Florida. Someone tell this guy Florida just banned smoking too!

[aquart]

1. He's full of it.

Every restaurant and bar in NY that had a tiny no-smoking section had to expand it. People who had given up going out, rejoined the nightlife.

He might want to explore some other reasons he can't keep his customers.