Chalky's in Carbondale, IL already shutting down
- Thread starter Grimper
- Start date
The
The phrase for fading that first period and getting to where you can be in the black is "turning the corner."
Owners need start with enough $$ in their back pockets to get through this period, to survive a possibly slower ramp-up than they expected, and to deal with unexpected bumps in the road. Businesses that might have been sustainable in time but failed because of insufficient $$ in the back pocket to turn the corner are called "undercapitalized."
Generally that word is overused in failing businesses because when you get behind with vendors and get to the point you can't both make payroll and get next week's food delivered, it FEELS like just another pot of operating capital would get you past this bad time. An undercapitalized business idea and an unlikely-to-become-sustainable business idea feel the same at this point.
Here, though, the inability to get to the first winter smells like being undercapitalized. It is possible the projections acknowledged the summer was slow but planned on being filled with league teams weeknights starting in the fall. Maybe that didn't happen. Lots of leagues follow something like an academic year, so it might have been clear that at least the league-player income wouldn't be there until at best next fall.
In any case, it's sad...
The phrase for fading that first period and getting to where you can be in the black is "turning the corner."
Owners need start with enough $$ in their back pockets to get through this period, to survive a possibly slower ramp-up than they expected, and to deal with unexpected bumps in the road. Businesses that might have been sustainable in time but failed because of insufficient $$ in the back pocket to turn the corner are called "undercapitalized."
Generally that word is overused in failing businesses because when you get behind with vendors and get to the point you can't both make payroll and get next week's food delivered, it FEELS like just another pot of operating capital would get you past this bad time. An undercapitalized business idea and an unlikely-to-become-sustainable business idea feel the same at this point.
Here, though, the inability to get to the first winter smells like being undercapitalized. It is possible the projections acknowledged the summer was slow but planned on being filled with league teams weeknights starting in the fall. Maybe that didn't happen. Lots of leagues follow something like an academic year, so it might have been clear that at least the league-player income wouldn't be there until at best next fall.
In any case, it's sad...
You keep attacking gar after he said he just looked at the demographics
and yet here you come having not lived there in decades and having ZERO idea how different kids(college kids) are today. They are not even close to how they were 10 or 20 years ago. Thanks for the laugh 
NON pool people. There a lot of people that won't go within a mile of a place with pool tables. If he was aiming at students he would have put it next to campus. Bottom line is this guy did little if any homework. Predict a food/bar/music set-up makes way more money. If that fails there's always weed. Is it legal in them there parts??
DECADES??????????? WTF would you know then????? Did students have cars back then???? Mules and wagons? Ever heard of UBER???
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Exactly right. I've lived in towns with big schools(Norman-OU) and small(Tulsa-TU) and what makes bars/clubs go can be hard to pin down. Some of the biggest money making college clubs i've ever seen were in the stix so to speak. Tumbleweeds in Stillwater(where Garth Brooks started) is a big honky-tonk outside town. The distance has never been an issue. Placed is packed ALL THE TIME. BTW, Norman used to have a pretty nice poolroom right on CampusCorner. It folded YEARS ago never to be replaced. AFAIK there is no place to play in Norman other than barboxes.You keep attacking gar after he said he just looked at the demographics
They may not have had a big enough cash reserve. You need to be able to survive at least 2 years until the business puts down roots. This is assuming you have a large enough market to ultimately make a go of it. An old rule when opening a new business, lose money the first year, break even the next and start making money in the third year. It cost a lot to open a pool hall from scratch and survive until you make money. I know because I did it in in 2003. It feels like everyone is nibbling at your toes.The first-class pool room in Carbondale, IL is shutting down after only 3 months of being open.
What a shame. Seems like maybe they weren't really committed to the idea. Anyway, they've got a ton of stuff for sale:
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Attendence at SIU is nothing compared to years ago (33,000 vs 12,000). Covid along with enrollment rolled up some carpet.
Chalky's was not near campus.
I heard allot of northerners retiring are moving to this area.
Warmer winters, Chalky is also a suburb pool room newer development, not downtown on the avenue with your land paid off.
If your downtown/open I'd think you're doing good, as long as you have an ATM machine and better prices.
Chalky's was not near campus.
I heard allot of northerners retiring are moving to this area.
Warmer winters, Chalky is also a suburb pool room newer development, not downtown on the avenue with your land paid off.
If your downtown/open I'd think you're doing good, as long as you have an ATM machine and better prices.
I've been visting Carbondale 3or4 weekends a year since graduating. Not being a resident isn't required to have a finger on the pulse.You keep attacking gar after he said he just looked at the demographics
I wonder if anyone commenting here besides myself & the OP has been on S. Illinois Ave., or spent any time at all in Carbondale.
Now here's a guy that knows Carbondale very well and hasn't lived there for decades either.
Yep, I agree. It seems to me that if you open up something like this, you've got to have a plan to stick around for at LEAST a year or so. Hard to build up a clientele in just 3 months. Sounds like the owner may just have more money than commitment.
From what I understand, everything pool related is for sale.
I put myself through school at SIU hustling at the Student Center
Hated Carbondale then, still hate Carbondale now (I live about 40 minutes away).Actually it's more like 9,000 undergrads now. When I was there in the late 70's, I think we were at around 22,000 undergrads. Everyone around here is just waiting for SIU-Edwardsville to absorb SIU-C.
On top of that SIUE has their own billiard room attached to the bowling alley, so the college students don't have far to go for good equipment, I believe it was free for them to play too.
Bumbta Bumbta Bumbta and glug glug glug tend to make more money than click click. Unfortunately, I have been to several otherwise nice pool halls that were dominated and pretty much ruined for me by loud rap/dance music.
If I had a dime for every person that "put themselves through school" I'd have retired before I started to work. Did you steal your Daddy's cue?I put myself through school at SIU hustling at the Student Center
That is only second to " I used to be good at your age " and " I have not played much recently " in lies pool players say LOL