Dress Code for Gold Crown Billiards, Erie, PA

Well one thing is for sure, there's no one on this forum that's gonna change the world, but, maybe a little bit of awareness might help.

Also, IMO, just maybe, regular old poolrooms remain regular old poolrooms, with the bad rap they get, because too many patrons don't give a rat's ass about their demeanor or how they present themselves in public.

And, although I think spinning your cap on backwards looks both juvenile and ridiculous, I agree with you, it's no big thing. Looking like a lost kid in a man's body ain't the end of the world.
 
3andstop said:
Well one thing is for sure, there's no one on this forum that's gonna change the world, but, maybe a little bit of awareness might help.

Also, IMO, just maybe, regular old poolrooms remain regular old poolrooms, with the bad rap they get, because too many patrons don't give a rat's ass about their demeanor or how they present themselves in public.

And, although I think spinning your cap on backwards looks both juvenile and ridiculous, I agree with you, it's no big thing. Looking like a lost kid in a man's body ain't the end of the world.
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I can see this will continue to go nowehere, but I can tell you I know of many folks who wear their cap backwards who look nothing like a kid. And were you to suggest that to them, they would explain it to you, in a different fashion than I'm doing now.

I've never worn my cap backwards in my life, save for playing catcher and having to in order to wear the mask. So it ain't no big deal to me. I simply think you expect much of people here in 2010, much that doesn't apply to most people in 2010.

Oh well, carry on. I'll wait for further instructions on dress codes, in order to be able to play pool in your world.
 
justadub said:
To be fair, Paul, I expect that most of us earlier in the thread had no idea what your place looked like. Or what kind of establishment that calls itself a "pool room" would be able to get away with the rules you spoke of at the beginning of the thread.

If we had seen the photos at that point in time, I believe many of us would be like me, in that I can understand your rules in the context of the type of room that you operate. In short, I'm stunned. Your place is beautiful, and it seems more to me like a nice resturant that has pool tables, rather than a "pool room". In this context, I can understand your rules a lot better than when you started the thread.

Again, your "room" looks fabulous. Continued good luck.
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Think again. I opened my room when I was 24 in 1978 with a rented 2800 square feet, 12 pool tables, no food, no bar, just pool. I opened with essentially the same dress code I have today. Gold Crown Billiards is first and foremost a legitimate pool room. We have a regular cast of pool room characters, regular action, and all the components of bonifide billiard establishment. I have been able to house both the pool world and the entertainment world under the same roof through a dress and conduct code. I stuck to my guns and got away with it. I never allowed the players to set the tone and establish the character of my place. They can ruin a place if a room owner is not careful.

Thirty two years later, we have grown more than 5 fold into a 16,000 square foot Billiard Room / Bar/ Restaurant / Entertainment Facility. I now own the plaza. We are a melting pot. Our clientèle includes corp execs, businessmen, office girls, doctors, attorneys, and yes pool players and kids with t-shirts. Even if someone is not interest in pool, we have something for everyone. This evolution and growth could not have happened without the conduct and dress code.
 
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Paul Schofield said:
Think again. I opened my room when I was 24 in 1978 with a rented 2800 square feet, 12 pool tables, no food, no bar, just pool. I opened with essentially the same dress code I have today. Gold Crown Billiards is first and foremost a legitimate pool room. We have a regular cast of pool room characters, regular action, and all the components of bonifide billiard establishment. I have been able to house both the pool world and the entertainment world under the same roof through a dress and conduct code. I stuck to my guns and got away with it. I never allowed the players to set the tone and establish the character of my place. They can ruin a place if a room owner is not careful.

Thirty two years later, we have grown more than 5 fold into a 16,000 square foot Billiard Room / Bar/ Restaurant / Entertainment Facility. I now own the plaza. We are a melting pot. Our clientèle includes corp execs, businessmen, office girls, doctors, attorneys, and yes pool players and kids with t-shirts. Even if someone is not interest in pool, we have something for everyone. This evolution and growth could not have happened without the conduct and dress code.
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Paul:
It's overwhelmingly apparent that you have done an outstanding job and I commend you for that. And congratulations on building and growing your dominance. But, when you take a wider look your business model may not work everywhere.

When you look at the land mass, population, demographics and persons per square mile Erie, PA lends itself well to your kind of room. The kind of room that has a loyal and diverse cult following of cleanly groomed and well presented patrons. My gut feel is that the primary driver to your tremendous success (in addition to the tight ship that you run) is that one can travel from one side of Erie to the other in 15 minutes.

In Houston for example, it takes over an hour to travel north to south or east to west. So people on the east side are not going to travel if your pool room is on the west side. This is why the Slick Willies model exists in Houston. Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy Slick Willies, but there are Slick Willies style pool halls on ever corner. And this suits the needs of most of the players. Market is saturated here and so it's virtually impossible to build the cult following that your room has. Another example is on the North side there is a 5 mile radius with (5) pool halls. If you opened a Gold Crowns in this circle you would have a hard time making money.

Curious on what kind of numbers you do Liquor, Beer, Wine, Pool, Food, Other?
Just offering a wider perspective.
 
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Suits

Squinty42 said:
I wouldn't go your place, that's just me. I wear a hat everywhere, to cover up my bald head and keep it warm. Wearing a hat forward and pool doesn't work. If as you say how you dress defines who you are. Most suit and tie guys are the scum of the earth, I'm just a commoner. All those fancy clothes turn things into too much one upmanship. Stocking cap is that what Santa claus wears? What is a wave cap? ski cap it's winter time lol. No satanic T-shirts reminds me of 6th grade school teacher when Ozzy came out. Also read something about if you had bankers come to your place, sounds pretty creepy to me.
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Hey, squint, you left out leisure suits! I know they must drive you up the wall. Getting beat by a guy in a leisure suit hurts.
 
