It is hard to say where the students and townies go between nine and two at night since the Junction Eating Place, 816 W. Lincoln Highway, became smoke free.

It has been more than a year since the smoking ban went into effect in the restaurants of DeKalb, and, though the Junction remains basically the same, there are differences that do not take a townie to notice.

Outdoors

“The cigarette butts outside the restaurant have to be cleaned up by the bus boy daily,” said Chris Bahramis, manager of the Junction and son of owner

John Bahramis.

In the aisles

The hanging plants look healthier, the waitresses seem more brisk, and, of course, the air is clearer.

“I used to smoke, but even when I did, it was way too much smoke to breath in everyday at a job,” said Ruth Thompson, four-year veteran waitress at the Junction and senior political science major.

In the old smoking section

“People used to come here only to smoke, it seems,” said Thompson. “There would be the same people who would be here for five hours, drink fifteen cups of coffee, and smoke a pack of cigarettes. I know faces we don’t see anymore, and it’s funny to seat non-smokers where those kids used to sit.”

In the cash register

There were fears that the smoking ban would make too many regular, smoking costumers go to other towns where they could still smoke.

However, Illinois passed the Smoke-Free Illinois Act in July to become a smoke-free state come January.

“We had a change in clientele,” said Bahramis. “We have fewer costumers now, but the place is cleaner. The enthusiasm is mixed.”

Other businesses

“The Junction had a niche with cigarettes, food and coffee,” said Whitney Tamm, waitress at the Junction and senior psychology major. “Now, if people want to smoke inside, they go to the Huka Corner, and if they want coffee, they could go to Starbucks.”

In the seats

Phil Glatz of DeKalb and Crystal Deters of Brookfield sit in what used to be the smoking section in the Junction at midnight.

“I never would have been able to be in this restaurant,” said Deters. “With allergies, I tear up just walking through a smoking section.”

Glatz, a business management alumnus of NIU, has been coming to the Junction for years.

“I’ve got friends who won’t come back,” said Glatz. “It makes me think about the rights of people to smoke or not smoke and the rights of managers to run their own business.”