Big O's In Tampa
- Thread starter Johnnyt
- Start date
Johnny,
I was up at Strokers Tampa on Wednesday, and I heared they packed it in.
Joe
I was up at Strokers Tampa on Wednesday, and I heared they packed it in.
Joe
Is that the pool room that was on North Dale Mabry?
Someone in the Tampa area looking to put in a medium size poolroom might want to look in the area that Big O's was in. They seemed to do a pretty good business. Many things could have heppened there. I heard the landlord wanted them out. Didn't want a poolroom there. And he rented them space for it for a year or more because? It could have had poor management, partners disagree (i believe it was a partner thing). I know one room in that area that started with a bang, then went bust because of very poor management.
If I was younger I'd try a room in that area. In most cases a pro or hustler is the last one that should open a poolroom. They can't think out of the box. They cater to the hardcore action players and pros. Weather you like them or not, APA, TAP, or BCA in your place 3-4 nights a week does wonders for your cash register. Most rooms owned by good pool players not too many years ago ignored them, if they even had them 1 night a week. That has to change if they want to stay open in this era. Treat them good like the rest of the players that come in and some will come back on their own or with a friend to play and spend money. Just 4 leagues times 2 from each that you convert to regulars and their friends can pay the rent on a medium size room. Johnnyt
If I was younger I'd try a room in that area. In most cases a pro or hustler is the last one that should open a poolroom. They can't think out of the box. They cater to the hardcore action players and pros. Weather you like them or not, APA, TAP, or BCA in your place 3-4 nights a week does wonders for your cash register. Most rooms owned by good pool players not too many years ago ignored them, if they even had them 1 night a week. That has to change if they want to stay open in this era. Treat them good like the rest of the players that come in and some will come back on their own or with a friend to play and spend money. Just 4 leagues times 2 from each that you convert to regulars and their friends can pay the rent on a medium size room. Johnnyt
anyplace south of tampa to play? usta play out of poppies a few years ago...live in bradenton now looking for a bar with a few tables or a nice pool hall ive played at both livingstons thx pm me if you can help jerry
Johnnyt said:
can't.
that's why he closed/ is relocating.
the shopping center that the room was in has a irish bar (o'brien's) that has been there for years and years. o'briens has a lease/contract that state's that the developers of the shopping center were not supposed to lease space to a direct competitor (another bar). Gary (Big O) sub-leased that space from Baycity plywood (ajoining business) rather than leasing directly from the developers... o'briens sued to have them shut down. took months of legal matters all the while Gary kept the room open. last Sunday they got notice to get out or the door would be locked and everything would be confiscated. They moved everything out Sunday night. Gary is sueing the people he leased it from... and is currently looking at some other locations on Dale Mabry. He will re-open the room in a new location. From what I hear it should be re-opening in the next month or so when they find another suitable location.
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Yes sir, will do.
Actually, the same thing happened to me in 1983 or 4 in Oldsmar, FL. A new strip mall went in that I put a deposit down for 1200 sq ft. I had quotes on the tables and was a day or two from paying for them and tell them to ship. The cornerstone business in this new mall was an Irish bar with two pool tables. He had it in his lease that no other bars or poolrooms could lease in that strip mall. I probably could have fought it for them taking my deposit, but I hadn't lost any money except a few phone calls and he gave the deposit back. At that point I said to hell with it and went to nursing school. Johnnyt
1200 ft2? I hope that's a typo, strip malls are notorious for not wanting pool rooms so the ones that do allow it are in unsavory/low traffic areas.