Could Pool Halls Become As Posh As Bowling Alleys?

Scaramouche

Scaramouche

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In Toronto, some wheelerdealers are opening a bowling alley downtown in the club district.
10 lanes
20,000 sq ft
$4 million
microbrewery
chef
Operating 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Prices haven't been set, but another similar boutique north of Toronto charges $45/hr, $55 on Saturdays after 9 p.m.

The going rate at some other bowling establishments is $30

Apparently L.A has similar operations.

Pool looks like real bargain entertainment.:D
Toronto prices $10/hr +
 
Im thinking pool is more expensive than bowling, at those prices above anyways. If renting a hole bowling lane for an hour is like $50 and just a wee old pool table which is 9 feet (but thinner) or 4 feet (still thinner but not as much) is $10 then if we combine tables to get the same square footage that a bowling lane takes im pretty sure its more $$$! and plus electrical costs of putting pins up and game system etc etc.

Boo for pool being expensive in this part of the world... I think at all times it should be $5 an hour and $7 on nights and weekends c:!!!!
 
My common-sense meter is telling me to totally disagree w/ the above statement that shooting pool costs more than bowling, based entirely on your argument of space. I've neither ran nor operated either establishments, but I would have to imagine that operating a bowling alley would cost a lot more than a pool hall (both start-up and maintenance). Just looking at the size of a lane versus a pool table doesn't really make any sense. It seems that more often than not, neither are very busy, I think food and booze sales helps out a lot. Honestly I don't see how either stays in biz! Thank god for leagues I guess...

But back to the original post... I never figured of bowling as anything that could be "posh", but at $50 per hour... holy dang!! I haven't bowled in a while, but in my area I think the rate might be $15 an hour per lane, although normally prices are per game. There was a recent "Undercover Boss" that featured a bowling place that seemed kinda posh... it was interesting.
 
Something else...

Has anyone actually been to one of these places? At 50 an hour, I figure the average number of games to be played is probably 4-5 (per hour), and that's if all you were doing was bowling (no smoking/joking). Whether that's one person bowling 4 or 5, or 4/5 people bowling one game, that comes out to at least $10 a game!! That's maybe 3x what it normally costs in my area per game... so I guess that is posh!!
 
I must be confused. $45.00 to $50.00 per hour for bowling?? Is that per lane or per person? When I was at Amsterdam Billiards I saw they charge $32.00 per hour for four players at peak time, and I thought that was crazy. I understand it is New York, but who can afford that on a regular basis? WOW is all that I can say!!
 
bigfred said:
I must be confused. $45.00 to $50.00 per hour for bowling?? Is that per lane or per person? When I was at Amsterdam Billiards I saw they charge $32.00 per hour for four players at peak time, and I thought that was crazy. I understand it is New York, but who can afford that on a regular basis? WOW is all that I can say!!
Click to expand...

32/hr for 4 players is $8.....from what I've seen across the country the nicest places.....$8 is the normal for very nice place, nice equpiment, nice atmosphere.

What are they charging at the dam for one player on the table peak hour now?

-Grey Ghost-
 
Scaramouche do you live in or near Toronto?

I remember the Olympia at Dundas & Yonge second floor they had 40 full size snooker tables.

I always thought that was an upscale place:D
 
I don't know...I think the best person to answer this question might be Mike Paige....From the look of Fargo Billiards and Gastropub....it seems to be about the "poshest" room I have ever seen.

When you look at the pricing...it does not appear to be all that out of line.(unless you want to play on the "orange" tables) :wink:
 
champ2107 said:
another similar boutique north of Toronto << where is this at, woodbridge?
Click to expand...

The two articles that I have seen

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...-get-a-boutique-bowling-alley/article1806726/

http://www.thestar.com/news/article...b-microbrews-and-a-hip-downtown-location?bn=1

The Star mentions the Lucky Strike in Vaughn.

I suppose the closest thing in a pool hall in Toronto is The Academy of Spherical Arts - It only has four tables.

http://www.sphericalarts.com/index.php
 
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I think our local place is as nice as I've seen. cbcburns.com. And the business seems to show it. Just keeps getting stronger.
 
Bowling Alley's are closing in Arizona, I know of two that have folded in the last year, one in PHOENIX, the other in Wickenburg. Many other businesses are struggling in this OBAMA Economy.

Honestly I can not think of any many businesses with the exception of Funeral Homes, and Cemeteries that are in a growth mode, thanks only to Suicide Rate being up because many who have lost everything.

Las Vegas is struggling, and the last time I was up there I say people "LOOKING" in many of the Hotel High End Shops, but few leaving with purchase.

Honestly just yesterday I was told by a lady we know her son, daughter in law, and three grand kids are coming to live with her because the extended family lost job, and their home, and don't have the saving for a place to live.

Yes I know there are area of the country that are doing O.K., but I would suspect for each one that is doing O.K., 5 area hurting.
 
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