I got excited and dissapointed in 30 seconds

bfdlad

bfdlad

T-Wheels
Silver Member
So yesterday my girl Jessica and I decided to go out and have a little fun as we really do go out much. We headed out to Gallaghers Sports bar as they are just around the corner from my house and have the Off track betting and since we don't gamble really thought it might be fun foir a change. As we get out of the car I see a sign next door to the bar that says "Billiards Cafe" Awesome! This is the closest pool room to my house and I didn't know it was there. I tell Jess that we might havce to go in here and play a little as that was one of the things we wanted to do anyway. We walk to the door and I am excited at the thought of this place being so close. The door is open and as I look in its VERY basic and has 5 tables. 2 of the tables are being played on and the end of the room has a group of people gathered around talking. Everyone is either Phillipino or Korean. The kinda look at us looking in and had an expression that told us that they hoped we didn't come in. 2 guys playin g on a table closest to us looked at us and said something to each other in another language and laughed. Thats all fine I figure if I decided to go in there I would win them over. Then I noticed all five tables were billiard tables and the 2 tables that were going were playing 3 cushion. Still kinda cool as I have alot of respect for the guys who can play 3 cushion its a trip to watch but alas it is just not my game and so the dissapointment set in.
As I was eating dinner I got to thinking, this place is in a busy strip mall and I could tell that it didn't sell food or booze. Obviously catered only to a certain demographic and not only that the yonly catered to 3 cushion players. So how the hell are they making it? I see so many pool rooms going out of biz that have food, booze, big tables, small tables, ability to play any game. Just baffles me how they are still in business. Just saying, I am not sure even why I started this thread, maybe I wonder if anyone else has gotten excited about a new pool room only to find its not for them.
 
bfdlad said:
So yesterday my girl Jessica and I decided to go out and have a little fun as we really do go out much. We headed out to Gallaghers Sports bar as they are just around the corner from my house and have the Off track betting and since we don't gamble really thought it might be fun foir a change. As we get out of the car I see a sign next door to the bar that says "Billiards Cafe" Awesome! This is the closest pool room to my house and I didn't know it was there. I tell Jess that we might havce to go in here and play a little as that was one of the things we wanted to do anyway. We walk to the door and I am excited at the thought of this place being so close. The door is open and as I look in its VERY basic and has 5 tables. 2 of the tables are being played on and the end of the room has a group of people gathered around talking. Everyone is either Phillipino or Korean. The kinda look at us looking in and had an expression that told us that they hoped we didn't come in. 2 guys playin g on a table closest to us looked at us and said something to each other in another language and laughed. Thats all fine I figure if I decided to go in there I would win them over. Then I noticed all five tables were billiard tables and the 2 tables that were going were playing 3 cushion. Still kinda cool as I have alot of respect for the guys who can play 3 cushion its a trip to watch but alas it is just not my game and so the dissapointment set in.
As I was eating dinner I got to thinking, this place is in a busy strip mall and I could tell that it didn't sell food or booze. Obviously catered only to a certain demographic and not only that the yonly catered to 3 cushion players. So how the hell are they making it? I see so many pool rooms going out of biz that have food, booze, big tables, small tables, ability to play any game. Just baffles me how they are still in business. Just saying, I am not sure even why I started this thread, maybe I wonder if anyone else has gotten excited about a new pool room only to find its not for them.
Click to expand...

Probably a front for money laundering, drug transactions, murder for hire, kidnapping, and illegally caught cats for restaurants. No evidence, just my opinion. :smile:

