On Weddings & Smoking

Let me introduce myself. My name is Amy and I work at Tobacco Road as a hostess. I also help the Amra boys with advertising and marketing for Tobacco Road. In addition, as of next month, I’ll be the newest member of the Amra family. I am engaged to Rommie Amra, the youngest (and also the handsomest, kindest, etc.—but that is for another post) of the Amra brothers.

Given the recent opening of Tobacco Road and the impending nuptials it has been a stressful time for all of us, but for me there has been a common theme. Compromise. Or, really, the complete inability to make everyone happy no matter how hard you try. As wedding planning and online commentary on Tobacco Road escalate this week I can’t help but ask myself—which is more challenging: a) Trying to plan a multicultural wedding in such a way that both families are happy or b) Trying to open a non-smoking restaurant called Tobacco Road in the heart of tobacco country in such a way that smokers and non-smokers are happy. The jury is still out.

But, communication is always the key to compromise, right? And I feel partly to blame for not previously doing a better job of communicating on this subject. So, let me try to clarify a few things, divided into the following topics and actual steps that led to the decision to be a non-smoking restaurant and bar.
· Step 1: The Name
· Step 2: The Logo
· Step 3: The Poll

I know that this explanation certainly won't silence the critics. That is not the goal. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It is just that, an explanation.