Full Splice Billiards Inc.

manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
Let me be the first to post here, I own and run a Pool Hall in Lakewood, WA. My room is 3800 square foot and I have 9 tables for rent.

A little back ground on myself, I am originally from Maryland Heights, MO.
I grew up playing pool all through the St. Louis area, but my favorite room was in Overland, MO.

The room was owned and operated by Bob Huddleston (I think the spelling is correct) and his family and it was named Cue and Cushion. Bob has since passed away, but his sons continue to run the family business. In many ways this room set standards for my current room.

I joined the US Army in 1979 and retired in 2003 for a total of 23 years of active service. I decided to open my own room in 2002 before I retired, and my dream became a reality in September of 2004.

I have a fully stocked Pro-shop with between 150 and 300 cues for sale.
I also have a large selection of cue cases in stock, from High Quality Leather to Vinyl.

I also import merchant dice directly from Asia. Currently I am only bring in Layered Tips and Billiard Gloves, but cues will be coming soon. These items are very popular in my area and through eBay they are being sold nation wide.

I also have a full cue repair section in the back of my pool room. I do many repairs while the customer waits, to list a few, Tips, Wraps, Ferrules. I also do all other repairs to include complete refinish work. Recently I have started building custom cues for my customers. Some are conversions from old house cues and some are from purchased blanks.

I am currently expanding this operation to include full point construction, and Full Spliced butts, and I am looking to purchase additional equipment.

I am going to include some photo's of my room and my contact information below.

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Contact Information:

Name - Craig W. Rittel

Phone - 1-253-512-6898

Email - fullsplicebilliards2@comcast.net

If I can help anyone please contact me.

Manwon
 
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cueandcushion

Cue & Cushion_STL_MO
Silver Member
Wow...thank you

Thank you for the compliment towards Cue & Cushion. Yes you spelled my dads name correctly. I think one of the things my dad was proud of was running a "tight ship" in terms of acceptable behavior and applying rules equally to everyone. It was always a work in progress and a struggle to constantly adjust to changing times. Still is I guess. Trying to balance all the competing interests will always be a challenge and from the looks of your pics and description you are off to a great start.

Craig Huddleston
(Son #1 of 3)

Note...Very proud to say Cue & Cushion is celebrating 40 years of business this year!
 
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manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
cueandcushion said:
Thank you for the compliment towards Cue & Cushion. Yes you spelled my dads name correctly. I think one of the things my dad was proud of was running a "tight ship" in terms of acceptable behavior and applying rules equally to everyone. It was always a work in progress and a struggle to constantly adjust to changing times. Still is I guess. Trying to balance all the competing interests will always be a challenge and from the looks of your pics and description you are off to a great start.

Craig Huddleston
(Son #1 of 3)

Hey Craig, you most likely do not remember me, because at the time you were pretty young. But I spent allot of time around your dads pool room.

I new him and your mother pretty well from coming in so often, your dad was great guy, and I totally agree he did run a tight ship and that is what made Cue and Cushion what is was. I use to ask him many questions about running a room, and he always took time to answer them, his long time employee Jim was also very helpful.

You are also right balancing the interests in any pool room is very important.

But, I think the most important thing that I learned from your Dad, was not to put all my eggs in one basket so to speak.

What, I mean is your Dad not only ran a pool room, he sold and installed tables, sold accessories, Lots of cues and cases, had Jim doing tips at the location, and him and your Mom sold Jewelry on top of everything else.

This diversification is what will get you through the year when time are good and bad. So many rooms are closing, but how many are diversified, most think that they can survive on table time alone, or by table time along with selling some food and drink and they are so wrong.

Well, I will say it again,you have a great place and I wish you and your family all the best.

I wish, you Dad was still alive I would like to thank him personnaly, but I am certain he knows any way.

Craig Rittel
 
Can I join the list of "former" Cue & Cushion customers who opened his own place and was greatly influenced by Bob.

I'll never forget.....a few weeks/months after I opened, I was struggling and Bob told me something I'll never forget.....and I felt it "out of character" for him...

He said..."Give it away" (meaning pool discounts)...."if you're going to go broke it's a whole lot more fun going broke with a room full of people than an empty room". lol.

I immediately started a "$5/person and you could play all night" promotion. Sounds cheap right? Sounds like I'm giving away too much, right? How can I make any money once the tables are full right?.....

Well, reality was, they would walk in, give me $5/person, get a table and start to play.........ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO LATER THEY WERE BORED TO DEATH AND LEFT. So, I could turn over the table again.

Customers are unbelievable at times. The $5 deal was more expensive to most players than it was to rent the table by the hour. Yet, they thought they were getting a bargain.

I do the same thing today. One night a week I charge $5 to get in and give away free pool and discounted drinks. Most customers can only play for an hour or so before getting bored. Well, my hourly rate is $9 per hour. Two guys walk in, give me $10 to enter, then play for an hour and leave. lol. Better yet, a group of 4 walks in, they pay $20 to enter, play for an hour and leave.....

Thanks, Bob.

Craig Rittel,

I must have just missed you. I move to St. Louis in 1978 and started playing at the Cue and Cushion. I was fresh out of college and teaching school. Don't remember your name. But, maybe we met and since you left shortly thereafter, I don't remember you.
 
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manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
Blunt Instrumen said:
Can I join the list of another "former" Cue & Cushion customer who opened his own place and was greatly influenced by Bob.

I'll never forget.....a few weeks/months after I opened, I was struggling and Bob told me something I'll never forget.....and I felt it "out of character" for him...

He said..."Give it away" (meaning pool discounts)...."if you're going to go broke it's a whole lot more fun going broke with a room full of people than an empty room". lol.

I immediately started a "$5/person and you could play all night" promotion. Sounds cheap right? Sounds like I'm giving away too much, right? How can I make any money once the tables are full right?.....

Well, reality was, they would walk in, give me $5/person, get a table and start to play.........ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO LATER THEY WERE BORED TO DEATH AND LEFT. So, I could turn over the table again.

Customers are unbelievable at times. The $5 deal was more expensive to most players than it was to rent the table by the hour. Yet, they thought they were getting a bargain.

I do the same thing today. One night a week I charge $5 to get in and give away free pool and discounted drinks. Most customers can only play for an hour or so before getting bored. Well, my hourly rate is $9 per hour. Two guys walk in, give me $10 to enter, then play for an hour and leave. lol. Better yet, a group of 4 walks in, they pay $20 to enter, play for an hour and leave.....

Thanks, Bob.

Craig Rittel,

I must have just missed you. I move to St. Louis in 1978 and started playing at the Cue and Cushion. I was fresh out of college and teaching school. Don't remember your name. But, maybe we met and since you left shortly thereafter, I don't remember you.


I grew up in the area, actually I was from Maryland Heights, just a few miles down the road from Overland.

I joined the US Army in late 1978 and left the area in Early 1979. I have returned over the years a few times, because my Mother still lives in the area.

You may not remember me but I am certain that you remember, Billy Crow, Al Pruit, Doorman, Monkey Mike, Rick Dunnam, and maybe even Poplar Bluff Danny to name a few people.

Anyway, what is your full name? Where is your room located? Please include some photo's.

It appears though that one thing we both have in common, was that Bob had some influence on both of us. He truly was a great guy, and what better way to be remembered than through positive influences that will continue on long after we are gone, this is the true measure of a great person.
 
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