[Speed Gibson,
Sunday October 16, 2005 at 1:27pm]
Another Restaurant Snuffed Out
The Top Diner in North Minneapolis's Camden neighborhood has closed, another victim of the Smoking Ban. There is no argument on this one.
After moving to a larger, remodeled space last year, they did a nice business as we reguarly patrons observed. With its high ceilings and open arrangement, it handled its smoking trade particularly well, much better than in their old location.
Then came the Smoking Ban. Business immediately dropped by a third per its owners and stayed there until its demise. Before we often had to wait for a table. After, we never waited.
The Top Diner specialized in Costa Rican food, mostly peasant fare. As the Star Tribune recently wrote, it was a bargain, too. I almost always ordered their Pinto Gallo: two eggs, rice, beans, and tortillas. I dare say that's a lot healthier than the omelette, hashbrowns, and sausage plates at Perkins, Denny's, and IHOP.
But no, our lifestyle consultants at Hennepin County couldn't see that larger picture. Remove the insignifcant threat of second-hard smoke, even if it also means removing a demonstrably healthier choice amidst the usual breakfast fare. They probably didn't like the wallpaper, either. It had to go. It did not fit the Hennepin County Experience.
So that makes two of our favorite local "hole in the whole" places to go under. Winter will no doubt finish off a few more.
After moving to a larger, remodeled space last year, they did a nice business as we reguarly patrons observed. With its high ceilings and open arrangement, it handled its smoking trade particularly well, much better than in their old location.
Then came the Smoking Ban. Business immediately dropped by a third per its owners and stayed there until its demise. Before we often had to wait for a table. After, we never waited.
The Top Diner specialized in Costa Rican food, mostly peasant fare. As the Star Tribune recently wrote, it was a bargain, too. I almost always ordered their Pinto Gallo: two eggs, rice, beans, and tortillas. I dare say that's a lot healthier than the omelette, hashbrowns, and sausage plates at Perkins, Denny's, and IHOP.
But no, our lifestyle consultants at Hennepin County couldn't see that larger picture. Remove the insignifcant threat of second-hard smoke, even if it also means removing a demonstrably healthier choice amidst the usual breakfast fare. They probably didn't like the wallpaper, either. It had to go. It did not fit the Hennepin County Experience.
So that makes two of our favorite local "hole in the whole" places to go under. Winter will no doubt finish off a few more.
Maybe you can find on a new place on this list of establishments that have opened in Hennepin County since the ban began.
As you can see, it is a fairly long list.
Bob Moffitt
He doesn't understand a few things, one, there are a lot of restaurants opening and closing each year. It's a tough business. But to make any claims about business effects you have to get aggregate data and compare it to previous data. In all cases I have researched the data shows that smoking bans hurt businesses in aggregate.
His work is propoganda based on logical fallacy. Bod just needs to be called on it more often.