I don't know.... In the 90's, you could open a dump pool room and it would have a waiting list on the weekends, and good business on the weekdays. And the really good rooms would also have a waitlist on the weekdays. Fast forward to 2010, and 80% of those rooms all closed up. And the really well managed ones are barely surviving. Its a whole different world than it was in 1990. This is my personal experience playing pool in Philly from about 1992 to the present.Simple answer to a long question. You still can be successful in owning and operating a poolroom or sports bar if you know what you're doing. Being a good player is not a prerequisite.
I have a vision of a billiards super store, kind of like Bass Pro Shops for outdoors types. It would be both a first class poolroom and a billiard supply. There could be separate areas for pool tables, cues, and even cue repairs. You could offer a full range of equipment from starter level gear to high end merchandise. Of course, an eating area and bar would be on the playing side. I'm probably talking a 500K investment to build it out but you would have something sustainable that could turn a healthy profit if run right. Just an idea, that's all.
Pool as a business is super hard today, no matter prior pool experience, or general business experience.