Another room chasing players away?

[Steve Dickey]

Maybe you could open your own room, charge $2.00 an hour for a table, a buck for a Coke, and open at noon. Then you can play with your Dad and make a killing on the side. A win, win situation. Good luck, Steve

 

[hang-the-9]

$2 or $5 an hour and there is complaining? LOL

You can probably find your own table for a few 100 to play with him.

And is sounds like the drink policy was around for a while so what's the issue there?

Paying whoever works there is not the whole bill. Electricity, rent, maintenance, and making money to live are all in there also.

Very few rooms open this early, those that do have a strong business not just for pool but also with food. The place I go to opens at 3 or so during summer hours and may have gone to that year-round. During Sundays when there is the junior league that starts at 2:30, when they are done about 5 or so, the kids are often the only people there. So why would a place open earlier so they can stay empty for 5-6 hours?

Why do you think the person running the pool hall should do what you want and not what he thinks will keep the business going?. If you want to have a place that you can go to anytime your schedule allows, open up your own room so you can price things how you want and open when you want, or get a table.

And you would be wrong!

This is the second owner of this room. I worked for the original owner for a couple years. He made most of his money running strip clubs. He wasn't interested in pool players, at all, and made it known. He had a two drink minimum per hour.

The current owner bought the place from him and was much more friendly to players. He kept the two drink minimum but only enforced it for dart players and people just hanging out. In the last couple years he started pushing the players to adhere to the drink minimum. He kept the two drink minimum until about 6 months ago, when he got rid of it completely. At the same time, he raised his rates from $2 per hour to $5 per hour. So when I say he's got half a dozen tables going, he's making $30 per hour from the tables alone, which more than covers the one employee he has working for minimum wage, and the cost of the electricity to run the table lights and a fan.

But you know, really, that's not what's important to me here. I don't get to play with my dad any more. He's done doing anything by 4pm on any day. There isn't a pool room open anywhere near that works with those hours. My dad will just start playing at the senior center. By the time I'm old enough to play with him there, he may be gone.

 

[justinb386]

I am guessing that the table time was free in the day time, so that might be why the owner started to require a 2 drink purchase (per player, that is playing on the tables free of charge). If the table time is not free, then that does not make sense (to require a drink purchase), if you are paying to play.

Many rooms will change their hours during the summer time due to a slight decline in business and is a common practice really. This is a chance for them to cut back on some overhead and get projects done that may be on the to do list. As for the purchase requirement, unless stated as part of a promotional, like free pool tuesdays or of the like. I would say that was not a smart idea on the owners part.

 

[bdorman]

The local bar I play at opens at noon...except the video poker area, which opens at 7am. Tells you where the money is. He's got 5 video poker machines and at least four of them are busy at all hours of the day.

No complaints. The pool is free with no purchase requirements. I order a glass of water and tip the barmaid $5.

 

[dnschmidt]

Here's what I don't understand. Several pool halls around here give away the table time and badger you for drinks which to me is stupid as I don't drink. I don't mind paying $5 an hour for table time at all. Just leave me alone.

 

[smashmouth]

And you would be wrong!

This is the second owner of this room. I worked for the original owner for a couple years. He made most of his money running strip clubs. He wasn't interested in pool players, at all, and made it known. He had a two drink minimum per hour.

The current owner bought the place from him and was much more friendly to players. He kept the two drink minimum but only enforced it for dart players and people just hanging out. In the last couple years he started pushing the players to adhere to the drink minimum. He kept the two drink minimum until about 6 months ago, when he got rid of it completely. At the same time, he raised his rates from $2 per hour to $5 per hour. So when I say he's got half a dozen tables going, he's making $30 per hour from the tables alone, which more than covers the one employee he has working for minimum wage, and the cost of the electricity to run the table lights and a fan.

But you know, really, that's not what's important to me here. I don't get to play with my dad any more. He's done doing anything by 4pm on any day. There isn't a pool room open anywhere near that works with those hours. My dad will just start playing at the senior center. By the time I'm old enough to play with him there, he may be gone.

whoahhhhhhhh

stop your crying
pathetic

 

[d_day]

whoahhhhhhhh

stop your crying
pathetic

I'd point out that your father is also your brother, and your son is also your nephew but I think everyone here already knows that.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Come on guys....cut smashmouth some slack on this one.

It's reflective of the state of affairs for the pool room operators........don't become mislead by Steinway Billards on TV.......there's 8.5 miilion people in NYC.......pool rooms make money when the population is that dense.

How many people live in your town? The county population of Fresno county is well over a million people.......and there are a limited number of pool halls.......in Fresno City, the parlors open at noon......offer monthly rates or flat daily rates......it encourages play during the day since it's at night when the money gets made....leagues, tournaments, increased social play, bar traffic for food & beverage, dart leagues, etc.

Smaller locales often do not allow a pool room operator to be cavalier about their expenses.....some parlors aren't raking in money......and when you reside in an area where the local pool room operator reduces their open hours, unless you own a table, you're screwed.......and when pool is an activity you can enjoy with your dad, it really does suck......many older folks do their main activities during the day like matinee movies, going shopping, early dining, playing pool, etc.

Sorry smashmouth.......tell you what........try seeing if you can take your dad to a late lunch or early dinner and afterwards, head straight to the pool hall.......if you guys caught lunch 1:30 or 2pm, it might work out but it's an added expense just to be able to play some pool with your dad that before was convenient and pretty inexpensive.

Matt B.