Real Estate
You said pool was never considered a profession.
So, what do you suppose Mosconi did for a living?
Jimmy Caras?
Ralph Greenleaf?
Willie Hoppe?
Frank Ives?
Jake Schaefer?
(The list goes on)
As one example, Jake Schaefer was being paid a yearly base salary by Brunswick of $3000 in 1895. This equates to over $80,000 today. And of course this is before his winnings, sometimes up to $5k or more at a time.
You said pool was never a major sport.
In the context of your statement, you included pool as a sport.
Baseball leagues weren't even formed until the 1870s and every other sport/game came after that. 1776-1876 pool ruled. News of major matches was sent via telegraph all across the country live as it happened. Billiard news was frequently front page news in the papers. I'd say that's pretty major.
And even after 1870 pool was played more than any other game OR sport in the country for many decades. In 1920 there were 2000 billiard rooms in Chicago and over 3000 in New York. I'd say that's pretty major.Nonetheless, I understood the point you were getting at, just thought I'd set the record straight.
Im not sure what the percentage would be that would reflect how much was charged for pool time vs. how much rent is today for places of comparable space and value but.......
With all of the problems we have had in the Real Estate market. I would dare say there are a lot of spaces that have been empty for quite a long time. If I were a holder of such real estate I would be excited about the prospect of renting it to someone who wanted to make a payment every month, at least I would be making something.
What I see in my mind is organizing Seniors into doing it. Sort of make the pool rooms an extension of the Senior Center. A place for them to hang out and shoot the breeze, play pool and enjoy retirement. This kind of place doesn't have to have alcohol. Just tables, someone to watch the store......1 day a week.....and let other people have times they work/hangout as well.
As many used tables as are around it shouldn't be real hard to find them.
If rent is truly more affordable, tables available, and someone can bring in a chair or two, and an old refridgerator, then we can start negotiating how to heat the place....use those Amish electric stoves that run cheap. Maybe you have a fan in the summer and air conditioning if youre lucky.
Pool doesn't have to be Posh. It just need to be available and people will play it if its reasonably priced.
Sell a few sticks and cases. Do some tip replacement. Hang out with the guys. I don't see the reason to try and make things so pristine that you price yourself out of the market you have. Make it a hangout for old guys and tell them if the crowd gets rowdy, close up and go home. End of story
Make a place kids can study, then play pool, maybe the community college will put in some flyers about their 2 yr programs or the Military have posters about the Service.
Maybe it becomes a senior hangout, a place for kids....at risk kids.....which means kids living with parents earning poverty level wages...which today is one heck of a lot of people.........Maybe its a community outreach/ recreation center just like it was for a lot of us and maybe 8-ball is a good game for it, then later 9-ball, then when you need a new game Banks and One Pocket.
Maybe since there wouldn't be alcohol, it could become a place for schools to do Billiard Education. Elementary, HS or Colllege?
Maybe Communities could and would get behind something like this? Lots of communities don't have bars but this would be acceptable and Maybe Girls...would come.
There is plenty of games in pool to stoke ones interest.
There just needs to be more places to do it. I don't think It would cost a lot to put in an operation like this...what ...8 tables? x 3g a table put in=24k?
There is bound to be a few old guys in most towns that could cough up 24k. Bring a chair or two in and an old refridgerator and then have a new place to hang out.
Of course there is rent.........so lets say its 600/800 a month of space that would normally bring more...so you need another 12k put back ......12k plus 24k means you need to have
36k in the bank....to get started......
a few successful old guys in a town...with nothing to do....need a new place that is their own........
We have the perfect time for it.
Rent can be found cheap and so can tables.. We need to just not be so posh about the places we play. Maybe someone donates some air conditioning.... Im sure something could be worked out in time......
So how much do you have to make to make it work?
You have to pay the rent.....and probably something for the help as well....if they own it...and
they are owners then you don't have to meet Minimum Wage.....its a hangout and a fun place to be.
We need to own pool. Its likely not a business that is going to make a lot of money. Pool at a grass roots level had better have old folks and kids in it.
I will add this: If you don't call the people employees....and you have a real contract with them...that hang out there and keep the place open then you don't have to meet the Minimum Wage and you don't have to guarantee a wage at all. If you split up profits with the people who hung out in the place and kept it open you would simply 1099 them and that would make Uncle Sam happy. You would be owner and operator of a billiard club, that may or not make it.....but you have chances.....that it might. You can even sell this at a later date to the people that love hanging out in it and move and do another one.
I see this as a doable thing...for a lot of small towns.....anybody want to invest 40k?
There will always be people who go to bars to play pool and there will be more of them, the more places like this are put in.
Just my two cents worth? Anyone willing to give this a try?
