Connelly Files for Chapter 11

I don't know how any table manufacturer outside of the big 3 is going to survive.
Chinese-made tables are in abundance here now.
 
By forming mergers and alliances. That's pretty much the way of business throughout history. Very few companies can survive for a long time without buying their competitiors, being bought by their competitors or merging with their competitors.

On top of that it's not fair to blame an influx of Chinese tables. Connelly caters to a higher level of customer who buys top quality. When people stop buying houses and filling them with stuff, and when they see their stock portfolios, and their retirement accounts shrinking, then they cut back on big ticket stuff. If the Chinese tables weren't there then people who still want a pool table would eschew Connelly's for low priced Kasson or Beach Billiards models.

It's definitely tough action though for anyone in the leisure products business. When the economy is down then the first thing to go is luxuries.
 
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JoeyInCali said:
I don't know how any table manufacturer outside of the big 3 is going to survive.
Chinese-made tables are in abundance here now.
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Campran being one of them. I have one of there tables and I honestly don't know how they sell it at that price. A 9' table with leather pockets, non-laminated wood and 1 1/8" slate with shipping/insurance for $1700. The only things I didn't like about it was that it came with incredibly shitty cloth and pretty junky balls.
 
JB Cases said:
By forming mergers and alliances. That's pretty much the way of business throughout history. Very few companies can survive for a long time without buying their competitiors, being bought by their competitors or merging with their competitors.

On top of that it's not fair to blame an influx of Chinese tables. Connelly caters to a higher level of customer who buys top quality. When people stop buying houses and filling them with stuff, and when they see their stock portfolios, and their retirement accounts shrinking, then they cut back on big ticket stuff. If the Chinese tables weren't there then people who still want a pool table would eschew Connelly's for low priced Kasson or Beach Billiards models.

It's definitely tough action though for anyone in the leisure products business. When the economy is down then the first thing to go is luxuries.
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I think Chinese tables are very much a factor. Like a lot of lower quality imported items, the promotion tools used create illusions of "equal quality" for "a fraction of the price". Consumers that become confused, often opt for the lower priced table.
 
pooltableproCP said:
I think Chinese tables are very much a factor. Like a lot of lower quality imported items, the promotion tools used create illusions of "equal quality" for "a fraction of the price". Consumers that become confused, often opt for the lower priced table.
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For every Triangle Billiards store here, there are at least 10 importers I bet.
Not to mention those who just sell on the net or Craigslist.
I know two people who went into partnership selling tables, they sold mostly imports b/c they were more profitable and the consumers did not know they were imports. Not until they started to sag.
They are closed now but how many consumers did they take out of the market?
 
pooltableproCP said:
I think Chinese tables are very much a factor. Like a lot of lower quality imported items, the promotion tools used create illusions of "equal quality" for "a fraction of the price". Consumers that become confused, often opt for the lower priced table.
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easy for folks to get slicked by da sweet typin marketeers
 
JoeyInCali said:
For every Triangle Billiards store here, there are at least 10 importers I bet.
Not to mention those who just sell on the net or Craigslist.
I know two people who went into partnership selling tables, they sold mostly imports b/c they were more profitable and the consumers did not know they were imports. Not until they started to sag.
They are closed now but how many consumers did they take out of the market?
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Joey, these chinese imports are going out of business too.
 
I'd imagine that the pool table business is always tough, but even more so during a cruddy economy. Brunswick really got it right by diversifying its business with bowling as well as pool.

I can't imagine being a table/table accessories only company. You would be relying on bars and pool halls opening as well as people spending money on one of your tables to keep above water.
 
sdbilliards said:
Joey, these chinese imports are going out of business too.
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True, the market can only support so much.
And as you know, a lot of buyers who bought these tables are practically giving them away on Craigslist and Recycler.
Some are literally giving them away.
 
This really sucks. They make a good table, they just always lacked a little in the advertising dept. They are basically Olhausens on steroids. I always hated that they never made a true competition table, as their furniture models played good, and the "ultimate" version was imo, the best playing furniture table ever made, as long as the pockets were shimmed or a rail extension made. But with the market saturated not only with all the cheap imports, but also the fact that there are an astounding # of quality tables that are sold used annually, due to financial situations, moves, room closings, etc, With all that said, these were good tables with prices comparable to competitors. Hate to see them in trouble.......
 
Eh table makers come and go. An old man I knew had a table made in the very early 1900's. He said Brunswick merged with that company and that was one of the last tables this company made. I wish I had him will it to me. Next time I go up to Ohio I'm going to ask about it because while it needs a ton of TLC it is truly a beautiful table.

I would actually just love to refinish the table in memory of him. I would be at his house playing all the time. He used to own Chalky's in Cleveland, Ohio. The table showed it's age after nearly a hundred years, but I always loved being there and talking to him.
 
It's true that slick (translation LYING) marketing will often convince customers to go for the inferior brand. I know this first hand.

Here is a good example of "slick" marketing in reverse -

http://auction1.taobao.com/auction/item_detail-0db2-f7c4f6a1fb899d49ac844b66181a9331.jhtml?pm1=2

Here are the JW cases being sold as if they come from the USA. No mention of being made in China. No mention of the "partnership" or the deal. The cases are described as "brand from the USA". ★美国进口★JUSTIS 正义 顶级真皮球杆桶★

Above in Chinese the first four characters say "imported from the USA".

Price: $540 (3800 RMB)

Maybe Connelly should just producing tables in China and selling them to the Chinese for 25% more than the sticker price in the USA.

The world is definitely getting smaller. Anyone with a few thousand can now become an importer with no regard to quality or customer service.

I had a customer tell me that they tried to import last year and lost $60,000 when they received a container full of unsellable pool cues. Well I am sure that they will find an outlet somewhere........

