Does anyone remember the House of Lords billiard rooms?

M

middleofnowhere

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It was actually a chain of rooms around the country. It was the first real poolroom I went to that wasn't a bowling alley. It made no pretence, it was a real pool room with all the atmosphere. I think there may even still be one around.

Not just bringing this up to go down memory lane. But there was a time when pool had a chance of becoming mainstream.

Can't imagine a poolroom franchise today. Now that I think about it though I think Dick Lane had something to do with franchising pool rooms in the Texas area.
 
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I believe that there was one on Long Island, NY. I also remember some pool tables bearing that name. Pool Room Franchises or Chains: Clicks- I think in Texas at one time, Dick Lane was involved somehow, Dave and Busters had some large pool rooms attached, Boston Billiards- sold drinks and had live bands- no real interest in promoting pool at all - anyone under 18 in CT, even accompanied by an adult, had to leave the Boston Billiards at 6PM because they had a cabaret license for the live bands and booze.

Last straw there for me was when they kicked me and my sons out at 6PM - anyhow the Bridgeport CT location closed after a bouncer was shot - so much for music being safer than pool!! Glad We left at 6PM :) ;)
 
As for 'Clicks' at one time there were about 16-18 locations, mostly in Tx. with one in Fl and one in Az iirc. Dick Lane sold his interest and they're now in La. and Tn. also. https://clicks.com/ The Dallas locations are now 'CK's', one on Skillman off 635 and one in Carrollton on Marsh Ln. off the Bush T'pike.
 
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I remember a handful of Mr. Pockets in So Cal. Don't know if they were national. There were also a bunch of Family Billiards rooms that looked like a Brunswick package.
 
middleofnowhere said:
It was actually a chain of rooms around the country. It was the first real poolroom I went to that wasn't a bowling alley. It made no pretence, it was a real pool room with all the atmosphere. I think there may even still be one around.

Not just bringing this up to go down memory lane. But there was a time when pool had a chance of becoming mainstream.

Can't imagine a poolroom franchise today. Now that I think about it though I think Dick Lane had something to do with franchising pool rooms in the Texas area.
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There are still a few in Texas and of course Houston which has more pool halls than any city i the country. Texas has Slick Willies, Barneys, Clicks and Fast Eddies. Houston has 5 slick Willies, 3 Barneys, 2 Fast Eddies and 1 Clicks, and 2 Boggies.
 
King T said:
There are still a few in Texas and of course Houston which has more pool halls than any city i the country. Texas has Slick Willies, Barneys, Clicks and Fast Eddies. Houston has 5 slick Willies, 3 Barneys, 2 Fast Eddies and 1 Clicks, and 2 Boggies.
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And Big Tyme and Legends too. Plus all the mexican/asian billiard spots. Lots of places in H-town no doubt.
 
I remember playing at clicks in Texas in the 80’s

Pinkeys was a big chain that built their own buildings in the early 90’s. Each location back then was around $3M . The one in Vegas is gone-building and all
 
A friend of mine has opened three pool rooms in Chicago and has plans for more. They're all relatively upscale, family friendly and doing well.

pj
chgo
 
I believe in some markets pool rooms done correctly have a chance. However in most markets they are not the best biz plan. It’s not easy that for sure.

with the pressure on retail from the internet there will be more affordable space to open rooms, which will take lots of pressure to make a room a profitable biz.

some areas where there’s no market for pool it’s hopeless. That’s a regional and cultural thing
 
garczar said:
As for 'Clicks' at one time there were about 16-18 locations, mostly in Tx. with one in Fl and one in Az iirc. Dick Lane sold his interest and they're now in La. and Tn. also. https://clicks.com/ The Dallas locations are now 'CK's', one on Skillman off 635 and one in Carrollton on Marsh Ln. off the Bush T'pike.
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Clicks in Phoenix was closed for good years ago, it was never reopened.
 
Fatboy said:
I remember playing at clicks in Texas in the 80’s

Pinkeys was a big chain that built their own buildings in the early 90’s. Each location back then was around $3M . The one in Vegas is gone-building and all
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A few Pinky's opened in Colorado in the late 80s, capitalizing on the post COM boom. They were in existing strip malls taking up the floor space of several stores.
Bar boxes were everywhere and cost a dime a game. Draft beer was 75 cents. Don't recall the hourly rate on the 9'ers. Waitresses wore black fishnet stockings and a black Playboy bunny type outfit sans the ears and tail. And they were a plenty, your drink never went dry.
 
jimmyco said:
A few Pinky's opened in Colorado in the late 80s, capitalizing on the post COM boom. They were in existing strip malls taking up the floor space of several stores.
Bar boxes were everywhere and cost a dime a game. Draft beer was 75 cents. Don't recall the hourly rate on the 9'ers. Waitresses wore black fishnet stockings and a black Playboy bunny type outfit sans the ears and tail. And they were a plenty, your drink never went dry.
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I forgot about the girls there. Thank you for reminding me. They pumped tons of money into those rooms.
 
middleofnowhere said:
It was actually a chain of rooms around the country. It was the first real poolroom I went to that wasn't a bowling alley. It made no pretence, it was a real pool room with all the atmosphere. I think there may even still be one around.

Not just bringing this up to go down memory lane. But there was a time when pool had a chance of becoming mainstream.

Can't imagine a poolroom franchise today. Now that I think about it though I think Dick Lane had something to do with franchising pool rooms in the Texas area.
Click to expand...

I don't know if it was part of that chain, but there was a poolroom named House of Lords in a tough neighborhood in Chicago back in the 60's-70's.
 
Anybody recall Corner Pockets of America?....they were big enough to make their own tables
 
There was one in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, PA when I was a kid. OK that was fifty years ago. It was owned by Charles Rogers who everybody called "The Bear." That's where I first saw Billy Incardona, who at that time went by Billy Cardone, play.
 
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