Denver Pool Halls Closing

[moose man]

Antiques

I'm really sorry to hear about pool rooms closing in Denver. Colorado Springs action is usually available, but at varying levels. Since Antiques is really the only pool hall left in the springs, it eliminates any decision making on where to go. There is a daytime ten foot golf game, and the four Diamonds will often have one or two nineball sets going in the evening as well as an occational one pocket game.

Antiques is a good pool room, but it has a lot of potential to be a great pool room without too much effort. It is a little fustrating that the owner who is very knowledgable about pool won't make the effort to do little things like:
1) avoiding having literally three or four different types of balls mixed into every set
2) seperating the four action tables from the crowds of "pool ignorant" people around the bar (ie. if your not going to fix the 12' snooker table use the area over there)
3) work a little harder to minimize the gang violence/ shootings that seem to be the norm
4) lighten up a little on the "no jump/masse rule" for experienced players

Just my two cents... Jim, are you listening??? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Drew]

I'm really sorry to hear about pool rooms closing in Denver. Colorado Springs action is usually available, but at varying levels. Since Antiques is really the only pool hall left in the springs, it eliminates any decision making on where to go. There is a daytime ten foot golf game, and the four Diamonds will often have one or two nineball sets going in the evening as well as an occational one pocket game.

Antiques is a good pool room, but it has a lot of potential to be a great pool room without too much effort. It is a little fustrating that the owner who is very knowledgable about pool won't make the effort to do little things like:
1) avoiding having literally three or four different types of balls mixed into every set
2) seperating the four action tables from the crowds of "pool ignorant" people around the bar (ie. if your not going to fix the 12' snooker table use the area over there)
3) work a little harder to minimize the gang violence/ shootings that seem to be the norm
4) lighten up a little on the "no jump/masse rule" for experienced players

Just my two cents... Jim, are you listening??? Anyone? Bueller?

Out of curiosity, who are you?

 

[Salamander]

Just my two cents... Jim, are you listening??? Anyone? Bueller?

I'm certainly listening. However, Jim has heard all of this and for whatever reason has no interest in making it better. I guess he must have other priorities.

 

[Derek]

Bit O billiards has a few bucket Gc's and its not a pool hall. Theres no players there and NO action. not to mention its 45 mins from denver.

Ouch, be nice. While it's not a "pool hall" in how we like to see them, it is the best place to shoot pool between Denver and Fort Collins.

Obviously, The Bit is not going to have the caliber of players that a larger population base of Denver has, but there are some decent players in the area. Nelson has been one of the better players in the Colorado area recently and he comes from The Bit. We could form a not too shabby team to take on other towns, although I won't make any claims that we would win.

I'm hurt that Dave and Doug would consider us a bunch of hacks in Longtucky.

No action? Not completely but I won't disagree that you won't find too much. I can't afford to be a money player so I just stick to tournaments. You can probably get a money match out of Nelson or Wayne and maybe a few others, but the stronger action will obviously be Denver, due to population size, and Fort Collins.

 

[Salamander]

I'm hurt that Dave and Doug would consider us a bunch of hacks in Longtucky.

.

Hey, leave me out of this, you (Derek), Wayne, Nelson, Little John, my bud Barry, and a couple others I can't think of right now are all good players. :thumbup:

As for action, well, when ATM and I lived up there some change exchanged hands.

 

[Derek]

Haven't been to the Koop since they re-clothed all the tables, but other than Melissas table, and the fact that they don't currently have a tournament schedule, I don't see much promise.

The tables were average at best when I was there a few days ago. It's obvious which table Melissa shoots on and then there are all of the others. First you have to contend with the support posts/beams that clutter the large room. They don't affect all of the tables, but it's a pain that they are even an obstacle to deal with in the first place.

Second, our table had a bad roll, the pockets were loose letting balls drop through, and I had to align one of the side boards back into place.

And it's been awhile since I shot there on the weekend, but my last experience was you don't shoot pool there on a Fri/Sat night due to the nightlife crowd that mills around all of the tables making it impossible to shoot a real game of pool.

Oh yeah, I had to pick off glass particles from the cloth also.

Wynkoop is a restaurant/bar first and a pool hall second. Not that they promote themselves as a "pool hall", so they haven't caused any injustice to the local Denver scene.

 

[Derek]

Hey, leave me out of this, you (Derek), Wayne, Nelson, Little John, my bud Barry, and a couple others I can't think of right now are all good players. :thumbup:

As for action, well, when ATM and I lived up there some change exchanged hands.

Just giving you a hard time.

I totally know what you and Dave G. mean as compared to the talent pool in Ft. Collins and Denver and probably the Springs. Heck, I think Pueblo has a strong group that shows up in Denver tournaments once in awhile.

