There's a reason the previous owners sold it, and without clearing house and posting a doorman that was not going to change.
How many times did you go in there? I ask because you paint an awful rosy picture.
Maybe 5-8 time over two years. Mostly on Saturday, or a Sunday, and also most of the time I was in the car headed home before 9 PM. There was an element there that gave me the creeps, but most showed up after 9PM.
In defense of what may have been, Sunday Afternoon during sport Season the place was wall to wall people. Rick did not cater to the Pros, or A Player. He catered to the "C" Players, and normally had a large turnout during Tourny's.
He knew everyone, and talked to everyone. He did not just RUB ELBOW with the "A", and take the other customer for granted.
I do not know the reason he closed, and I am sure part of the reason was DROP IN BIZ, RECESSION RELATED!