J
 
bfdlad said:
So yesterday my girl Jessica and I decided to go out and have a little fun as we really do go out much. We headed out to Gallaghers Sports bar as they are just around the corner from my house and have the Off track betting and since we don't gamble really thought it might be fun foir a change. As we get out of the car I see a sign next door to the bar that says "Billiards Cafe" Awesome! This is the closest pool room to my house and I didn't know it was there. I tell Jess that we might havce to go in here and play a little as that was one of the things we wanted to do anyway. We walk to the door and I am excited at the thought of this place being so close. The door is open and as I look in its VERY basic and has 5 tables. 2 of the tables are being played on and the end of the room has a group of people gathered around talking. Everyone is either Phillipino or Korean. The kinda look at us looking in and had an expression that told us that they hoped we didn't come in. 2 guys playin g on a table closest to us looked at us and said something to each other in another language and laughed. Thats all fine I figure if I decided to go in there I would win them over. Then I noticed all five tables were billiard tables and the 2 tables that were going were playing 3 cushion. Still kinda cool as I have alot of respect for the guys who can play 3 cushion its a trip to watch but alas it is just not my game and so the dissapointment set in.
As I was eating dinner I got to thinking, this place is in a busy strip mall and I could tell that it didn't sell food or booze. Obviously catered only to a certain demographic and not only that the yonly catered to 3 cushion players. So how the hell are they making it? I see so many pool rooms going out of biz that have food, booze, big tables, small tables, ability to play any game. Just baffles me how they are still in business. Just saying, I am not sure even why I started this thread, maybe I wonder if anyone else has gotten excited about a new pool room only to find its not for them.
Click to expand...

When I used to work in a pool room, we had three 3-cushion tables, and it was very popular with the Asian crowd.

Also, there is a Korean game that uses different balls that is played on that table, but I can't remember much about it.

It is rare to see those tables out there, but if it is catering to a demographic that frequents that location, then it's a good money-maker.

We used to have a few snooker tables in my area, but now they're all gone. Back in the '70s, when I'd go down South, a lot of places had snooker tables. It seems like they're kind of going by the wayside in the States. They are just not as prevalent here as maybe in other countries.

That is why I really enjoyed this read about "Big Bertha" at Don Brink's Raytown Recreation Center: 100-year-old Big Bertha.

Whoever wrote that article really made it entertaining to read. I loved it. :cool:

Heck, we don't have any pool rooms in my area anymore, unless you want to drive in gridlock rush-hour traffic for about an hour or two. No, thank you! :angry:
 
Last edited:
jimmyg said:
Probably a front for money laundering, drug transactions, murder for hire, kidnapping, and illegally caught cats for restaurants. No evidence, just my opinion. :smile:

J
Click to expand...

That's the first thing that came to mind here as well.

One hall I used to love going to made it that way. It was owned by a crop duster. Beautiful historic building with 30' copper tiled ceilings with chandeliers, antique tables and a balcony overlooking all the tables.

While he wasn't there he'd load up bales of weed into his crop duster and drop em in various fields.
 
...billiard...cafe... hmmmm.

I don't know many Korean people, but some come into one local room here- to play billiards. They're a bit shy around the whites (I wonder why), but they're also willing to gamble on 3c with anyone.

I do know a lot of Vietnamese, though, and they love billiards. There are two vietnamese poolrooms in town, and they both are small, with mainly billiard tables- I don't actually remember if there are any pocket pool tables.

Coincidentally, many years ago I stopped in a little poolroom in San Diego that I found in the yellow pages- and was surprised to find it was the little asian billiard variety. I banged some balls around, had a coffee and a pre-made sandwich. No one much talked to me, and that was fine. I didn't expect, as an outsider, a welcoming party.

The OP said it was called Billiard Cafe- and then he was surprised there wasn't any alcohol, and that the tables were billiard tables. You know, I bet they had coffee to go with those billiards tables. But 40% of the tables in the room were being played on, and there was a bunch of nonwhites talking in foreign languages? Yeah- gotta be something illegal going on there.

If you go back, keep an open mind and try a coffee. If it's anything like VN coffee, it takes a good hour to slowly sip and enjoy, and it's so strong that you will be wired for sound afterwards. If you want to play billiards, you could make some friends and gamble (but I suspect many will play straight carom rather than 3c).
 
Last edited:
JAM said:
Heck, we don't have any pool rooms in my area anymore, unless you want to drive in gridlock rush-hour traffic for about an hour or two. No, thank you! :angry:
Click to expand...

Where are you at? Most places large enough to have gridlock traffic have a place to play pool nearby. Just curious.
 
