Thanks. I was trying to do that but failed then gave up.
Name a pool hall you wish was still open today
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I can't remember the name of the one on 6th... been a while!
Hollywood @ Sunset was the nuts.. play some 1P AND get a nice
single malt.. Rogan doing his best Earl impression.. they really
sold out the pool aspect towards the end... RIP.
I only went into old downstairs Hollywood Billiards a few times, but the place was loaded with characters, kind of like a circus.
One time a guy came in looking for one pocket action and one of the house players started playing him. The house man at the counter walks over top the table and says to the house player "there's a phone call for you". They walk back to the counter. He hands the player the phone and I hear him whisper "that's Jimmy Reid". I guess Hippy Jimmy was on the road. The player played a few racks and promply quit.
Here's a picture of Julians that I never seen posted on AZ.
Not too long after this article came out, Tek Billiards (Fat Cats) and Corner (Amsterdam) opened up.
NYTimes
MANHATTAN POOL HALLS FADE IN BLOOM
APRIL 26, 1987
Manhattan's pool halls, smoky dens that were the stuff of neighborhood legend, have nearly disappeared, even as the game is in the midst of a resurgence in much of the country.
Only two parlors remain in the borough and they have changed. Fewer are the dollars changing hands over ''8 Ball'' or ''Straight.'' At Guys and Gals on 207th Street and Broadway, the manager says customers are now more likely to bet a bottle of rum than a wad of cash.
And the other pool hall is no longer a male haven. On a recent night, Julian's Billiard Academy, a cavernous hall on East 14th Street, resembled a fraternity party, with young people, in groups and on dates, far outnumbering the old-timers.
The demise of the pool halls is attributed mostly to high rents, stringent regulations and competition from video games and video cassette recorders. In a few years, even the surviving halls may pack up their cue sticks after their leases expire. 'Hall on Every Block'
When the movie ''The Hustler,'' featuring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason, was released in 1961, there were 24 parlors in Manhattan. Now, there are 24 halls in the entire city.
''There used to be a pool hall on every block in Manhattan,'' said 66-year-old Raymond Tenebruso, setting up a shot at Julian's. ''Now this is the only big pool room left in the city.''
As Manhattan's last two pool halls struggle to survive, interest in the game appears to be growing in general. Membership in the Iowa City-based Billiard Congress of America - encompassing billiards and pool, sometimes referred to as pocket billiards - has doubled to 11,000 in the last two years. The sport is also receiving more exposure in television commercials and network sports coverage.
One spark was the release last November of ''The Color of Money,'' featuring Mr. Newman and Tom Cruise. ''The Color of Money'' was a sequel to ''The Hustler.''
The newer movie has ''caused a maxi-resurgence'' in the game, said Harold L. Simonsen, publisher of Pool and Billiard Magazine in Roselle, Ill. ''Across the country playing time has increased an average of 30 percent,'' he said.
''New York City is the only place the game isn't flourishing,'' said Billie Billings, two-time world champion women's billiards player. The Rent Problems
Pool halls across the country still face long-term problems. There is stiff competition from video games, coin-operated tables in bars and the sale of tables for use in the home.
Some devotees believe New York's stringent laws have driven pool halls out of the city. Unlike many other states, New York does not allow minors in the halls and prohibits liquor and food. In Los Angeles, where alcohol and food are permitted, the number of licensed pool halls has grown to 169 from 140 five years ago, the City Clerk's office says.
In New York, high rents are a problem, as well as insurance and utility costs. The future looks bleak for Julian's owner, Ron (Julian) Hickers. When his father opened Julian's in 1933, there were 18 tables and the rent was $300 a month. Now, sharing the old Academy of Music building with the Palladium - a glitzy nightclub -Julian's has 29 tables and a monthly rent of more than $6,000.
''I don't know what I will do when my lease is up in four years,'' the 53-year-old owner said as he looked out the window at a luxury apartment building rising across East 14th Street. ''I may just hang it up and go to Florida.''
At Guys and Gals in the Inwood section, the manager, Cesar Caceres, is also worried.
''I don't know how much longer we can sustain this place if the rent keeps going up,'' he said. ''It's getting harder and harder to compete with VCR's, and it's a gigantic expense to house 18 tables.''
Even with a typical hour wait for a table at Julian's, players are willing to pay the price. ''If you split the hourly price with someone,'' said 24-year-old Eve E. Ashcraft, a Manhattan artist who plays almost every Sunday, ''this is cheaper than going to a movie.''
Standing under posters of Mr. Gleason, W. C. Fields and Mr. Newman -all of whom have been associated with pool in movies - and illuminated only by the overhead light with the number of their table on it, Robin C. McIver, a 27-year-old advertising copywriter, said, ''The crowd here is very eclectic.''
The ''old-timers'' look back fondly to the old days.
