Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 31, 1993 TAG: 9307310097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Rush Rooms have sprouted across the country in reaction to Rush Limbaugh's popular midday radio talk show. Restaurants dedicate a room for people who want to listen to Limbaugh with lunch.
WFNR-AM, a Christiansburg radio station, began carrying the Limbaugh show from noon to 3 p.m. July 5. Last week, the restaurant began advertising the Rush Room.
By Thursday, the restaurant was advertising that effective today, the Rush Room is discontinued. The Rush Room was in a separate dining area so those who didn't want to listen to the radio show didn't have to.
Friday at 2 p.m., there were four people in the Rush Room and they were either related to WFNR owners or had a connection to the radio station.
A waitress said she had had seven tables during lunch. Thursday, only two people showed up to have lunch while listening to Limbaugh.
It is unclear why the Rush Room was canceled after only a week, although there was speculation that there were complaints from people who find Limbaugh politically incorrect. His favorite theme is bashing liberals, President Clinton and Clinton's Democratic administration.
David Leinwand, owner of the Farmhouse, said Friday he was busy with meetings and could not talk until Monday.
A woman who admitted calling to complain to the Farmhouse said she didn't want to talk to the newspaper.
Bob Travis, co-owner of WFNR, said his salespeople are talking to other New River Valley restaurants about establishing more Rush Rooms.
"The Rush Room at the Farmhouse was kind of an introduction," Travis said. "I give David [Leinwand] a lot of credit for giving it a shot because [Limbaugh] is controversial."
Some of the other restaurants that are considering becoming Rush Rooms concentrate on lunchtime crowds, while the Farmhouse's bread and butter is dinner-and-banquet business, Travis said.
According to "Restaurant Business" magazine, Limbaugh's incendiary brand of commentary has had a mixed influence on the business of bistros that have a Rush Room.
Rush Rooms have attracted business to some restaurants and repelled it from others, the magazine says.
Travis said some restaurants only promote a Rush Room once a week instead of every day.
Staff writer Robert Freis contributed to this story.
Memo: story ran on C3 in the Metro edition.