R.I.P. - Broadway Billiards in NYC

Fleece3 said:
I heard that there are flyers saying coming soon Space Billiards. any truth to that?
Click to expand...


It already exists. It's on 32nd street between 5th and 6th avenues on some ridiculous floor (10th?). It's primarily a Korean billiards room with a handful of pooltables (maybe 3).
 
StevenPWaldon said:
It's with a heavy heart that I have to let everyone know that Broadway Billiards at 10 E. 21st Street, in NYC, is going to be closing its doors tomorrow evening.
Click to expand...

I guess that means the "hustlers" will be swarming into the remaining rooms. I wonder how long before Amsterdam flags and bounces some of these guys.

Poolmouse
 
For anyone interested, I brough along a digital SLR and took a few hundred pictures of everything going on inside (and from the street). Lots of the regulars showed up tonight, some not having found out until tonight that they're closing down.

A sad evening. I couldn't stay much longer. Couldn't even pick up a stick.
 
I took plenty. There were a few other guys taking some as well (William Fuentes, among others).

I'll post some this weekend once I have a chance to download them from my camera. I probably took a few gigs worth of photos. I'm glad I got to see a lot of the regulars... Chinese Frank, Slim, Broadway Mike, Bobby, Enoch, G-Force, Chester, Steve the Book, William Fuentes, George Parica...


ugotactionTX said:
I sure hope someone can take some pics tonight or tomorrow before it's closed forever. I'd love to see what it looks like on the inside.. AND from the street! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!
Click to expand...
 
StevenPWaldon said:
It's with a heavy heart that I have to let everyone know that Broadway Billiards at 10 E. 21st Street, in NYC, is going to be closing its doors tomorrow evening.

Thanks Steve for starting this thread. Broadway Billiards had been my home away from home, off and on, for the past 11 years. I still remember the first time I walked down those stairs as a cocky 18 year old college kid who thought he could play (couldn't draw my ball yet), and before I even got down the stairs Spanish Eddie offered to play me some $5 9ball. Played, got tortured (even though I thought I was stealin lol), and loved every minute of it. I was bitten by the pool bug. Would proceed to go in there everyday and play whoever asked me first. Played guys like Buffalo Bill, Johnny B (my pool idol), Moody, Black Dave, Tall Tommy, Flaco, Jake the Pimp, Cigar Bill, Chinese Frank, Skeeter Hawk, Young Chris, Steve the Bookie, Beer-belly Bob, just to name a few of the classic nicknames. The best part was I got to play these "killers" for dirt cheap (just like hourly rates). I don't think I booked a winner for the first several months, but I improved pretty quickly, learned ALL the moves, learned all the games, and haven't done too much losing since.
Broadway was never a big-action room. It can't ever be talked about in the same sentence as Bessingers, Cochrans, The Rack, and of course, Chelsea Billiards. But, it is the last of the great seedy 24 hour joints in NYC. Being able to play in a 24 hour poolroom in New York was strong. There's no "last call", no worries about your opponent being forced to quit because of closing time, and you just never knew who might walk down those stairs at any time. Made a lot of "totally out of left field" scores from total dead men/tourists just looking for something to do in the middle of the night. Might have to join the Amsterdam leagues now! Thanks again Steve
Click to expand...
 
cleary said:
Table 8 seemed nice to me.

Im guessing they are all 3 piece slate. Anyone know? Im having trouble finding a Uhaul, so wondering if I can take it all apart and fit in a large pickup.
Click to expand...

This is my Business Cleary, I can help....If you like.
 
Give Spanish Eddie a break, he's only got one tooth left. lol. He might be one of the last full time, life long hustlers. At 70+ years old no less.
 
timdog24 said:
Give Spanish Eddie a break, he's only got one tooth left. lol. He might be one of the last full time, life long hustlers. At 70+ years old no less.
Click to expand...

Is he really over 70? I know he looks that old but I always thought he was younger than he looked for some reason.
 
Fleece3 said:
I heard that there are flyers saying coming soon Space Billiards. any truth to that?
Click to expand...

I stopped in for a last look tonight and I saw those flyers, but didn't see anything about "coming soon." Think they were maybe just trying to steer folks to another Korean-owned 24-hour place.

Hard to figure what the space could be used for ... storage for some high-dollar business upstairs?

Lately there's been a trend in the city that such dives are being spared because, for some reason, Citibank and Starbucks have stopped trying to put branches on every f&*#ng corner. For instance the old Holland Bar is back on Ninth Ave., because, amazingly, interest suddenly died out for big-bucks condos in the shadow of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Too bad Bway Billiards couldn't get a reprieve under the circumstances.
 
Now that I think about it, you're right Bobby, he's not that old. He looked 70 about 10 years ago though.
 
I can't believe how stupid the property owners would be to raise the lease in these economic times. Who would want to go in there? It has about 10 feet of street exposure and NO windows at all. Many times I was concern with its lack of street visibility. Granted the same could be said about the old ABC Eastside, however it was a VERY different vibe there. THANKS JUDE!!
 
frankwhite said:
This is my Business Cleary, I can help....If you like.
Click to expand...

Chris_Lynch said:
3 piece slate. Be very careful moving it and have a table mechanic disassemble and move it if at all possible. They usually hate to work on a table that was taken apart by someone else as they won't know if everything is there or where it is. Call Blatt Billiards and see if they can help you out. It'll cost more than the table though.
Click to expand...

wow do i wish i would have saw these before.... WHAT A DAY! i'll post in a new thread when i have time.
 
Travis Bickle said:
Damn, that's lousy news. I mean, it was depressing to go there, but it'll be more depressing not to be able to go there.
Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it any better.
I played at Broadway when I wanted to hide out and practice under the radar.
 
a final photo

table1.jpg
 
I'll try and get their names soon enough. Sadly, Spanish Eddie wasn't there so I couldn't snap a pic of him. Maybe it's best that I didn't blow his cover!
 
timdog24 said:
Give Spanish Eddie a break, he's only got one tooth left. lol. He might be one of the last full time, life long hustlers. At 70+ years old no less.
Click to expand...

What up! Timmy? I will miss that place......But I sure wont miss the times Spanish Eddie high rolled me for $20.....LOL:D

Frankie
 
StevenPWaldon said:
I'll try and get their names soon enough. Sadly, Spanish Eddie wasn't there so I couldn't snap a pic of him. Maybe it's best that I didn't blow his cover!
Click to expand...


BE AWARE!!!!! "Spanish Eddie" Might be lurking in a poolroom near YOU!!!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top