Inuvik (July 14/03) - Want a cup of coffee at the Sunriser Cafe? You better have ID, because it's adults only in this restaurant.

Rather than forcing patrons to butt out when the town's no-smoking bylaw came into effect July 1, the cafe decided to ban everyone under the age of 19. It's now the only adults-only coffee shop in Canada, according to manager Hans Maurer.

"The Town of Inuvik dictates who can come and who cannot come here," said Maurer.

A non-smoker himself, Maurer said the decision to make the restaurant adults only was simply a good business decision.

"The smoking clientele has supported us all these years and this is the only place they can go," he said.

He expects smoking will soon be banned in all establishments, and said he believes the town should have done that in the first place.

"Knowing all the experiences in the rest of the country, we could have gone non-smoking everywhere," Maurer said. "It would have solved a lot of problems."

Server Emily Rumming hasn't noticed a big difference in business since the cafe closed its door to kids.

"There's nothing to compare it to, because it came into effect July 1 and that's when kids got out of school," Rumming said. "I remember last year at this time it was slow too."

She said there have been a few families turned away, who were a little upset, but she says most of the regulars are pleased with the new arrangement.

A new twist to her job now, is asking people for ID before they can be served.

Gerhardt Erler, manager of the Peppermill Restaurant at the Finto Hotel and the restaurant at the Eskimo Inn, said it's business as usual there.

"There's been no problems," Erler said. "We can't really say if there's been any less business, because it's the tourist season, but so far, it seems okay."

At both hotels, adult customers have the choice of sitting in the restaurant or the lounge, where smoking is allowed.