On Thursday, May 3, Brady Street icon, The Nomad World Pub, celebrates a "grand reopening" with its new "super clean air."  Beginning at 6 p.m. Owner Mike Eitel says, "Good bye to 12 years of smoky air and limited tap lines. We say hello to the best air-handling system available and 24 micro and imported beers on tap."  

Eitel says to celebrate the "new air," they'll have free finger food and specials on "the coldest, freshest beers a human can desire."

The Nomad, 1401 E Brady St., didn't have to close long for the work -- less than two full days.

"We have been open while we repair things: paint, plaster, jackhammer and such," said Eitel.  "We only had to shut her down late Sunday night (around 2 a.m.) after an unbelievably busy day and got it open about five minutes after Manchester United vs. AC Milan kicked off their Champions League semifinal at 2 p.m. today (April 24).  Not bad -- only closed for 36 hours!"

With a smoking ban looming, we asked Eitel a few questions.  

OMC: How long did it take to install the new system?

Mike Eitel: "It's been a few weeks now, we've also added a massive walk-in cooler to provide 24 beers on tap (instead of 15).

OMC: What can people expect at The Nomad?
   
ME: Here is The Nomad's "pub goers' bill of rights:"

All pub goers shall:

• Have the right to enjoy clean, fresh air.
• Have the right to enjoy a wide variety of fresh, cold beers.
• Have the right to choose whether to smoke or not to smoke.
• Have the right to enjoy fabulous service with a smile.
  

Expect that smokers and non-smokers alike will not go home smelling like an ashtray. We will be using a system that replaces 100 percent of the air with outside air, six times an hour! 

Basically, people with giant hair may want to steer clean of the air duct so they don't get sucked into it.  Also, the joint is going through its first major cleanup/overhaul since I opened it in 1995.  That project is on-going but should be wrapped up by our "grand reopening"  (even though we are only shutting down for a couple of days due to meticulous micro-management of the project by yours truly).

OMC: So, do you support the looming smoking ban?

ME: I absolutely support any state or federally mandated smoking ban.  On the other hand, I vehemently oppose a citywide ban.  Schitzo?  No.  I could load you up with pages of diatribe on my positions -- but the long and the short of it is that smoking bans work if you create a big enough "island."  San Francisco, England, Ireland, Manhattan, Paris -- all are successful and there is a "level playing field." 

Minneapolis, Madison, Wauwatosa -- cities that have had major problems with loss of business, loss of employment, loss of tax revenue, sales crunches etc. ... the market is not allowed to be the major force.  People can just go a few blocks away and enjoy the right to smoke.

Theoretically, the market should eventually determine who allows smoking and who doesn't. If given enough time, very few places would be left with smoking -- even in Wisconsin, but a state-wide ban would at least create a big enough island to protect mom and pop places near municipal edges from going under.

I'll stop there for now before I go into my "what if the ban fails?" plan for Milwaukee.  (I) stayed up all night about a year ago and came up with a complex system with signage, tax revenue, tax credits -- market driven and totally transparent plan for cities to adopt in the face of unfair "micro-bans."  Riveting stuff.  Truly.

Anyway, huge fan of the statewide ban that Gov. Doyle is trying to push for.  Not a huge fan if he falters and exempts bars from the ban.