COLUMBIA - City restaurants are gearing up for next week's non-smoking switch.
One smoker says this change may motivate him to quit smoking.
"Honestly, I kind of like it because as a bartender I won't have all the smoke in my face when I come to work, and at the same time I would like to quit myself," said Heidelberg bartender Jeramiah Soles. "So it might help me out a little bit not smoking at work."
The Grand Cru restaurant will celebrate the night before the ban by smoking cigars and opening a bottle of vintage wine.
"The city proclaims no more smoking, which is the law, and we're going to abide by the letter of the law, but we can have one last fling," said Grand Cru's owner George Liggett.
Business owners say while there may be a hit on business, they don't expect customers to disappear along with the ashtrays. The Columbia City Council voted 4-3 in favor of the smoking ban on October 10.