I feel really bad for Connelly. I guess that they probably don't qualify for a socialist bailout like the banks and carmakers.

If it makes anyone feel better many Chinese factories are going out of business as well due to the financial state of the world. If you want to blame someone then blame the lenders who pushed through so many bad loans just to skim the commissions. Blame the people who bought more than they could afford. Blame the credit card companies with their 30% interest rates and blame the people who live above their means by charging it all to cards.

We put ourselves here by spending like money grew on trees. Spending generates business and causes business to grow up to meet demand. The only reason Connelly can HAVE four stores and a nationwide network is because people are buying. When they stop buying then business shrinks. Connelly is not the first company to face lower priced imports. They could probably fade that but not a major drop in demand.

Whenever the market goes south then not only does demand drop but the used market begins to fill up with tables on offer as people begin selling off things to make the mortage.

Anyway, I hope that Connelly comes through it! I have always admired Craig Connelly and the business he built.
 
I heard about this one year ago last week, I'm glad they didnt go under, I think they are going to have it tough.
 
Look around you it is not only Connelly that is having trouble or pool as whole ... Look at G.M or Chrysler or Ford .... The banking system... take a ride through your town and see how many stores in your town have closed down ... It is tough times all over ... Look at alot of people on the streets alot more then ever before it seems to me ... Homeless people wondering not only where thier Christmas dinner will be but where they will eat at all ... The only difference is that they cannot go to the goverment for a financial bail out they will simpy be denied for lack of a address or many other reasons ... While we throw Billions to banks and pay our congress men and woman to settle with the big auto makers and will eventually give them billions and in the end more people will be jobless . While the big execs set on some remote vacation spot spending the bail out money. While all the while it is us that will pay for those billion dollar bailouts at a time when we are struggling to even put food on our tables... Or a roof over our head look at your local park our abandoned store fronts you will see alot more people late at night sleeping on them benches or in them store fronts with Newspaper to use as a cover ...

There are so many companies shutting thier doors I don't know of any bussiness in our town that has not been affected ... In fact alot of people here are unemployed .... Delco one of our biggest employers shut thier doors , Coachman here shut thier doors ... We had three Mobile home manufactuers shut down here ... And numerous other companies alot of people here without jobs... I have been very fortunate in that where I work has not been affected a whole lot ... We continue to expand and build and work ... The only thing we have had is a 25 man layoff to get us through the slow season ... And we usually get about a 3000.00 Christmas bonus but that was reduced to 200.00 to 300.00 this year ... Still we are lucky to be getting a full weeks work in when most poeple have no job at all... My family has been blessed we may have a few less presents under the tree this year but we have food to eat and a roof over our heads and while my family has had to tighten thier belts we have it better then alot of people I know and have been able to pitch in what we can to help those less fortunate.

Alot of people hurting this holiday season ... How many people that have it better here are reaching out to help out those less fortunate ? There is alot we can do rather it be holding a tourny to help feed the hungry ... Holding a fund raiser to stock your local Christian kitchen to help fed the poor... Doing something to help the kids that will have no Christmas this year ... When you walk by that man ringing the bell with that black pot looking for donations this year for the Salvation Army or some trust worthy charitable organization that helps the less fortunate ... Remember this year more people then ever need help and if you can afford to even if you have never given before dig a little deeper ...There are alot of people out thier that really have it bad this year ...

Wishing all of you a Very Merry Christmas ...
 
In my neck of the woods, Champions Billiards and Supplies is closing its doors after 31 years of being in the business.

I remember its origin and the first founder, Richard Allen. He eventually sold the pool supply end of it, as well as some pool rooms. His son manages the Champion pool room in Frederick, Maryland today, which I think it successful, last time I went.

The pool supply end of the operation, though, is going under. There are signs everywhere advertising this sale, as well as expensive commercials on the local TV stations, hoping people will come buy the products.

http://www.championbilliards.com/Champion_Billiards/Welcome.html
 
JAM said:
I heard the same thing earlier this year.

This topic was brought up on this forum a while back in a thread, and it was said that the rumor was not true: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1197146&highlight=Connelly#post1197146

Only time will tell, I guess. :)
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i over heard a conversation(i wasnt suppost to hear) so I kept my trap shut-it was a rumor here on AZ,,, but it wasnt a rumor in real life(What ever that means???). Its actually they could go this long without filinf-a bit of good news, they made alot af changes prior to this to avoid a BK, but a BK is just another way of doing biz its not the end of the world unless its a Chapt 7. So this is a good thing it buys them time to make better deisions-they why these BK "Protection" laws were written as they afford merchants "Protection". Often people who arnt biz people mis-understand this sort of stuff-no biggie,

happy hloidays to you and Mr. Keith,

best

eric

EDIT: I just read your link with Marks post he is spot on, and this BK will afford them more time. his post was long after I heard what I did, but thats irrelevant. Mark is much more informed about this than me. I just heard something I wasnt suppost too, and when that happens I just keep it to myself, thats why I am trusted by alot of people in pool. Loose lips are bad in all walks of life. I dont out anyone ever-and YOU JAM know that first hand. :) ring my phone sometime its been like 8 months since we spoke.
 
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gunzby said:
Campran being one of them. I have one of there tables and I honestly don't know how they sell it at that price. A 9' table with leather pockets, non-laminated wood and 1 1/8" slate with shipping/insurance for $1700. The only things I didn't like about it was that it came with incredibly shitty cloth and pretty junky balls.
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Just curious why you would buy a Campran when you can get a used Gold Crown, Gandy big G, even a Diamond for 1700? I know I have bought my last 3 tables used (GC1, Diamond Pro, GC2) and I never paid above 1500 for any of the tables.
 
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