|
Sometimes the most seemingly insignificant detail can make or break a Hookah Café experience. In this case, the evidence of a problem did not rear its ugly head until well after a night of vibrant entertainment and Hookah indulgence was over.
I was recently invited by a friend to a newly opened Hookah establishment in nearby Falls Church. The Café was tastefully decorated and the service was excellent, albeit a bit crowded in a smaller setting where a DJ, live band and a group of dancing customers competed for space in the relatively small setting. At first look, I was prepared to give the establishment high ratings for ambiance and service and good ratings for the quality of the Hookah, drinks and food; I was also contemplating adding this Café to my list of regular weekend haunts. As the night progressed, I noticed that the air seemed especially heavy with smoke and the café was becoming warm and humid, with condensation forming on the windows. An open door and ceiling vents were visibly inadequate at clearing the large volume of smoke from countless Hookahs burning full throttle. I was also starting to feel dehydrated, perhaps a result of overindulgence in Hookah and many servings of strong tea. By the next morning, I was in full damage control mode trying to fight a nasty cold, fully regretting the second Shisha and extra hours I spent at the Cafe. The clothes I wore the previous night were amazingly pungent with the smell of stale smoke, to a greater degree than any other time. Operating a Hookah café in the United States can be an expensive proposition requiring a fairly sizeable upfront investment. American café owners also face much higher operating expenses, especially in premium locations in large metropolitan areas, so the prospect of further expenditure upwards of $10,000 to retrofit or install an effective air filtration system can be a daunting proposition. It is nevertheless a necessity in a market where customers are accustomed to full amenities and high standards of comfort. Unlike the Middle East and North Africa, where most Hookah cafes have the luxury of a temperate climate allowing for outside seating, North American cafes are often confined to indoor seating by weather and more stringent county and city regulations governing sidewalk/patio use.
|
