Another One Bites The Dust…………But This Time It’s A Long Standing Pool Room.

[Bavafongoul]

It is with sadness that I share news about the oldest, active pool room in Fresno going out of business.

On October 31st, Diamond Billiards in Fresno, CA permanently closed its doors. It was the largest pool
room in Fresno and over the decades, sponsored numerous pro events. It became known around these
parts as a premier pool hall, up until COVID. Now it’s turned into another COVID business casualty.

My gut tells me it was the first to go because of the rent overhead on the building lease. It was a big pool
room. There are a few smaller pool rooms & I fear it’s only a matter of time for those as well. All of the halls
locally are open but only with very limited operating hours. Things unfortunately will get worse before better.

The moral to this story is support your small businesses & at the top of the list should be your local pool hall.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

Endangered species?

 

[Dan_B]

1/2 off isn't bad,
just think,
couple of law breaking illegals with your, our borrowed 900k gift could pick it up for less than half and,
wouldn't be surprise if they, the illegals, would get some kind of property tax exemption.

The covid excuse is convenient cover for the politically protected pensions,
city governance just shrugs its shoulders, 'its best for the climate to change'.

</snark>

 

[garczar]

Regardless of outside influences its really tough to have a room this big anymore. Kinda surprised they lasted this long. This sucks.

 

[PracticeChampion]

I've been looking into opening a small room and as far as I can tell even in my smaller town you gotta own the building to make it. Around here it's $2 thru $10 a sq foot rent, even at $2 that's a big chunk of money a month especially during the slow months, couldn't imagine California costs especially if near a big city

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Covid helped put a lot of businesses under. I am sure the people in Fresno City Council, or Mayor did know there was pool room in town.

Unless the owner was political contributor.

Pool room are closing, Bars with Oool table are closing.

Tought businesses to operate in Black in 2021.

Got to have gimmicks, creativity, and last hell of a lot of things going on to be profitable.

Love of game don’t pay bills. Profits pay bills.

 

[jimmyg]

Covid helped put a lot of businesses under. I am sure the people in Fresno City Council, or Mayor did know there was pool room in town.

Unless the owner was political contributor.

Pool room are closing, Bars with Oool table are closing.

Tought businesses to operate in Black in 2021.

Got to have gimmicks, creativity, and last hell of a lot of things going on to be profitable.

Love of game don’t pay bills. Profits pay bills.

40% of small businesses were put out of business by the government's draconian lock down policies...Seems they finally won one of their wars,...the war against small business and the middle class.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Well I know in the Phoenix Metro area of Maricopa County we have lost 10-15 Pool Rooms, and Bars that had more then 5 Bar boxes.

Problem is most were not replaced, Alexander’s that hosted many large dollar purse Tournaments is now a cell phone place.

It was tough to make a profit before Covid, tougher to do it with door closed for 4-6 months.

California is crazy with there regulations. Then you turn on TV and see a live sporting event with wall to wall people with no masks.

The question is why is this allowed, yet small business are burdened with crazy regulations?

Guess the NFL, MLB, WWE, get a free pass.

 

[garczar]

A lot of these big rooms opened during the post-COM pool boom. There are some that are still alive and well and almost are in non-lockdown states. The states like Cali with their ridiculous policies and nutjob governor have fared the worst. Big rooms in Texas, Iowa, Ks., Mo., and Ok. are still open and doing pretty well. Its still tough to run a big spot these days with rent/ins./food/bev costs going thru the roof.

 

[easy-e]

Well I know in the Phoenix Metro area of Maricopa County we have lost 10-15 Pool Rooms, and Bars that had more then 5 Bar boxes.

Problem is most were not replaced, Alexander’s that hosted many large dollar purse Tournaments is now a cell phone place.

It was tough to make a profit before Covid, tougher to do it with door closed for 4-6 months.

California is crazy with there regulations. Then you turn on TV and see a live sporting event with wall to wall people with no masks.

The question is why is this allowed, yet small business are burdened with crazy regulations?

