Dress Code for Gold Crown Billiards, Erie, PA
- Thread starter Paul Schofield
- Start date
Hahaha, I'm a Dick because I stated how I feel? Then yes, I am a huge Dick.
Last edited:
The spirited conversation about Paul's dress code is good. You've brought up a number of good points. That last direct personal hit was, imo, a departure from an otherwise good conversation.
I am very glad you brought this up. It dovetails perfectly into this conversation. I should have been clearer but it is better this way. Here it goes…
The desperate landlord was a businessman who just built an addition to his plaza. It was October and if he did not get a tenant in there right away, the unit would sit empty until spring.
The unsuspecting had nothing to do with zoning. He could have cared less. In 1978, zoning was an occupant’s issue, not a landlord’s. Today it is different. I was the only one that could get hurt by the zoning issue. I did pull a fast one and I am proud of it to this day. I had been turned down by more than 20 property owners during a 3 year period to open a billiard room. I knew what I was up against. Mind you, this is the late 70’s. Plaza owners want no part of a pool room. The clientele brings trouble. Their attire and conduct is intimidating, and discourages other kinds of trade within a plaza. Women getting their hair done, teeth worked on, or shopping for clothes are very uncomfortable having to park and walk in front of a pool room. This in turn chases out good tenants and discourages prospective tenants from leasing. Today, many chains and franchises have clauses written right in their leases where the Landlord may not lease to a billiard room.
I watched for months as this addition went up with full intentions of trying to lease space. I waited for my chance. Timing was everything. My plan was simple: Put a suit on, make a good impression, negotiate for 1 day, and sign a lease as fast as I could. If this landlord vetted my kind of business by talking to other property owners, I would be done. It worked. We signed a lease within days. He really should have done his homework and he should not have leased to a poolroom. It is far too risky. At any rate, to everyone’s surprise (but me), hindsight showed that he did the right thing.
One week after the lease was signed, I was working on the interior when he approached me with a long face. He proceeded to tell me what he had found out and all the horror stories of every poolroom that ever existed in my home town over the last 50 years. He could find no good news and asked me what I was going to do to deal with all the problems associated with my kind of business. I had no credibility. I was 24 years old with no business history. I told him that I was going to operate with a strict conduct and dress code. Gold Crown Billiards was going to be an asset to his plaza and my business and clientele would never be a problem for anyone. I kept my promise.
Last edited:
Did you even think about what you were writing before you posted it? How does Trayvon Martin wearing a hoodie OUTDOORS make him a thug? According to you wearing a hoodie outdoors is what you're supposed to do with a hoodie, to protect yourself from the elements right? So what makes Trayvon Martin a thug? His skin color? I know you won't admit that but that's want you meant. So if one of those patrons you pictured in post #104 left your establishment one night pulled the hood over his head and got murdered you would say it's the perfect example of dressing like a thug getting treated like a thug? If those people are thugs why would you let them in your establishment? Now, do you see how ignorant you sound? A young man got murdered and you use it as an opportunity to try and prove your point that anyone that wears a hoodie has to be a thug. When really it just makes your case that you do it for your customers and not your own personal prejudices even weaker. Look up the definition of thug and tell me where it gives a physical description.
You are surprised by my position?
My publicly stated position was and is that I respect his rules.
Why does that surprise you?
If you are surprised by my questioning him regarding my son, well, I am surprised anybody would be surprised by that.
What I find disconcerting is what seems to be an inconsistent application of the rules.
So, although I respect his rules in his establishment I feel perfectly comfortable questioning them here. I personally think he holds an indefensible position on the matter on all levels.
As for Docs and bending rules, I don't personally believe such things are acceptable if I am reading your meaning correctly.
.
I guess that depends on whether or not you are the one wearing the business suit! LOL!
I prefer people avoid me in such situations...not the other way around.
But I guess everybody takes their place in the food chain.
.
He's real serious about his draconian rules. He's yelling at you. THAT'S WHAT ALL CAPS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF.
This is very irrational. There are way more criminals walking around wearing business suits than there are criminals wearing hoodies.
:rotflmao:
I couldn't agree more.
I couldn't agree more.
This thread reminds me of Joe Rogans impression of Earl Strickland.
Are you going to add no beekepers suits or ass weights, no hip waders or goggles? How's a man supposed to play the game?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G0Gx8suAQs
Here's my item by item opinion on the George Orwell's Gold Crown dress policy.
