Bar owners react to statewide smoking ban

Smoking
Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the statewide smoking ban into law Wednesday morning outside an Eagan restaurant. Minnesota will outlaw smoking in bars, restaurants and other establishments starting Oct. 1, 2007.
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

The statewide ban has received increased attention since individual cities and counties enacted their own bans. Some business owners argued that a patchwork approach would drive their customers to places that had no ban.

Once the law takes effect this fall, the state's bar and restaurant owners will be operating on similar footing, but those who own border-town establishments are concerned about loosing customers across state lines.

MPR's Greta Cunningham spoke with two Minnesota bar owners about the new law.