The problem with most pool halls now is they're boring. The pool hall I grew up playing in had 25-30 regulars there all the time (good dudes!) trying to hash out games with one another. It wasn't easy, but we all ended up in action after some negotiating. Sometimes you got a game you liked, sometimes not, but everyone always ended up in action. Half the room played heads up and the other half in ring games. I can recall there were one or two guys that only wanted to play for the time and everyone teased them because of it. Everyone gambled and money mostly just rotated around. If someone couldn't hash out a game, they would stomp out mad for everyone freezing them out. That was rare though.
In the evenings, card games broke out. It was just a great place to hang out with your friends, play games and gamble. I go to pool halls now and they have a totally different feel / vibe. They lack that gambling atmosphere and camaraderie. Gambling doesn't have the same thrill to me as it used to, but to me, pool is like poker...ya gotta be betting something.
It's probably good that I can't find a room like that close to me...I'd be there all the time and end up in divorce court because of it.