LEBANON — Wild Bill’s New American Grille, 20 E. Silver St., has closed its doors permanently, and its owner says the smoking ban played a significant role in the closing.

“We’re heartbroken about it,” said Bill Schroeder, who operated the restaurant with his wife Gayle.

The Schroeders first closed their restaurant briefly in February 2007, blaming a one-two punch of a mandated hike in minimum wage and the smoking ban that took effect in January 2007 and which, Schroeder said, cost him about 30 percent of his business. But based on e-mails and pleas from customers, the couple reopened the restaurant in the spring.

After the smoking ban took effect, “We never saw a lot of our smokers again,” he said. “I expected families to pick up after the ban, but I didn’t see too much of that.”

The restaurant closed March 1.

Source: Dayton Daily News. Link

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