Hats on backwards or sideways: What’s wrong with hats on backwards or sideways other than it looks stupid?
Stocking cap or a wave cap or a bandanna: What the hell’s wrong with someone wearing a stocking cap or a wave cap or a bandanna in the establishment? Explain the logic behind that. Sounds like some form of racial stereotyping to me.
Torn clothes, sweat pants. Reasonable.
No Hoods. Reasonable. It doesn’t make sense to wear a hood indoors. Even though I doubt that's the logic behind the rule.
Gym shorts. Unreasonable. What’s wrong with gym shorts? Many physically fit people who are not trouble makers at all would not be allowed to enter the bar with this stupid rule.
Pants falling down. I strongly agree with this one. If you let your ass hang out of your pants, your ass should be promptly kick out of the bar.
Pajama pants, shoeless. Perfectly reasonable requirement for obvious reasons.
Men can wear tank tops but women can’t? How does this make any sense whatsoever? This looks like nothing more than a form of gender discrimination to me.
Sleeveless shirts. Unreasonable in hot weather.
Open shirts. Reasonable.
Satanic T-Shirts. Semi reasonable at best.
Vulgar shirts. Reasonable.
Bike leathers. I guess if you don’t want bikers in your bar, this mike make some sense.
Bike collars. I’m not quite sure who commonly wears bike collars, but this seems a bit unreasonable.
Wallets on chains. It looks really stupid, but it’s hardly reasonable grounds for not letting somebody in a bar. It is, however, a good defense against pickpockets, and should therefore be allowed.
What about work clothes and work boots? This is pretty vague and quite stupid. So, according to the wording of this rule, a member of the armed forces or a police officer in uniform is not allowed in the bar.
Hats on backwards or sideways: What’s wrong with hats on backwards or sideways other than it looks stupid?
Stocking cap or a wave cap or a bandanna: What the hell’s wrong with someone wearing a stocking cap or a wave cap or a bandanna in the establishment? Explain the logic behind that. Sounds like some form of racial stereotyping to me.
Torn clothes, sweat pants. Reasonable.
No Hoods. Reasonable. It doesn’t make sense to wear a hood indoors. Even though I doubt that's the logic behind the rule.
Gym shorts. Unreasonable. What’s wrong with gym shorts? Many physically fit people who are not trouble makers at all would not be allowed to enter the bar with this stupid rule.
Pants falling down. I strongly agree with this one. If you let your ass hang out of your pants, your ass should be promptly kick out of the bar.
Pajama pants, shoeless. Perfectly reasonable requirement for obvious reasons.
Men can wear tank tops but women can’t? How does this make any sense whatsoever? This looks like nothing more than a form of gender discrimination to me.
Sleeveless shirts. Unreasonable in hot weather.
Open shirts. Reasonable.
Satanic T-Shirts. Semi reasonable at best.
Vulgar shirts. Reasonable.
Bike leathers. I guess if you don’t want bikers in your bar, this mike make some sense.
Bike collars. I’m not quite sure who commonly wears bike collars, but this seems a bit unreasonable.
Wallets on chains. It looks really stupid, but it’s hardly reasonable grounds for not letting somebody in a bar. It is, however, a good defense against pickpockets, and should therefore be allowed.
What about work clothes and work boots? This is pretty vague and quite stupid. So, according to the wording of this rule, a member of the armed forces or a police officer in uniform is not allowed in the bar.
Is there a non smoking section at Gold Crown Billiards? I recently had cataract surgery, and my eyes can't handle the smoke. Do you have any discounted rates? For example monthly rates or discounts for seniors or specials during the day. I would like to visit some day. I wish I had some place to play pool like yours near me.
The places near me where people play pool are pretty rough. I do not feel comfortable having my wife with me when I play in their tournaments. I think most of the people that disagree with your rules would fit right in there.
The places near me where people play pool are pretty rough. I do not feel comfortable having my wife with me when I play in their tournaments. I think most of the people that disagree with your rules would fit right in there.
Well said Blue Hog ridr! You hit the nail on the head in each paragraph in your response.
You get the APB membership, and I'll send the hoodie to good 'ole Shady Schofield.
Sent from my SCH-I400 using Tapatalk
WOW! You are starting to provide an excellent insight to your real self these last few posts Paul.
