Café Centraal goes nonsmoking

Two months prior to the implementation of the state of Wisconsin’s smoking ban, Diablos Rojos Restaurant Group announced its restaurants would go “smoke-free” effective May 17.

In Bay View, this means that the inside of Café Centraal, 2306 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., is now nonsmoking.

Diablos Rojos co-owner Mike Eitel said customer complaints about secondhand smoke have been ticking up since Governor Doyle signed smoking ban legislation in 2009.

“We’ve definitely noticed that our customers have become more and more vocal about their disgust with secondhand smoke” said Eitel, who added that the overwhelming majority of restaurant customers now expect smoke-free air while dining. “We have been reading feedbacks for the last couple of years and have seen a significant change in customer attitudes.

“I think that people used to tolerate indoor smoking in restaurants because they had to. Now that the bill has been signed and the new law goes into effect soon, a huge majority of customers simply won’t tolerate it any longer,” Eitel said.

Eitel also noted that the group is pleased with a surprise byproduct of going smoke-free-less noise pollution. “We will be able to remove our huge, noisy smoke ‘eating’ machines, which means our music doesn’t have to overpower the motors and people don’t have to talk over the music-it’s a noticeable difference when those things get turned on at night.”

Diablos Rojos Restaurant Group locations include Café Centraal, Café Hollander on Downer Avenue and in the Tosa Village, and Trocadero on N. Water Street.

Smoking will still be permitted outside and on the restaurant’s patio.

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