Restaurant Matchbooks Survive Smoking Bans

by Sara Bonisteel, Posted Oct 21st 2009 @ 3:00PM

You can't keep a good freebie down.

Despite smoking bans at restaurants in cities across the country, the restaurant matchbook is experiencing a "fragile renaissance" of sorts, the New York Times reports.

"When a state or municipality imposes a ban, we see a hesitation in reordering and a fall-off in new business," Mark Nackman, the owner and president of AdMatch, an importer based in New York City told the Times. "Then the volumes start to creep back up, so that within a year or so we see some resurgence in statewide sales. Matches have universal appeal, and that's the mystery -- that one little package could resonate with familiarity, maybe beauty and a feeling of value."

It helps that they're highly collectible. Do you have a matchbook collection or have a favorite matchbook from your dining travels? Spill it in the comments.

[Via New York Times]

Filed Under: Business, Trends, Food News, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants
Tags: advertising, matchbook, matches, new york times, NewYorkTimes, restaurant advertising, restaurant matchbook, RestaurantAdvertising, RestaurantMatchbook

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-21-2009 @10:44PM ALB said... Yes, I do have a collection, and I was saddened when at Le Marais, I thought I picked up a match book and it was paper harumph.

I like restaurant matches to light candles when I am ahem... entertaining. I'm glad that they are sticking around.
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11-04-2009 @9:32AM jfr said... I have matchbooks all over the house in glass jars. And, don't forget www.matchbooktraveler.com, which lists some places around the world that still have matchbooks with their names.
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1-03-2010 @11:53AM Robert Provencal said... I have over a 100 matchbooks collected from restaurants over the years. I would like to sell them.
Any ideas?
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