One of the main truths is that when the thread was started, you'd have everyone believe that the dress code was for the betterment of pool et all.
When in reality, the dress code was just part of your elaborate little scam against the local municipal by laws. Nothing more, nothing less.
You have to keep the little game going in order not to mess up in front of city council.
If it weren't for your little scam, I doubt that you'd care what people were wearing.
And to think that if a cue maker or seller lapses just a tiny bit on AZ, they get flamed and roasted.
And you are a self admitted scam artist extraordinaire and Proud of it.
Waiting for Paul's next back tracking explanation on how things really work in Paul's World.
"No hats on backwards" would have been understandable 30 years ago...
I speak for myself and others I have seen. When playing pool in a hat, a lot of us turn it around backwards so we can see better when down on a shot.
Also, how about changing "Torn Clothes" into "Excessively Torn Clothes"... so very nice high dollar designer jeans come torn already.
I can understand not wanting the pajama pants... personally I love them and find them extremely comfortable when playing, but as a style it is a little absurd, even though I wear them to the poolhall on occasion. I'm more famous for track/warmup pants.
Edited to add: Didn't see at first the original post was 2 years ago...
I speak for myself and others I have seen. When playing pool in a hat, a lot of us turn it around backwards so we can see better when down on a shot.
Also, how about changing "Torn Clothes" into "Excessively Torn Clothes"... so very nice high dollar designer jeans come torn already.
I can understand not wanting the pajama pants... personally I love them and find them extremely comfortable when playing, but as a style it is a little absurd, even though I wear them to the poolhall on occasion. I'm more famous for track/warmup pants.
Edited to add: Didn't see at first the original post was 2 years ago...
Last edited:
LOL... hip hopper...
If I walked into a poolhall with a sideways hat and someone walked up to me and attempted to turn it around for me... they would be picking their teeth up off the ground and I would be leaving on my own.
Now that got me thinking and brings up an interesting question.
It brought to mind an old buddy of mine that used to own a bar with a couple of really fine antique nine footers in it. One time, 25 years ago, a guy was into me for a few hundred and got a bit upset about it. He grabbed my JOSS and made like he was going to break it. My buddy, the owner, came over the bar and removed the cue from the guy's hands. He then picked the guy up and carried him to the door, and threw him into the street. All the while the dude was banging on my buddy with his fists and my buddy was just laughing.
Let me give some additional perspective. While I was out of the country I left one of my bikes at my buddy's house. Oh....he's a biker and has a few choppers himself. So anyway, when I came back I wanted my bike. I called him and he told me he had put it in his basement with his antique Triumph. "The basement? OK, no problem. I'll come over and help you get it out." When I got there my bike was sitting in his yard. I asked how it got there...he had carried it up the steps by himself.
One more short story. I was at my buddy's house having a beer when he made a phone call to the contractor that was doing the new siding and windows in his house. The job was half-assed and half done and the guy was giving my buddy's wife the runaround about it. So the contractor gets into some heated words with my buddy and threatens to come over and physically straighten the situation out. My buddy just laughed and said "come on over, you obviously haven't met me!". I just had to be there to see it, and I was. When the contractor met my buddy it was all "yes, sir" and "no, sir", and the job got done...that very day.
My buddy goes about 265, and he's not fat. One of the nicest guys you will ever meet.
So...the post just made me wonder...does this establishment employ bouncers and/or real security staff to enforce the policies?
Icon, that would have been my friend Brad, one of the past owners of the pool hall. There was a young kids bar downstairs and a lot of them would take a break and come up to the hall for a game.
On the occasion that a side ways hat wearer walked in, Brad would walk up to him and turn it straight and let him know that sideways hats were not allowed. It was more a tease than anything else. Altho, Brad was the enforcer and had no problem putting someone on their butt if need be.
Doc, there is never any problems at Paul's bar. I understand that beer in the USA is so weak that it is impossible to get drunk on it.
However, I hear that it is a great diuretic.
On the occasion that a side ways hat wearer walked in, Brad would walk up to him and turn it straight and let him know that sideways hats were not allowed. It was more a tease than anything else. Altho, Brad was the enforcer and had no problem putting someone on their butt if need be.
Doc, there is never any problems at Paul's bar. I understand that beer in the USA is so weak that it is impossible to get drunk on it.
However, I hear that it is a great diuretic.