Sounds like a place one town over from me, a Chinese restaurant that is completely empty, ALWAYS. I mean, they purposely close on New Years Eve so they don't have to take orders. They have 2 tables, one 3 cushion, one 9 footer and the 8 or so guys playing are walking around the tables barefoot and I never heard them speak any English. I went in with a friend of mine when we were wandering around local towns looking for places to play, it was NOT friendly.

There were 4 seats total at the tiny bar, yet roughly 25 completely empty booths in the restaurant section. I asked the bartender for an order of food and she yelled the order in Chinese to a guy sitting on a stool in the corner who was busy rubbing his bare feet with his hands. (yuck) He put his sandals on and shuffled in to the kitchen while complaining in Chinese the entire time, presumably to make our "gourmet" food. We paid extra and got the hell out of there. Oh, and no, I did not eat the food, I paid and left before it was even ready.

Sounds like your sort of place...
 
gunzby said:
That's the first thing that came to mind here as well.

One hall I used to love going to made it that way. It was owned by a crop duster. Beautiful historic building with 30' copper tiled ceilings with chandeliers, antique tables and a balcony overlooking all the tables.

While he wasn't there he'd load up bales of weed into his crop duster and drop em in various fields.
Click to expand...
The place you are talking about wasnt in Florence Alabama was it?
 
blah blah said:
I don't know many Korean people, but some come into one local room here- to play billiards. They're a bit shy around the whites (I wonder why), but they're also willing to gamble on 3c with anyone.

I do know a lot of Vietnamese, though, and they love billiards. There are two vietnamese poolrooms in town, and they both are small, with mainly billiard tables- I don't actually remember if there are any pocket pool tables.

Coincidentally, many years ago I stopped in a little poolroom in San Diego that I found in the yellow pages- and was surprised to find it was the little asian billiard variety. I banged some balls around, had a coffee and a pre-made sandwich. No one much talked to me, and that was fine. I didn't expect, as an outsider, a welcoming party.

The OP said it was called Billiard Cafe- and then he was surprised there wasn't any alcohol, and that the tables were billiard tables. You know, I bet they had coffee to go with those billiards tables. But 40% of the tables in the room were being played on, and there was a bunch of nonwhites talking in foreign languages? Yeah- gotta be something illegal going on there.

If you go back, keep an open mind and try a coffee. If it's anything like VN coffee, it takes a good hour to slowly sip and enjoy, and it's so strong that you will be wired for sound afterwards. If you want to play billiards, you could make some friends and gamble (but I suspect many will play straight carom rather than 3c).
Click to expand...
Just to correct you, an d I am sure that its just the way it was written but I never said I was suprised that there was no booze. Just trying to understand how they made a living without having booze or food, also I never said or even came close to saying anything illegal was going on. Just saying.
 
bfdlad said:
So yesterday my girl Jessica and I decided to go out and have a little fun as we really do go out much. We headed out to Gallaghers Sports bar as they are just around the corner from my house and have the Off track betting and since we don't gamble really thought it might be fun foir a change. As we get out of the car I see a sign next door to the bar that says "Billiards Cafe" Awesome! This is the closest pool room to my house and I didn't know it was there. I tell Jess that we might havce to go in here and play a little as that was one of the things we wanted to do anyway. We walk to the door and I am excited at the thought of this place being so close. The door is open and as I look in its VERY basic and has 5 tables. 2 of the tables are being played on and the end of the room has a group of people gathered around talking. Everyone is either Phillipino or Korean. The kinda look at us looking in and had an expression that told us that they hoped we didn't come in. 2 guys playin g on a table closest to us looked at us and said something to each other in another language and laughed. Thats all fine I figure if I decided to go in there I would win them over. Then I noticed all five tables were billiard tables and the 2 tables that were going were playing 3 cushion. Still kinda cool as I have alot of respect for the guys who can play 3 cushion its a trip to watch but alas it is just not my game and so the dissapointment set in.
As I was eating dinner I got to thinking, this place is in a busy strip mall and I could tell that it didn't sell food or booze. Obviously catered only to a certain demographic and not only that the yonly catered to 3 cushion players. So how the hell are they making it? I see so many pool rooms going out of biz that have food, booze, big tables, small tables, ability to play any game. Just baffles me how they are still in business. Just saying, I am not sure even why I started this thread, maybe I wonder if anyone else has gotten excited about a new pool room only to find its not for them.
Click to expand...

