Huckleberries: Patrick woulda sneered at smoke-free Lakers Inn

The late Patrick Jacobs would be spinning in the afterlife if he knew that the hard-boiled Lakers Inn at 407 N. Second St. in Coeur d’Alene had gone smoke-free on New Year’s Day. Patrick, who wrote superb restaurant reviews for this newspaper and his blog, Get Out! North Idaho, predicted in 2012 that a newly installed Smoke-eeter at Lakers “didn’t stand a fighting chance against the hardest of hard-core cig puffers that occupy these barstools from nine o’clock in the morning until two o’clock at night, seven days a week.” The smoke and the attitude and the strong drinks were part of the unpretentious nature of Lakers that Patrick enjoyed. The cigarette smoke isn’t entirely gone, even under the new bar rule, according to Dave Chamberlain of Coeur d’Alene: “You still face the nicotine addict gantlet to get inside. That being said, still an awesome pour at a ridiculous low cost.” Dave said he’ll definitely frequent Lakers more now “because I can breathe.” Patrick would have sneered at the concept/ DFO , Tuesday print Huckleberries. More here. (Photo: Patrick Jacobs)

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