Even though smoking is significantly less commonplace than it was forty years ago, it is by no means completely out of style.

Even though smoking is significantly less commonplace than it was forty years ago, it is by no means completely out of style.

There are, for better or for worse, still a significant amount of people who enjoy smoking cigarettes, and it behooves you as a business owner to cater to these people. For one, they are a significant market, and of course you want their business. For two, if they leave their cigarette butts all over the place, they will ward off other customers by making your place look unsightly. So what every business needs right outside its front door is an ashtray.

One ashtray available is a smokers' post. This is an ashtray with a long, often cylindrical neck whose mouth is too small to accept anything but cigarettes.

These are very visually appealing, and also safe, as a problem with wide-mouthed ashtrays is that they encourage people to put other trash in them, which in turn can run the risk of a fire. Not only do they reduce fuel for a potential fire, they also deny it oxygen with the long neck, so still-flaming cigarette butts are very quickly put out.

Wall-mounted urns are very utilitarian. They're just discreet boxes with small holes in them that - of course - mount on your wall. They're not pretty like the smokers' posts, but they're cheaper. What's more, many places don't want to encourage smoking, but rather tolerate it as unavoidable. If you want to send this message, a wall-mounted urn is for you.

The first two mentioned here are only for cigarettes; if you buy one of these it is necessary to buy a trashcan as well, as if you only buy one you'll still be stuck with the problem of the refuse meant for the other. To save some money and economise your space, invest in a combined ashtray and trashcan. You'll keep your accountant happy and keep your front door area uncluttered. Win-win.