Two years ago, Saeed Kiblawi opened a hookah lounge in St. Anthony where customers can puff on pipes to sample his Middle Eastern-style tobacco. He applied for a tobacco license with the city, which gave it to him on the condition he upgrade the ventilation in the strip mall space he rents for Flamezz Hookah Lounge.
Yet, city leaders in St. Anthony say they didn't know people would actually be smoking inside, and have now taken Kib- lawi to court to stop people from lighting up.
"We're not trying to get rid of his business; we're trying to get rid of smoking," Council Member Hal Gray said. "We don't allow smoking in bars or any of those establishments, so ... we didn't feel that was reasonable to make any exception in St. Anthony."
Council Member Jim Roth admitted that the city could have been more explicit about its mixed feelings toward Flamezz, but he blames Kiblawi for opening the lounge before the council decided how to deal with hookahs.
To Kiblawi, 32, who moved here from Lebanon 17 years ago, his yearlong battle over his hookah store comes after he's spent about $40,000 on a ventilation system and $150,000 on renovations -- only to have the City Council pass an ordinance that now effectively snuffs out his business.
"I did everything you asked for -- why now you change your mind?" he said.
While state law prohibits smoking indoors, local hookah lounges have typically relied on a provision that allows sampling of tobacco in stores that sell it; cities, however, can outlaw it. In Roseville, the issue came up this month after Kiblawi inquired about relocating his business there; as a result, the City Council also banned tobacco sampling.
In April 2010, when Kiblawi applied for a license in St. Anthony, it was granted with the condition that he install a ventilation system. In June 2010, the council approved the license, but later that same meeting, council members passed a moratorium on issuing more tobacco licenses.
