Hookah bar approved by Newark zoning board
NEWARK— Two local men hoping to build a hookah lounge in Newark received approval from the Newark Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday to continue the project.
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The board ruled that the lounge, which will be at 143 S. 30th St., could be considered a place of assembly in a medium intensity business district and is permitted under the city’s zoning code.
The lounge, which will be called Braison’s Hookah Lounge, will have the atmosphere of a coffee shop, but instead of coming for food and drinks, patrons will come to smoke hookah, said co-owner Adam Gregg.
A hookah is a long stemmed water pipe that is used to smoke flavored tobacco.
“It’s been a tradition in the Middle East for hundreds of years but it’s just come to America in the last 10 years,” Gregg said.
Hookah tobacco is only 20 to 30 percent tobacco, and the rest is fruit juices and molasses.
The tobacco is only .05 percent nicotine and is not addictive, Gregg said.
“It’s very relaxing,” said co-owner Brandon Bowman. “It will be a place where people can congregate and do homework; it’s a real chill atmosphere to escape the daily grind.”
The lounge will not fall under the Ohio smoking ban because 80 percent of its profits will come from selling tobacco, Gregg said.
Cigarette and cigar smoking won’t be allowed in the lounge.
The lounge will charge $12 to smoke a hookah and $6 for refills. They will also offer tobaccoless hookahs.
Hookah lounges have been very popular on college campuses, and Gregg and Bowman hope to attract the 18-to-25 age group.
“We’re expecting students from COTC, OSU-Newark, Zanesville and Mount Vernon,” Gregg said. “Kids drive all the way to Columbus to do this, but now they won’t have to.”
If everything goes well with the Newark Building Code Department, the lounge should open on Oct. 30, Gregg said
The owners have been passing out fliers on campuses and using Facebook and MySpace to get the word out.
“I’m scared for the opening. I’ve got a feeling we are going to be slammed with customers,” Gregg said.
For more information call (740) 348-0111 or visit myspace.com/braisonshookahlounge
BY ANNA SUDAR, October 22, 2009
Kent Mallett contributed to this story.