''I remember walking by Julian's and seeing signs announcing big tournaments here with hot shots like Minnesota Fats and Willie Mosconi,'' said 67-year-old Alex Buckholtz, who plays 30 minutes every day at Julian's. An Image Problem
Billiards, a favorite of the European elite in the 17th century, has seen hard times before. The game was banned in New York City in 1741. In 1812 the Committee for Suppressing Immorality found ''the fashionable rage for shuffle boards and billiards, and the foul means often used to procure money to support it are evils of great magnitude.''
The game was legalized in 1904. By 1935 there were 117 halls in the city.
Some fans believe the sport's image was scarred by the seedy portrayals in the movies.
''Hollywood hurt pool's reputation by associating it with gangsters,'' said George Mikula Jr., who has been playing at Julian's for 30 years. ''When cops were looking for the bad guy in a movie, they went to the pool halls.''
The pool room regulars said that the high-stakes hustlers are no longer frequenting the halls in the city.
Indeed, according to Inspector Ronald E. Johnson of the public morals division of the New York City Police Department, no complaints have been filed against pool halls in at least seven years. ''I have no doubt betting still goes on,'' he said, ''but the days of the hustlers are over.''
''A few of the gamblers moved around the corner to OTB,'' said Mr. Caceres of Guys and Gals. ''If you want to hustle in this neighborhood, you wouldn't be here - you'd be out selling drugs.''
Not too long after this article came out, Tek Billiards (Fat Cats) and Corner (Amsterdam) opened up.
NYTimes
MANHATTAN POOL HALLS FADE IN BLOOM
APRIL 26, 1987
Manhattan's pool halls, smoky dens that were the stuff of neighborhood legend, have nearly disappeared, even as the game is in the midst of a resurgence in much of the country.
Only two parlors remain in the borough and they have changed. Fewer are the dollars changing hands over ''8 Ball'' or ''Straight.'' At Guys and Gals on 207th Street and Broadway, the manager says customers are now more likely to bet a bottle of rum than a wad of cash.
And the other pool hall is no longer a male haven. On a recent night, Julian's Billiard Academy, a cavernous hall on East 14th Street, resembled a fraternity party, with young people, in groups and on dates, far outnumbering the old-timers.
The demise of the pool halls is attributed mostly to high rents, stringent regulations and competition from video games and video cassette recorders. In a few years, even the surviving halls may pack up their cue sticks after their leases expire. 'Hall on Every Block'
When the movie ''The Hustler,'' featuring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason, was released in 1961, there were 24 parlors in Manhattan. Now, there are 24 halls in the entire city.
''There used to be a pool hall on every block in Manhattan,'' said 66-year-old Raymond Tenebruso, setting up a shot at Julian's. ''Now this is the only big pool room left in the city.''
As Manhattan's last two pool halls struggle to survive, interest in the game appears to be growing in general. Membership in the Iowa City-based Billiard Congress of America - encompassing billiards and pool, sometimes referred to as pocket billiards - has doubled to 11,000 in the last two years. The sport is also receiving more exposure in television commercials and network sports coverage.
One spark was the release last November of ''The Color of Money,'' featuring Mr. Newman and Tom Cruise. ''The Color of Money'' was a sequel to ''The Hustler.''
The newer movie has ''caused a maxi-resurgence'' in the game, said Harold L. Simonsen, publisher of Pool and Billiard Magazine in Roselle, Ill. ''Across the country playing time has increased an average of 30 percent,'' he said.
''New York City is the only place the game isn't flourishing,'' said Billie Billings, two-time world champion women's billiards player. The Rent Problems
Pool halls across the country still face long-term problems. There is stiff competition from video games, coin-operated tables in bars and the sale of tables for use in the home.
Some devotees believe New York's stringent laws have driven pool halls out of the city. Unlike many other states, New York does not allow minors in the halls and prohibits liquor and food. In Los Angeles, where alcohol and food are permitted, the number of licensed pool halls has grown to 169 from 140 five years ago, the City Clerk's office says.
In New York, high rents are a problem, as well as insurance and utility costs. The future looks bleak for Julian's owner, Ron (Julian) Hickers. When his father opened Julian's in 1933, there were 18 tables and the rent was $300 a month. Now, sharing the old Academy of Music building with the Palladium - a glitzy nightclub -Julian's has 29 tables and a monthly rent of more than $6,000.
''I don't know what I will do when my lease is up in four years,'' the 53-year-old owner said as he looked out the window at a luxury apartment building rising across East 14th Street. ''I may just hang it up and go to Florida.''
At Guys and Gals in the Inwood section, the manager, Cesar Caceres, is also worried.
''I don't know how much longer we can sustain this place if the rent keeps going up,'' he said. ''It's getting harder and harder to compete with VCR's, and it's a gigantic expense to house 18 tables.''
Even with a typical hour wait for a table at Julian's, players are willing to pay the price. ''If you split the hourly price with someone,'' said 24-year-old Eve E. Ashcraft, a Manhattan artist who plays almost every Sunday, ''this is cheaper than going to a movie.''
Standing under posters of Mr. Gleason, W. C. Fields and Mr. Newman -all of whom have been associated with pool in movies - and illuminated only by the overhead light with the number of their table on it, Robin C. McIver, a 27-year-old advertising copywriter, said, ''The crowd here is very eclectic.''