For what good shooters we do have, we could really use stronger players to make the rest of us better. Nelson's improvement comes from playing top dogs in other cities. And there are some small table players (Valley/BCA) who come across as very good players but I never see them play on the big tables. Unfortunately, we are pro-APA in Longmont and we need to be subjected to the other principles of pool.

 

[Cuebuddy]

Ouch, be nice. While it's not a "pool hall" in how we like to see them, it is the best place to shoot pool between Denver and Fort Collins.

Obviously, The Bit is not going to have the caliber of players that a larger population base of Denver has, but there are some decent players in the area. Nelson has been one of the better players in the Colorado area recently and he comes from The Bit. We could form a not too shabby team to take on other towns, although I won't make any claims that we would win.

I'm hurt that Dave and Doug would consider us a bunch of hacks in Longtucky.

No action? Not completely but I won't disagree that you won't find too much. I can't afford to be a money player so I just stick to tournaments. You can probably get a money match out of Nelson or Wayne and maybe a few others, but the stronger action will obviously be Denver, due to population size, and Fort Collins.

About a year and a half ago I was hitting flea markets, antique stores and pawn shops looking for cues and I saw this place tucked away in a strip mall. Although they were closed I got a good look through the window and it looked fine to me. Looked like they were sporting 9 ft Gold crowns and theres nuttin wrong with that.

 

[measureman]

I spent most of today at Hanks. I used to have to go to Charlies and Billiards Ink to see my friends but now they are all at Hanks. The golf tables were full and the billiards table was going. All the 9 footers were being used and a couple of bar tables were in use.
According to Melissa Little there will be a tournament this Sunday at 3 PM.
The best thing about Hanks for me is I can get there in 10 minutes.

 

[Derek]

I know I haven't been in Colorado in about 10 years and may be way off about what's there but what about Colfax Billiards, The Fun center in Denver, Shakespeare's or the Mirage in littleton? The Foundary in Boulder? Have they all closed too? I know a few of these didn't really hold tournaments very often but they could with a good TD.

Mirage is still there but I don't know how many big tables they have.

The Foundry changed in ownership and they really jacked up their tables with bad lighting and just not upkeeping them. It would be nice to know what happened with those old Brunswicks as I could perhaps replace my newer Connelly piece of crap.

Boulder took a turn for the worse when Quinn's shut down up on the Hill. I didn't hear the story as to why they closed, but any properly run operation one block off the campus should have been easy to succeed for years.

Hank's is alright but could use some better upkeep of their equipment. It felt like a dirty pool hall when I was there a few days ago, although the clientele and employees were perfectly fine.

Things really went into the crapper when Shakespeares moved and then closed. IMO, that was the best pool hall in the area. Actually, Billiards Institute was nice also but I think Leif just didn't want to operate it any longer (?)

 

[Derek]

Yep. FFC, then Paradise,...now Hanks.

And they still have the green Family Fun Center canopy over the back entrance!

 

[Derek]

The Bit in Longmont?...poorly managed and a waste of space.

Doug, I'm sure you and I are on the same page of what a pool hall should really be like, but The Bit is not quite that bad. George is full owner now and he does upkeep the tables. There are definitely room for improvements, but he replaces the cloth once a year if not twice, does have Super Aramith balls that can be requested behind the bar, and I think even injecting a few wooden racks here and there (which we have been begging for years to get rid of those crappy plastic racks).

He does have the other half of the joint for dining and poker and dance nights (yes, dance nights) as George still has to bring in business for what he considers profitable. The half that has pool tables is just about as well organized as it can be. The top half has really only space for the bar tables that are there.

The lower half could have the bar tables removed to make way for one or two more big tables, but George wants to be able to support the APA playoffs and tournaments. He did bring back a 5x10 snooker table by the front door but it really needs more space around it.

I know where you are coming from, but it's starting to look like it's the best place to shoot pool between Hank's and Match-Ups, if the Cue Club is closed (well, except for a secret garage location that stores a nice Gold Crown for members only )

 

[Cuebuddy]

I remember a place in Arvada, it sat just south of Old town Arvada Brooklyn's??. I don't think it lasted long but was nice inside if I remember correctly. Anyone know what happened with them?

 

[9BallPaul]

And they still have the green Family Fun Center canopy over the back entrance!

It's been over a year now, so maybe Hank can afford his own sign?

Love this room -- been going since the '60s.

 

[Derek]

I remember a place in Arvada, it sat just south of Old town Arvada Brooklyn's??. I don't think it lasted long but was nice inside if I remember correctly. Anyone know what happened with them?

