How to Own a Poolhall?

[cueball2010]

Those things are impressive, it sounds like that room has a great following, do you think you would be able to take some of his clientele? Will those leagues let you run them that close to another league operator? Get your ducks in a row before losing any bucks or dough.....

That's kind of devious... I would not want to steal players. Besides, the people there are like family. A lot play a couple of league nights, Some play all league nights. But if I was to open up that close, I think the only thing leagues care about is the number of teams you can sign up.

I was visiting Southern Ontario, and discovered a pool hall nearby with 16 tables, all 7'. It was very busy with all tables in play. I asked the bartender and he said it was league night. I asked which nights were quiet and he said every night was busy - leagues and tournaments. I hadn't ever seen that before.

If you have a location with a pool "community", I've seen that it can be a big success,

Same here. Every night is busy. I had just assumed that was the norm pretty much everywhere that has at least 8 tables. How could it not be...? Got a dead night..? Just throw another tournament night in. Chips, 8, 9, 10, Doubles, 3 man. Or ask the LO to run on all the dead nights.

If owning a poolroom and being able to play all day on table #1
so you could run the register was easy, there’d be a poolroom
on every corner.

I see bars on every block corner in some cities. I'm not sure I understand why each of those bars can't have a poolroom attached...?

I guess you might have a point that I don't understand. In that case do you think it would be easier to run a Pool Pro Shop instead of a Poolroom?

 

[rexus31]

That's kind of devious... I would not want to steal players. Besides, the people there are like family. A lot play a couple of league nights, Some play all league nights. But if I was to open up that close, I think the only thing leagues care about is the number of teams you can sign up.

Same here. Every night is busy. I had just assumed that was the norm pretty much everywhere that has at least 8 tables. How could it not be...? Got a dead night..? Just throw another tournament night in. Chips, 8, 9, 10, Doubles, 3 man. Or ask the LO to run on all the dead nights.

I see bars on every block corner in some cities. I'm not sure I understand why each of those bars can't have a poolroom attached...?

I guess you might have a point that I don't understand. In that case do you think it would be easier to run a Pool Pro Shop instead of a Poolroom?

Have you priced a liquor license in your area? Is the city even handing out any?

 

[Baby Huey]

There is still a lot of Stigma attached to owning and attempting to get licensed for a pool room. It exists in the minds of city council members everywhere. You have to deal with those realities and not try to fight them. Your presentations have to address those concerns because they are real. In my city, you have to be a minimum of 500 yards away from middle and senior high schools as well as churches to even apply for a license. That's reality and you have to have a business plan to address it. But, massage parlors don't have to worry they get licensed immediately. That's California................

 

[SBC]

I guess I got on the subject and I just can't stop. I have a friend who opened a very nice bar. Unfortunately he's dead now the bar is still there though. You would not believe what you can get for nothing if you start looking. He found a shopping center that was being demolished and they were able to go in there and salvage anything they wanted.

They got every single thing they needed to build the bar from wood paneling, barstools, bathroom fixtures. There was a lounge had been in the shopping center they were able to dismantle the bar and take it. This thing was beautiful it must have cost thousands when it was built.

They got all sorts of lighting fixtures and I just can't go on with everything that they they got out of that place but it was enough to build the entire bar for relatively nothing. New coolers might be the only thing they really had to spring for.

Start to finish from the time they started the project and he had a location three months the doors were open and he was like hardly nothing out of his pocket. I just throw this out there as food for thought.

I bought out the last room in Syracuse after a bad fire. 10k for 17 tables. Literally crawling through ashes. Stripped the Gold Crowns to wood and repainted them. Scrubbed the smoke off everything else with a special product.

Rented a 32 x 115 space in an old strip mall for 2750 a month x 5 years, 3k a month years 6 to 10. Demolished the entire space, redid drywall/electrical/ some suspended ceiling. New carpet.

Bought new balls, reclothed the Gold Crowns, Valleys and billiard table. My buddy rebuild lights for the barbox and more cue lickers. All thid cost under 30k.

Over a few years I replaced 7 of the Gold Crowns with Diamonds from Diamond Dave Eghdahl for 5000 to 6000 each.

If you want to build a player's room and a cool joint for the public, it can be done. The real work comes after.

 

[Island Drive]

I've never owned a Poolhall. It seems like a dream...Getting paid and playing pool all day everyday.

• How many tables do you need to get started?
• How much capital to get started?
• What to know if you want to buy an existing Poolhall?
• Do you need any special talents? (Like a car salesman)

There must be some Poolhall owners here. How sweet is your life?

Here's good advice. Find somewhere that has a room that's being sold. Move there and do it.

 

[chuckpilegis]

When I lived in Central Jersey 5 years ago.before I retired and moved to South Jersey They had a half dozen pool halls within 5 miles. Somebodys making money . Down here the closest hall is 20 miles away

 

[MattPoland]

I don’t think this is the end-all-be-all on the topic but it is a very good read for any aspiring pool hall owner to help ground their venture in the realities of operating a business.

LINK:

Amazon.com

 

[overlord]

There is still a lot of Stigma attached to owning and attempting to get licensed for a pool room. It exists in the minds of city council members everywhere. You have to deal with those realities and not try to fight them. Your presentations have to address those concerns because they are real. In my city, you have to be a minimum of 500 yards away from middle and senior high schools as well as churches to even apply for a license. That's reality and you have to have a business plan to address it. But, massage parlors don't have to worry they get licensed immediately. That's California................

What you are saying is a fact. Getting approval for a pool hall is super tough.

To get hard liquor approval with a pool hall is another challenge.

With inflation there is less money to spend on idle pursuits..........