Pool Tables In Mall Walk Ways In the U.S?

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
Have any malls in the U.S. tried or have 20-30 pool tables in walk ways outside the stores like they do in Asian countries? It sounds like a good idea on paper. Steady flow of people walking by, teens with money hanging out, husbands waiting for wives on benches. Johnnyt
 
nobcitypool

nobcitypool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Big difference with the USA. You'd have to hire 4 security guys to keep the balls and house cues from walking away. They'd also need to be there to break up the fights. Unfortunately, I'm not being a smart aleck, I think that is true.
 
B

bdorman

Dead money
Silver Member
Johnnyt said:
Have any malls in the U.S. tried or have 20-30 pool tables in walk ways outside the stores like they do in Asian countries? It sounds like a good idea on paper. Steady flow of people walking by, teens with money hanging out, husbands waiting for wives on benches. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

It's a good idea, if we can figure out what's in it for the mall owner. I don't know about malls in your area, but here they rent aisle space to kisok peddlers of all kinds of stuff like flowers, cheap jewelry, face-painters, etc.; businesses that can't justify/afford a fixed store front mall location.
 
trob

trob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Johnnyt said:
Have any malls in the U.S. tried or have 20-30 pool tables in walk ways outside the stores like they do in Asian countries? It sounds like a good idea on paper. Steady flow of people walking by, teens with money hanging out, husbands waiting for wives on benches. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

None that I know of..but I like your thinking!! lol
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There was one..,

There use to be a Pool Hall at a mall in Anchorage Alaska back in 1999-2001.
I worked there for a couple of weeks back then and played there a few times.

The place was nice, tables were ok, 4x8 Gandy's. I never ran into anybody playing there but kids, is was a arcade atmosphere, on the second floor of the mall, don't remember the name of the mall?
 
L

lost

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yea...and they can have foosball, and pinball, and video machines too....oh wait they already have them. It's called an arcade.
 
M

Mark Griffin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
The room was in the Dimond Mall in Anchorage,, Alaska. It did not have Gandy tables. It had 9' Rebco Saratoga tables. It originally opened up around 1990? or so. Changed hands - and moved 'next door' - and eventually closed. Rick Cramer was the original owner.

But this was in a rented space and did quite well for several years.

I believe the OP was referring more to having them in the 'hallways' - and the general public area.

Many years ago while on the BCA Board, I tried to get them to help fund George Middleditch and his efforts to have him go around with a truck and one table and go to all the malls. (I got rewarded the booby prize in the new idea contest).

A one man pool show - which he had done 30 years ago.

I still think it would be a great idea. But it takes a special type of person to do it.

Mark Griffin

wi
 
R

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
King T said:
There use to be a Pool Hall at a mall in Anchorage Alaska back in 1999-2001.
I worked there for a couple of weeks back then and played there a few times.

The place was nice, tables were ok, 4x8 Gandy's. I never ran into anybody playing there but kids, is was a arcade atmosphere, on the second floor of the mall, don't remember the name of the mall?
Click to expand...

It was in the Dimond Mall. Hot Shots was the name of it, and they had 9' Rebcos (maybe they had the Gandys when they very first opened?) Was a nice clean operation, but the smoking ban killed them. When stepping outside for a smoke means navigating through a shopping mall to go outside..... Well lets just say there is an Army recruiting office there now. The owner tried to reopen over in Muldoon, but couldnt make a go of it.
Chuck
 
E

Eagles89

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mark Griffin said:
The room was in the Dimond Mall in Anchorage,, Alaska. It did not have Gandy tables. It had 9' Rebco Saratoga tables. It originally opened up around 1990? or so. Changed hands - and moved 'next door' - and eventually closed. Rick Cramer was the original owner.

But this was in a rented space and did quite well for several years.

I believe the OP was referring more to having them in the 'hallways' - and the general public area.

Many years ago while on the BCA Board, I tried to get them to help fund George Middleditch and his efforts to have him go around with a truck and one table and go to all the malls. (I got rewarded the booby prize in the new idea contest).

A one man pool show - which he had done 30 years ago.

I still think it would be a great idea. But it takes a special type of person to do it.

Mark Griffin

wi
Click to expand...
yes mark it does.a guy with money and a truck.and a table.
 
PINKLADY

PINKLADY

ICNBB
Silver Member
what malls???? ;)

actually, it's a good idea, and for the 2 reasons you stated. buy used tbls cheap from a hall that went out of business so that it doesn't matter about their condition. hire 1 person @ minimum wage to watch the inventory.

except, malls are passé. we've lost 2 of 4 here, in a 40ml radius; other 2 are struggling. Atlanta's top 2 in Buckhead are on their way out (not that they would EVER allow pool tables :eek:). the new wave is those open-air shopping center complexes popping up everywhere.
 
Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
PINKLADY said:
what malls???? ;)

actually, it's a good idea, and for the 2 reasons you stated. buy used tbls cheap from a hall that went out of business so that it doesn't matter about their condition. hire 1 person @ minimum wage to watch the inventory.

except, malls are passé. we've lost 2 of 4 here, in a 40ml radius; other 2 are struggling. Atlanta's top 2 in Buckhead are on their way out (not that they would EVER allow pool tables :eek:). the new wave is those open-air shopping center complexes popping up everywhere.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I guess I need to get out more or Tampa is behind the trend curve. Johnnyt
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for the update!

Mark Griffin said:
The room was in the Dimond Mall in Anchorage,, Alaska. It did not have Gandy tables. It had 9' Rebco Saratoga tables. It originally opened up around 1990? or so. Changed hands - and moved 'next door' - and eventually closed. Rick Cramer was the original owner.

But this was in a rented space and did quite well for several years.

I believe the OP was referring more to having them in the 'hallways' - and the general public area.

Many years ago while on the BCA Board, I tried to get them to help fund George Middleditch and his efforts to have him go around with a truck and one table and go to all the malls. (I got rewarded the booby prize in the new idea contest).

A one man pool show - which he had done 30 years ago.



I still think it would be a great idea. But it takes a special type of person to do it.

Mark Griffin

wi
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update Mark, Im heading back to Alaska next month is there any place to play there now?
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks!

Chuck Fields said:
It was in the Dimond Mall. Hot Shots was the name of it, and they had 9' Rebcos (maybe they had the Gandys when they very first opened?) Was a nice clean operation, but the smoking ban killed them. When stepping outside for a smoke means navigating through a shopping mall to go outside..... Well lets just say there is an Army recruiting office there now. The owner tried to reopen over in Muldoon, but couldnt make a go of it.
Chuck
Click to expand...

So where do they play in Alaska now, I'll be back there next month?
 
R

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Billiard Palace, on Northern Lights and Arctic, need to park and enter around the back, so follow Arctic or Spenard to take 27th which runs behind the building. Best room in the state by far. Ive been gone for a little over a year, but have heard Minnesota Billiards closed a few months back, so the only other poolhall in Anchorage is on Jewel Lake and Dimond above the Alaska Club Gym. And its more of the family fun center kind of place rather than a poolhall.
Chuck

Ps, since we're talking Anchorage congrats to Billy, Damien, Milan, Donnie and Chris for their 7/8 finish at this years BCA Nationals...... Great job guys, proud of you!
 
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