The ''old-timers'' look back fondly to the old days.
''I remember walking by Julian's and seeing signs announcing big tournaments here with hot shots like Minnesota Fats and Willie Mosconi,'' said 67-year-old Alex Buckholtz, who plays 30 minutes every day at Julian's. An Image Problem
Billiards, a favorite of the European elite in the 17th century, has seen hard times before. The game was banned in New York City in 1741. In 1812 the Committee for Suppressing Immorality found ''the fashionable rage for shuffle boards and billiards, and the foul means often used to procure money to support it are evils of great magnitude.''
The game was legalized in 1904. By 1935 there were 117 halls in the city.
Some fans believe the sport's image was scarred by the seedy portrayals in the movies.
''Hollywood hurt pool's reputation by associating it with gangsters,'' said George Mikula Jr., who has been playing at Julian's for 30 years. ''When cops were looking for the bad guy in a movie, they went to the pool halls.''
The pool room regulars said that the high-stakes hustlers are no longer frequenting the halls in the city.
Indeed, according to Inspector Ronald E. Johnson of the public morals division of the New York City Police Department, no complaints have been filed against pool halls in at least seven years. ''I have no doubt betting still goes on,'' he said, ''but the days of the hustlers are over.''
''A few of the gamblers moved around the corner to OTB,'' said Mr. Caceres of Guys and Gals. ''If you want to hustle in this neighborhood, you wouldn't be here - you'd be out selling drugs.''
Attachments
Chandley's Chalk and Cue in Statesville NC
Definitely Chandley's Chalk and Cue in Statesville North Carolina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsyja0_GAtE
Definitely Chandley's Chalk and Cue in Statesville North Carolina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsyja0_GAtE
Grand Olive Billiards
Grand Olive Billiards St. Louis, Missouri. From the spittoons, to the drawers to store customers' personal cues, to Sixteen Zwibleman who would get customers food from Garavelli's downstairs, to Tom Ferry and Rottenmouth Johnson -- the best place ever.
Grand Olive Billiards St. Louis, Missouri. From the spittoons, to the drawers to store customers' personal cues, to Sixteen Zwibleman who would get customers food from Garavelli's downstairs, to Tom Ferry and Rottenmouth Johnson -- the best place ever.
Cypress Family Billiards (Cypress, CA) and Bob's Billiards (Anaheim CA)
I remember them both well. To begin with there must have been something about them that drew those players.
How about one that is still open but much different
Jack's in New Albany Indiana. Technically it's still there but only a shell of what it used to be.
When I first started it had a bunch of 8 footers, 2 nine footers and a couple of bar boxes in the back. The nine footers eventually were replaced with Diamond pro cuts which were awesome.
Eventually the place expanded but lost most of the tables to a bar, table and chairs. Alcohol paid better than the pool.
I spent many a night closing that place down. I spent so much time there I moved into an appartment about 200 feet from their doorstep. I could crawl home if needed, and did a few times.
Jack's in New Albany Indiana. Technically it's still there but only a shell of what it used to be.
When I first started it had a bunch of 8 footers, 2 nine footers and a couple of bar boxes in the back. The nine footers eventually were replaced with Diamond pro cuts which were awesome.
Eventually the place expanded but lost most of the tables to a bar, table and chairs. Alcohol paid better than the pool.
I spent many a night closing that place down. I spent so much time there I moved into an appartment about 200 feet from their doorstep. I could crawl home if needed, and did a few times.
Pic of the place: https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=235013
billinboston
Registered
Fenway Billiards Boston
Watched some great money games with Boston Shorty
Watched some great money games with Boston Shorty
Texas Cue Lounge, Timonium MD
All of We Northern California Players are mourning the loss of The Jointed Cue Billiards in South Sacramento. The local Dirt-Bag ADA Lawyer saw fit to have them closed down due to discrepancies in Accessibility for the Handicapped. The building is very old and not worth the tens of thousands of dollars it would take to bring it up to current standards .... so, the doors were closed for good several months ago.
I remember it well .........
My Best Friend and I played there quite often, during our High School Years.
My Best Friend and I played there quite often, during our High School Years.
Great Memories at Circus Billiards
I quit my day job in 1968, just so I could play full time at Circus Billiards. Up all night, making a decent living at 9-Ball and One Pocket, then sleep all day in my rented one room cabin ($15 per week) out on 13th Street. My ‘67 Corvette looked “strange” parked out front of that shack, but my needs were few. You never knew who might walk into The Circus and, as Jay said, it was THE Action Room for miles around.
I quit my day job in 1968, just so I could play full time at Circus Billiards. Up all night, making a decent living at 9-Ball and One Pocket, then sleep all day in my rented one room cabin ($15 per week) out on 13th Street. My ‘67 Corvette looked “strange” parked out front of that shack, but my needs were few. You never knew who might walk into The Circus and, as Jay said, it was THE Action Room for miles around.