Guess the NFL, MLB, WWE, get a free pass.

Some Maricopa pool rooms are still doing just fine post_COVID. Maybe the pandemic wasn't the problem.

 

[garczar]

Some Maricopa pool rooms are still doing just fine post_COVID. Maybe the pandemic wasn't the problem.

Quite a few were struggling already and covid just slammed the door.

 

[easy-e]

Quite a few were struggling already and covid just slammed the door.

Exactly.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Some Maricopa pool rooms are still doing just fine post_COVID. Maybe the pandemic wasn't the problem.

Well I know of two Pool bars that lets say we’re run as hobbies businesses.

Owners were clueless, should never run a bar.

Many business owners have not a clue, they are people who think it would be cool to have business. But have no business sense, put no effort into business. Then cry when it fails.

Owning a business is a 24 x 7 x 366 commitment.

IMHO if you do not see the book on any business, you have no idea if it’s in RED OR BLACK INK.

So say some are doing fine is just guessing.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It is with sadness that I share news about the oldest, active pool room in Fresno going out of business.

On October 31st, Diamond Billiards in Fresno, CA permanently closed its doors. It was the largest pool
room in Fresno and over the decades, sponsored numerous pro events. It became known around these
parts as a premier pool hall, up until COVID. Now it’s turned into another COVID business casualty.

My gut tells me it was the first to go because of the rent overhead on the building lease. It was a big pool
room. There are a few smaller pool rooms & I fear it’s only a matter of time for those as well. All of the halls
locally are open but only with very limited operating hours. Things unfortunately will get worse before better.

The moral to this story is support your small businesses & at the top of the list should be your local pool hall.

Sorry to hear this. I lived in Fresno during the early 60s as a teenager - fond memories of my first love/lust...

pj
chgo

 

[easy-e]

Well I know of two Pool bars that lets say we’re run as hobbies businesses.

Owners were clueless, should never run a bar.

Many business owners have not a clue, they are people who think it would be cool to have business. But have no business sense, put no effort into business. Then cry when it fails.

Owning a business is a 24 x 7 x 366 commitment.

IMHO if you do not see the book on any business, you have no idea if it’s in RED OR BLACK INK.

So say some are doing fine is just guessing.

Unlike you, I actually go to these places. They’re doing very well.

 

[maha]

i travel and go into pools rooms. some i cant wait to get back to and many i have no desire to.

those are the ones that provide nothing more than a pool table to play on. usually also have no owner present and the person there hates his job and does little to accommodate you as a customer.

we all would love more poolrooms and spots to go. but unfortunately few good business people tend to open or own a poolroom. and that means most will barely survive or go broke.

 

[middleofnowhere]

I've been looking into opening a small room and as far as I can tell even in my smaller town you gotta own the building to make it. Around here it's $2 thru $10 a sq foot rent, even at $2 that's a big chunk of money a month especially during the slow months, couldn't imagine California costs especially if near a big city

Catch 22 there. Owning the building has ongoing costs. Not to mention, the building could be rented out and you don't need the headache of running a pool room.

When you own the building you are sort of paying rent. One advantage though of owning the building is, you gain equality and could at a point sell the business and become the landlord.

 

[Dan White]

Sorry to hear this. I lived in Fresno during the early 60s as a teenager - fond memories of my first love/lust...

pj
chgo

Approaching TMI there PJ...

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Unlike you, I actually go to these places. They’re doing very well.

How is it you think, or have seen the book.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

When you own the building you are sort of paying rent. One advantage though of owning the building is, you gain equality and could at a point sell the business and become the landlord.

There's also the cost of building out and equipping the space. A friend of mine owns three pool halls in Chicago - he rented the first space and bought the next two buildings. The cost of renting is about the same as owning, but all in all it's better business to own the real estate - for long term gain, current balance sheet improvement, and, maybe most importantly, for having complete control.

My friend was fortunate to find two perfectly-sized buildings in good locations to buy for his owned pool halls - avoiding being in the landlord business too.

pj
chgo