I have had allmost the identicle experience.I seen a sign that said somithing billiards as I was driving by,I grabbed my case and headed in to check out this new "pool room' I had never heard about.

I also had the same feeling of not being welcome there.

I don't have any reason to believe it was a front of any kind but it seamed like a hang out for a certain demographic?....It was all young men possiblly Korean?,I have also heard of places like this that cater to mostly Cambodian youth.
 
bfdlad said:
Just trying to understand how they made a living without having booze or food, also I never said or even came close to saying anything illegal was going on.
Click to expand...

They cater to a specific clientele. If there are enough of those customers around they'll stay in business.
 
Originally Posted by jimmyg View Post:
Probably a front for money laundering, drug transactions, murder for hire, kidnapping, and illegally caught cats for restaurants. :smile: No evidence, just my opinion. J [End Quote]


gunzby said:
That's the first thing that came to mind here as well.

One hall I used to love going to made it that way. It was owned by a crop duster. Beautiful historic building with 30' copper tiled ceilings with chandeliers, antique tables and a balcony overlooking all the tables.

While he wasn't there he'd load up bales of weed into his crop duster and drop em in various fields.
Click to expand...

The only way to be absolutely sure is to go "undercover", go in, get friendly, and try to order a few cats for your restaurant...you'll find out real soon. :smile:

J
 
bfdlad said:
So yesterday my girl Jessica and I decided to go out and have a little fun as we really do go out much. We headed out to Gallaghers Sports bar as they are just around the corner from my house and have the Off track betting and since we don't gamble really thought it might be fun foir a change. As we get out of the car I see a sign next door to the bar that says "Billiards Cafe" Awesome! This is the closest pool room to my house and I didn't know it was there. I tell Jess that we might havce to go in here and play a little as that was one of the things we wanted to do anyway. We walk to the door and I am excited at the thought of this place being so close. The door is open and as I look in its VERY basic and has 5 tables. 2 of the tables are being played on and the end of the room has a group of people gathered around talking. Everyone is either Phillipino or Korean. The kinda look at us looking in and had an expression that told us that they hoped we didn't come in. 2 guys playin g on a table closest to us looked at us and said something to each other in another language and laughed. Thats all fine I figure if I decided to go in there I would win them over. Then I noticed all five tables were billiard tables and the 2 tables that were going were playing 3 cushion. Still kinda cool as I have alot of respect for the guys who can play 3 cushion its a trip to watch but alas it is just not my game and so the dissapointment set in.
As I was eating dinner I got to thinking, this place is in a busy strip mall and I could tell that it didn't sell food or booze. Obviously catered only to a certain demographic and not only that the yonly catered to 3 cushion players. So how the hell are they making it? I see so many pool rooms going out of biz that have food, booze, big tables, small tables, ability to play any game. Just baffles me how they are still in business. Just saying, I am not sure even why I started this thread, maybe I wonder if anyone else has gotten excited about a new pool room only to find its not for them.
Click to expand...

Good thread IMO and brings up an interesting point
How do they make it? Maybe a tax write off?
And to think they didn't even know who was in their presence
Go figure lol
 
peteypooldude said:
Good thread IMO and brings up an interesting point
How do they make it? Maybe a tax write off?
And to think they didn't even know who was in their presence
Go figure lol
Click to expand...
LOL, yeah I probably should have told them exactly who I am and maybe have been thrown out instead :) I got to have an old t shirt from the Frost & Efren match.
 
bfdlad said:
LOL, yeah I probably should have told them exactly who I am and maybe have been thrown out instead :) I got to have an old t shirt from the Frost & Efren match.
Click to expand...

Just get Earl to walk in with you lol
If your lucky they won't know him either and you can own the place
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top