Smoking vs. smoke free

daylate$short · Sep 12, 2013

Smoke Ban

South Dakota went non-smoking a few years ago. At that time a few of the bars (the only places with pool tables) showed a drop in business. Not only the pool players, but bar patrons, also. Since then most bars have added a "shelter" for the smokers, so they would be a little more comfortable. Most smokers haven't quit playing, or drinking because of it.

You are in Florida.....weather there is PERFECT, EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR!!!! How could a few minutes an hour outside, grabbing a few puffs bother anybody! Tell all complainers to go to North or South Dakota in January, if they want something to whine about.

Charlie

joelpope · Sep 14, 2013

PanicKJ said:
I am in Florida and would love to play at a place with nice tables that didnt allow smoking.

+1.

Where in FL... I hate the smoking rooms I play in

PINKLADY · Sep 14, 2013

Atlanta, SC, NC - went non-smoking 3.5 yrs ago @ JAN 1.

i - have saved $400/wk, since JAN 2.

i travel 50%.

rarely eat out
changed hotel chains
didn't step foot into my "private" pool hall for 2 yrs

now that i'm back @ my pool hall, and they allow us to go out the back door w/ NO seating & NO rain coverage, & NO heaters @ winter - when i walk in the front door, the place is EMPTY. because everyone's out back, smoking.

when customers are paying $5-$8/hr to shoot
and have to stop for 10mins+/+, per hour, to smoke
it's costly.

for all.

PS - my pool hall of 25 yrs, is close to GOB.

FloridaPoolGal · Sep 16, 2013

Trying to open up in citrus county. Having trouble finding a suitable lease as of now, working hard to find one as we speak! We will be a non smoking facility!:grin-square:

StuartTKelley · Sep 17, 2013

FloridaPoolGal said:
Ok, so I'm in the process of opening up and have one major question. I have a great location, the rent and building are perfect. The owner is insisting that there not be any smoking in the building. It is in a small strip mall, with a large overhang in the front where I can put tables / benches. I have polled the local pool players and they have been very split. The non smokers say it would be great. The smokers say its financial suicide. I would be the only room within an hour radius offering nice 9 foot tables in a clean environment, there are a few smoking bars that have lousy equipment and dumpy environments. I need to know that non smoking will make it if I proceed with this building, but at this point I'm just super confused. Advice???

I think if you start smoke-free you avoid any controversy on the subject. If you provide a great room that people enjoy and want to come back to time and time again I don't think you need to worry about the smoking aspect. Give your best effort and do your all to maintain consistency and I think you'll do well. Obviously the room is just one factor among many that I can't calculate. Good luck to you !! I hope it's a success.

PanicKJ · Sep 17, 2013

joelpope said:
+1.

Where in FL... I hate the smoking rooms I play in

Sarasota.

We have a non smoking pool hall but they charge 6 dollars an hour and the cloth needs replaced on most tables.

I go to a closer pool hall that allows smoking because they only charge 6 bucks to play all you want! Plus there is always someone good to play against there.

NatchDan · Oct 5, 2013

Only 20% of players still smoke. Why make the 80% mad to keep the 20% happy. I have a new room that will have its grand opening January 1st. Ill have a patio where players can smoke but there will be no smoking inside. Id like to give my lungs a chance at life.

jtompilot · Oct 6, 2013

NatchDan said:
Only 20% of players still smoke. Why make the 80% mad to keep the 20% happy. I have a new room that will have its grand opening January 1st. Ill have a patio where players can smoke but there will be no smoking inside. Id like to give my lungs a chance at life.

Good for you Dan. I'm in Vegas for a few days and it seems that 80% smoke here. Same in New Orleans. I wish they would join the 21st century and stop the indoor smoking.

Smooth · Oct 7, 2013

depends

if you are supplementing your pool income with a food/restaurant angle, non-smoking may be the way to go

but if you are supplementing via live entertainment/music and are angling for more of a night club/bar environment, smoking is a big yes... beef up those smoke eaters and, this is important, make sure the units are running at 100% fan speed all year (winter can be a problem because the heat of the crowds will cause the units to scale back if they aren't wired separately from the heating system (Florida winters notwithstanding). We tried a non-smoking test for almost a year before going back.

bountybuddy · Oct 8, 2013

Smoking vs smoke free

My wife and I own two pool halls in a small city; one is by the high school and one is by the ocean. Our policy is no smoking around the tables but they can smoke when they are off the cement. This has worked out well for us and I'm a smoker. My 2 cents worth.

PanicKJ · Oct 8, 2013

So did the OP ever look at this thread again?? I haven't seen any replies. I was actually curious as to where this pool hall was intended! Oh well.

cueandcushion · Nov 14, 2013

This is still an issue? Smoking prohibition is the norm not the exception these days. All room owners should plan accordingly.

Fenwick · Nov 18, 2013

PanicKJ said:
So did the OP ever look at this thread again?? I haven't seen any replies. I was actually curious as to where this pool hall was intended! Oh well.

