what is the most important to you about a pool hall?
What is the most important thing in a successful pool hall?
- Thread starter BangkokMichael
- Start date
Well-kept equipment. Good, clean balls and tables with fast cloth.
I can deal with crappy food and mediocre drink selections as long as I can go and play great pool. Bad tables, I'll leave everytime.
Equipment upkeep.
Successful.
Quality equipment! Is number one.
Comfortable seating, good music selection.
Good food, more than just finger foods. Stuff like burgers ,pizza ,steak ,and a selection of sandwiches.
Quality equipment! Is number one.
Comfortable seating, good music selection.
Good food, more than just finger foods. Stuff like burgers ,pizza ,steak ,and a selection of sandwiches.
Have to agree. Top quality equipment that plays fast and fair is the most important thing.
A safe friendly environment that lends itself to playing good pool, not kids partying, is important too.
Would recommend having better cues, maybe with LD shafts, available for rent as an option. And why not have video's of pool matches playing on monitors - may fuel the fire a little.
A safe friendly environment that lends itself to playing good pool, not kids partying, is important too.
Would recommend having better cues, maybe with LD shafts, available for rent as an option. And why not have video's of pool matches playing on monitors - may fuel the fire a little.
Free water?
10-20 core regulars that you can count on to have at least half of them nightly. The balance of tourists, aren't necessarily going to notice the fine equipment. It helps, but the reality is non-players wouldn't know clay balls from resin.
The number one thing in my opinion is the owner and his motivation. I see to many room owners with the attitude, ok.. doors are open, I am done.... Doesn't work that way, and if you're not out doing the little things, you aren't going to make it.
JV
10-20 core regulars that you can count on to have at least half of them nightly. The balance of tourists, aren't necessarily going to notice the fine equipment. It helps, but the reality is non-players wouldn't know clay balls from resin.
The number one thing in my opinion is the owner and his motivation. I see to many room owners with the attitude, ok.. doors are open, I am done.... Doesn't work that way, and if you're not out doing the little things, you aren't going to make it.
JV
Another vote for quality equipment.
Recloth the tables regularly and keep 'em level. Usually that goes hand-in-hand
but I've seen tables with sparkling new simonis and horrible rolls, which is a total waste.
Clean the balls, it's such a small thing but everything just plays better... better breaks,
fewer skids, easier cue ball movement.
Fix stupid little things like a ball return that keeps getting stuck, nails sticking out of pockets,
broken wooden racks, etc.
If the tables are right, I could give a crap if they even have food or alcohol or music.
This is Ames, mister.
Recloth the tables regularly and keep 'em level. Usually that goes hand-in-hand
but I've seen tables with sparkling new simonis and horrible rolls, which is a total waste.
Clean the balls, it's such a small thing but everything just plays better... better breaks,
fewer skids, easier cue ball movement.
Fix stupid little things like a ball return that keeps getting stuck, nails sticking out of pockets,
broken wooden racks, etc.
If the tables are right, I could give a crap if they even have food or alcohol or music.
This is Ames, mister.
Diamond69's Top 10 List
1. Good marketing - People need to know you're there.
2. Community involvement - People need to know you care.
3. Good food - Not just a frozen burger to tide people over.
4. Good drink - at reasonable prices.
5. Good people (working) - Can't just be a lump handing out balls and taking cash. Needs to be part of the good marketing. Friendly, helpful, etc.
6. Good people (playing) - Having the wrong demographic will scare away the others.
7. Great equipment - no brainer.
8. Good leagues - as many as can be supported well from both player and LO support.
9. Good supported tourneys - Whether weekly or monthly, needs to be marketed/handicapped to keep lesser players coming. Too many times tourney's die because of the same winners over and over.
10. Kid leagues - Get involved with local kid programs and start a kids league. Ran well, this will add $ to your coffers and grow the sport! Parents come with to watch their kids compete, have lunch, etc. Then the parents realize it's not just a hangout for the bad kids.
I'd be interested in feedback on my Top10 from players and former room owners as I may be getting ready to open a room.
What was their best investment? What would they do differently? What caused the closure (besides not enough money)? Was it bad location, no food, no drink, bad people?
1. Good marketing - People need to know you're there.
2. Community involvement - People need to know you care.
3. Good food - Not just a frozen burger to tide people over.
4. Good drink - at reasonable prices.
5. Good people (working) - Can't just be a lump handing out balls and taking cash. Needs to be part of the good marketing. Friendly, helpful, etc.
6. Good people (playing) - Having the wrong demographic will scare away the others.
7. Great equipment - no brainer.
8. Good leagues - as many as can be supported well from both player and LO support.
9. Good supported tourneys - Whether weekly or monthly, needs to be marketed/handicapped to keep lesser players coming. Too many times tourney's die because of the same winners over and over.
10. Kid leagues - Get involved with local kid programs and start a kids league. Ran well, this will add $ to your coffers and grow the sport! Parents come with to watch their kids compete, have lunch, etc. Then the parents realize it's not just a hangout for the bad kids.
I'd be interested in feedback on my Top10 from players and former room owners as I may be getting ready to open a room.
What was their best investment? What would they do differently? What caused the closure (besides not enough money)? Was it bad location, no food, no drink, bad people?
At this point I pretty much just settle for it being open and less than a 30 minute drive from my house.
Rep'd for that! Ahaha.
1. Good atmosphere, pleasant enough to want to be there.
2. Good staff, no thieves no assholes.
3. Good management...keep everybody safe and happy.
4. Respect for equipment, the better equipment the more care and respect.
5. Reasonable prices for table time and food/drink.
2. Good staff, no thieves no assholes.
3. Good management...keep everybody safe and happy.
4. Respect for equipment, the better equipment the more care and respect.
5. Reasonable prices for table time and food/drink.
Count me in on good, clean equipment. :smile:
You would love Chris's! Two of the three rooms have NO music, and there is NO alcohol, and the new owners just recovered 16 of the tables in the two main rooms. Add to that seven 5x10 heated carom tables and a snooker table and you have a pool room!!
A rent equal or less than 150 dollars a month per table. If you have 20 tables in your place, you better not be paying much more than 3000 a month for you building rent.
That figure can change with a liquor license a bit but ... don't go thinking it can change with food or equipment sales, or you will end up working 16 hrs a day to pay the landlord, electric company, heat, taxes .. blah blah blah .....
That figure can change with a liquor license a bit but ... don't go thinking it can change with food or equipment sales, or you will end up working 16 hrs a day to pay the landlord, electric company, heat, taxes .. blah blah blah .....
Sounds stupid but here in Quebec I would say your chances of staying in business for more than a few years is directly related to the number slot machines you have in the establishment.
Some halls removed pool tables to add additional slot machines to make their business profitable.
Most pool halls that don't have slot machines closed down in Montreal.
At the end of the day, owning a pool hall is a business. You have to be profitable to stay in business.
Some halls removed pool tables to add additional slot machines to make their business profitable.
Most pool halls that don't have slot machines closed down in Montreal.
At the end of the day, owning a pool hall is a business. You have to be profitable to stay in business.