Up in smoke

When Insomnia Bar and Grill started renting hookahs three years ago, the option made Insomnia unique.

Now with Insomnia's recent decision to eliminate hookah rentals, the opportunity has gone up in smoke.

Elgaily Elawad, owner of Insomnia, said he had to do what was right for his business.

The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board paid Insomnia a visit after a complaint that Insomnia was allowing 18-year-olds to smoke, which is illegal in the state of Alabama.

"It's hard to control it," Elawad said. "People come here to smoke hookah, eat and hang out, and I took their ID because they have to be 19, but people have friends that are 18 so I guess they smoke hookah with them."

Elawad not only owns Insomnia, but also cooks, so he said it is hard for him to know who exactly is smoking outside when he is cooking inside.

"I can't see them," Elawad said. "I tell people, 'Please don't let anybody under 19 smoke hookah with you guys.' They say, 'Yeah, yeah, we won't do that,' but I guess they do it."

If an 18-year-old customer purchases food with someone that is 19 or older, Elawad said he couldn't tell them not to sit together.

"If they purchase food, they have the right to sit here," Elawad said.

However, Elawad said the ABC Board told him if he continued to rent hookahs, and they found someone under 19 smoking, he would be fined $700.

"That is a lot of money," Elawad said. "I can't take the risk."

Elawad said he told the ABC board to fine the underage people smoking, not him.

"Why give me the ticket?" Elawad said. "I didn't sell it to him. I sold it to a person that is 19."

Unfortunately for Elawad, the ABC board doesn't see it that way.

Elawad said they told him he was responsibly for the things that happen on his premises.

One option that other states have used is renting hookah inside with the food.

"In Georgia they do and in Florida they do...but here in Alabama, the health department won't allow food and smoking inside," Elawad said.

The only option left for Elawad was to ban hookah rental altogether or pay the ABC board's fines.

Elawad said he thinks his business will be fine without the hookahs.

"We are still selling the tobacco and hookah," Elawad said. "Hopefully that can cover the short of selling the hookah outside."

For some customers, as long as Insomnia continues selling hookah products they will still eat there.

Caroline Day, junior in health administration, said she usually goes to Insomnia at least twice a month to buy supplies for her own hookah and grab a bite to eat while she is there.

For some without their personal hookah, Insomnia is no longer of interest to them.

"The only reason I used to go was because they had hookah," said Marcus Robinson, freshman in mechanical engineering. "Now that they aren't selling it anymore, I probably won't end up going there as much anymore."

Even though they sell food, Robinson said he doesn't have the money in his budget to spend eating out at restaurants.

He could afford to rent a hookah because it only cost $6.95, and it could be split between a group.

"It's kind of a bummer," Robinson said. "That was the only place that I know of (that rents hookah)."

Although Insomnia stopped renting hookahs, Elawad said his business is still doing well.

"They love the food because nobody has this kind of food in this town," Elawad said. "Nobody else has gyros, baba ghanoush and hummus."