McChesney's, or some referred to it as McCheesey's. I think it may have been another name at one time. I agree that it was nice inside. Big tables on one side and small on the other with a raised floor restaurant in-between. Touring ladies' pro Laura Smith was the house pro. They closed a long time ago to my knowledge.

 

[Salamander]

McChesney's, or some referred to it as McCheesey's. I think it may have been another name at one time. I agree that it was nice inside. Big tables on one side and small on the other with a raised floor restaurant in-between. Touring ladies' pro Laura Smith was the house pro. They closed a long time ago to my knowledge.

I think part of the problem was that the place was HUGE. It sort of lacked the intimacy that many people like in a gathering place. To much space to maintain. It closed several (many) years ago.

 

[Salamander]

Derek,

My words were perhaps alittle harsh about the Bit. However, it was/is probably the only pool hall I've ever been in where the "help" made you feel unwanted. As a "customer", I always wanted to be elsewhere. The table are OK, but the customer service is still at a D+ level. JMO

Doug, I'm sure you and I are on the same page of what a pool hall should really be like, but The Bit is not quite that bad. George is full owner now and he does upkeep the tables. There are definitely room for improvements, but he replaces the cloth once a year if not twice, does have Super Aramith balls that can be requested behind the bar, and I think even injecting a few wooden racks here and there (which we have been begging for years to get rid of those crappy plastic racks).

He does have the other half of the joint for dining and poker and dance nights (yes, dance nights) as George still has to bring in business for what he considers profitable. The half that has pool tables is just about as well organized as it can be. The top half has really only space for the bar tables that are there.

The lower half could have the bar tables removed to make way for one or two more big tables, but George wants to be able to support the APA playoffs and tournaments. He did bring back a 5x10 snooker table by the front door but it really needs more space around it.

I know where you are coming from, but it's starting to look like it's the best place to shoot pool between Hank's and Match-Ups, if the Cue Club is closed (well, except for a secret garage location that stores a nice Gold Crown for members only )

 

[DogLoop]

Heritage of Sarconi's, Cofino's and the likes of the Velvet Rail...

McChesney's, or some referred to it as McCheesey's. I think it may have been another name at one time. I agree that it was nice inside. Big tables on one side and small on the other with a raised floor restaurant in-between. Touring ladies' pro Laura Smith was the house pro. They closed a long time ago to my knowledge.

It's amazing what a decade or so will do...
Jon McChesney's (Texas Express) place was a-ok the only 2 times I went to visit it. At the time I last went, Dave Matlock was the house pro.

Back then, Denver had The Billiard Institute (Lakewood) running with @ 30 tables, up the street on Sheridan, there was Table Steaks running 24/7 with 50+ tables, up Sheridan a little more was Family Fun Center with about 10 or 12 total (the same as now), Make a right at 38th to Tennyson instead and the owners of Table Steaks had Colfax Billiards with 18 more tables going, go south to @ 21st and go east a way til you could navigate south 2 blocks to Shakespear's near 19th @ Little Raven where there were 20+ more tables and short (walking distance) to the Wynkoop with almost the same number, keep going east , navigate to Colfax towards Aurora and one could find action at Jason's (if you wanted to be out til as late as 5am and didn't mind playing young guns) or to The Pool Hall for a dose of Lyle and Dottie's hospitality (now Table Steaks East, right?) ...
I should add that there were a half dozen more places that have a foothold in Denver pool like Tournaments in Commerce City, 24/7 kids at Holiday Bowling and Billiards, the Vinh Son was just opened with small carom tables (8' iirc), there was action at Hank's other places like the Splash and Splash II (BB for both) another with about 16 GC tables near the north-south divider on Sheridan that I only visited between 11am and 2pm for safety reasons ... only place that I draw a blank for the name.

The Auraria campus had about 12-18 tables full of busy college kids, there was another room with 4 GC's near 52nd and Federal, there was another room with 12-16 GC I and II's with ball return near or just off Colfax between City Park and I-225 with a man's 1st name (maybe Pete's - someone may know...)

This is without what became Charlie's (it was something else back then [Western?]), McChesney's, Rack-'Em in Aurora (and still is), Greenfields and all the pro-APA sports bars in LoDo - also, every big strip club had a table or 2.

 

[measureman]

There is supposed to be a tournament at Hanks tomorrow(Sunday)
But nobody knows what time or if it is one pocket or 9 ball!
Great way to promote a new event at the only pool room left on the west side.

 

[Tokyo-dave]

There is supposed to be a tournament at Hanks tomorrow(Sunday)
But nobody knows what time or if it is one pocket or 9 ball!
Great way to promote a new event at the only pool room left on the west side.

Melissa sent me a text Thursday night that they were having a tournament that night at 7:30 but I had already settled in for a lazy night. I heard that they're having one tomorrow at 3 pm.
dave