The NWA Tobacco Free Coalition Honors Maxine’s Tap Room - June 30th, 2011
The Northwest Arkansas Tobacco Free Coalition recently honored Maxine’s Tap Room as the 2011 NWA Smoke-Free Business of the Year. The Fayetteville, Arkansas business was honored for protecting its’ employees and patrons from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Maxine’s Tap Room was founded in 1950, by Maxine Miller, and is still known as a Fayetteville institution, located on Block Street. Maxine was a fixture in her taproom, often sitting on her stool, ready for conversation, and mostly likely, a cigarette in her hand. “Maxine worked in the bar most of her life until the decline of her health in early 2000. Very few people knew she was diagnosed with emphysema in her late 60’s, which was likely a direct result from her many years of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke,” said Andrea Foren, Maxine’s great niece. Foren assumed ownership of the taproom after Maxine’s death in 2006. A fire, resulting from an unattended burning cigarette, left the bar damaged shortly after it reopened. In May of 2010, Foren took the steps to make Maxine’s Tap Room smoke-free. “It was exactly four years after her death, and I did it in honor of her,” Foren continued.
Maxine’s Tap Room joins four other smoke-free bars in Fayetteville, including: Smoke & Barrel, Sideways, Dickson Street Pub and Speakeasy. “I was excited to hear of Andrea’s decision to make Maxine’s smoke-free. Not only do smoke-free policies protect patrons and employees from secondhand smoke, it encourages people to quit smoking,” said Tyler Clark, Project Coordinator for the NWA Tobacco Free Coalition. Foren concurred, “I am very passionate about smoke free environments. Not only does it protect my heath, it also protects the health of my employees and will hopefully encourage my thirsty patrons to stop smoking.”