FloridaPoolGal

09-16-2013

Trying to open up in citrus county. Having trouble finding a suitable lease as of now, working hard to find one as we speak! We will be a non smoking facility

whammo57 · Nov 18, 2013

ridewiththewind said:
In some parts of the country the closing of pool halls has been attributed to, in part, the decline in attendance due to smoking bans.

Personally, I don't care if they smoke or not. Before WA went to a state-wide smoking ban...every place I played had SmokeEaters in great working order. Even with contacts, I had no issues.

Sent from my HTC One V using Tapatalk 4

I'm calling bullshit on this one............. no bar or pool hall has ever lost a dime because it went to non smoking.........................

Kim

doitforthegame · Nov 19, 2013

whammo57 said:
I'm calling bullshit on this one............. no bar or pool hall has ever lost a dime because it went to non smoking.........................

Kim

Sorry Kim, but I have the business records. I lost 60% of my table time immediately. After a month or two I regained 20% of that loss but I was still down 40% and it never recovered. It took a year and a half but I was forced to close the room. That was however ten years ago almost. I would agree with you that in this day and age there is no loss to any bar if they do not allow smoking. In fact I would guess that if you DID allow smoking it would hurt more than help.

Bob

FloridaPoolGal · Nov 25, 2013

So we found a lease. It is in downtown Inverness Florida. I appreciate all of the discussion on this thread and it seems that it's a simple matter of opinion, as I expected. We will be opening shortly after the new year and will be a smoke free facility. Florida is severely behind the times with indoor smoking regulation. That however will not deter me from whatsoever doing right. Eventually it will go that way anyhow so why not bite the bullet and stay smoke free from the get is my opinion. We also hope to serve food in the future so this is a no brainer. Wish us luck

ElLeon · Nov 25, 2013

FloridaPoolGal said:
So we found a lease. It is in downtown Inverness Florida. I appreciate all of the discussion on this thread and it seems that it's a simple matter of opinion, as I expected. We will be opening shortly after the new year and will be a smoke free facility. Florida is severely behind the times with indoor smoking regulation. That however will not deter me from whatsoever doing right. Eventually it will go that way anyhow so why not bite the bullet and stay smoke free from the get is my opinion. We also hope to serve food in the future so this is a no brainer. Wish us luck

Wishing you luck! And please post up some pics of the establishment once you're up and running.

predator · Nov 26, 2013

All the room owners I have talked to say the same thing. After smoking ban they have experienced immediate drop of income. Yes, I believe them.
But my question to them is always the same. What are you doing to attract statistical majority (non smokers) to pool?

mark smith · Nov 27, 2013

smoking vs non

Don't smoke and never have, hate it. But, if I could reverse the "Arkansas Indoor Clean Air Act of 2006" I would. My 21 year pool room saw a steady decline for 2 years, it leveled off and remains at just about half of what we used to do. I do not blame it all on the law, I think we are struggling with a new generation of kids that are "too electronic" to come out for something as "real" and challenging as pool. Video games can be mastered in days or weeks. Given the option I would allow smoking.

PoolSharkAllen · Nov 28, 2013

FloridaPoolGal said:
So we found a lease. It is in downtown Inverness Florida. I appreciate all of the discussion on this thread and it seems that it's a simple matter of opinion, as I expected. We will be opening shortly after the new year and will be a smoke free facility. Florida is severely behind the times with indoor smoking regulation. That however will not deter me from whatsoever doing right. Eventually it will go that way anyhow so why not bite the bullet and stay smoke free from the get is my opinion. We also hope to serve food in the future so this is a no brainer. Wish us luck

Without a doubt, by opening a non-smoking pool hall you will have saved some lives though most pool players may not know it yet. The following excerpt was posted today in another thread and should be food for thought for everyone who plays in a pool hall that allows smoking:

"It seems like nowadays everybody's dropping like flies, all my friends" - Today, 08:18 PM
The above quote is from Keith McCready's recent post on the Cecil Tugwell thread.

It does seem that many "old timers" are passing away these days, most 15- 20 years before normal life expectancy. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why. It is directly related to the lifestyle and environment that these pool players exposed themselves to. The majority of people that played or hung out in poolrooms/bars from the 60's - 80's were smokers. I'd say today there are fewer smokers and "smoke free" rooms which bodes well for the current generation of players.

The #1 cancer in men is prostate, in women it is breast. BUT the #1 cancer killer is LUNG.........the vast majority of cases caused by tobacco use (85%). Smoking also puts one at risk for other cancers like kidney, pancreas, and many others.

I think most people reading the above will agree with what I've written.........but some may be asking why is he talking about this? Because if you're over the age of 55 and have spent a large majority of your life in smoke filled poolrooms and bars, you're at risk for developing a smoke related illness.....cancer, COPD, etc.

Smoking vs. smoke free

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