There are different kinds of pool rooms. I like the looks of Paul's room and would love to have somewhere like that to go play and have lunch or dinner. But if there were something serious going on I suspect I would prefer a place that 20 degenerates could camp out for three days in sweats and backwards hats and play until someone went broke or fell out.

Different strokes.

Personally I like having rules and being able to selectively enforce them. By that I mean it makes it real easy to deal with the douchebags by simply pointing to a sign and saying "Those are the rules". Some guy comes in plays pool and acts right but turns his hat around while playing? No problem. Another dude with a flipped lid acts a fool? "Excuse me sir. Please turn your hat around to comply with our dress code....well if you feel that way I'll have to ask you to leave."

I have worked the door on lots of places and the more rules generally the less trouble. It doesnt take long for idiots to figure out somewhere else is a better place to go and act stupid.

Always good to have tools in the toolbox.

Personally though hat rules in general I hate. People take their hats serious as I think many posts in this thread show. More trouble than its worth IMO.

I would like to see many more nice rooms and less of the anything goes ones.
 
Hungarian Nut said:
This is why the Slick Willies model exists in Houston. Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy Slick Willies, but there are Slick Willies style pool halls on ever corner. And this suits the needs of most of the players. Market is saturated here and so it's virtually impossible to build the cult following that your room has. Another example is on the North side there is a 5 mile radius with (5) pool halls. If you opened a Gold Crowns in this circle you would have a hard time making money.
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I know better than this. Since I opened, eight "Slick Willie" type pool rooms have opened and closed in my town. There is a Fox & Hound just one mile from us where pool is free on Diamond Tables in the afternoon until 6:00 PM. Players come to Gold Crown and pay instead. Gold Crown Billiards is the last place standing and it is no accident. Most everyone prefers the room that is a step above the rest, even if it means that they may have to change their attire to play. Reach up to expand your customer base.
 
MikeM said:
Really, ?!? Thanks, Squinty. Me and all my scummy co-workers thank you.

Of course, all hat wearing bald guys are losers, so I guess we should just ignore you. :wink:

Maybe you should get out of the sticks a little more often.
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Always exception's to the rule, you know that. The handle stickmaster was already taken, damn poolers.
 
Paul Schofield said:
Think again. I opened my room when I was 24 in 1978 with a rented 2800 square feet, 12 pool tables, no food, no bar, just pool. I opened with essentially the same dress code I have today. Gold Crown Billiards is first and foremost a legitimate pool room. We have a regular cast of pool room characters, regular action, and all the components of bonifide billiard establishment. I have been able to house both the pool world and the entertainment world under the same roof through a dress and conduct code. I stuck to my guns and got away with it. I never allowed the players to set the tone and establish the character of my place. They can ruin a place if a room owner is not careful.

Thirty two years later, we have grown more than 5 fold into a 16,000 square foot Billiard Room / Bar/ Restaurant / Entertainment Facility. I now own the plaza. We are a melting pot. Our clientèle includes corp execs, businessmen, office girls, doctors, attorneys, and yes pool players and kids with t-shirts. Even if someone is not interest in pool, we have something for everyone. This evolution and growth could not have happened without the conduct and dress code.
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Again, congratulations on a beautiful establishment.
 
Gasp!h

Paul Schofield said:
Think again. I opened my room when I was 24 in 1978 with a rented 2800 square feet, 12 pool tables, no food, no bar, just pool. I opened with essentially the same dress code I have today. Gold Crown Billiards is first and foremost a legitimate pool room. We have a regular cast of pool room characters, regular action, and all the components of bonifide billiard establishment. I have been able to house both the pool world and the entertainment world under the same roof through a dress and conduct code. I stuck to my guns and got away with it. I never allowed the players to set the tone and establish the character of my place. They can ruin a place if a room owner is not careful.

Thirty two years later, we have grown more than 5 fold into a 16,000 square foot Billiard Room / Bar/ Restaurant / Entertainment Facility. I now own the plaza. We are a melting pot. Our clientèle includes corp execs, businessmen, office girls, doctors, attorneys, and yes pool players and kids with t-shirts. Even if someone is not interest in pool, we have something for everyone. This evolution and growth could not have happened without the conduct and dress code.
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You allow degenerate gamblers in your perfect pool parlor?
I am shocked!
 
And, they encouraged the women to have "open shirts" :)

Brian[/QUOTE]


I encourage women with open shirts as well....:grin:
 
There was a room near me that recently closed down. It was part of a chain.
The room and bar were beautiful. The times i went there they were packed.I don't know why it went under. Could of been the rent was to high for them to make their nut. Gatsby's is the name of the room. There are 2 other ones within 50 miles from my house but the closest one folded. I think Paul probably would let the weekend bike rider in to play. I imagine his rules are discretionary.
On another note there is a room by me that there is language and people who don't give a damn about the place. When it folds they will wonder why they no longer have a room to play in.
Paul's idea is great. I don't understand the negative comments. If you don't like his rules go someplace else. Pretty plain and simple the way i see it.
 
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Q Masters in Virginia Beach has a very similar dress code. Barry doesn't mess around when it comes to the people who come into his pool room. He does have a door man, and also there are always people at the front counter and a hostess in the evenings. I think it's nice to have a dress code. Just wear respectable attire when coming.
 
room attire

If its your place, you have a right to make rules.

If you want to run any upscale place, then a dress code is a must. It will run off the ditch diggers and guys who make a living with a leaf blower. :)
 
rorywayne said:
If its your place, you have a right to make rules.

If you want to run any upscale place, then a dress code is a must. It will run off the ditch diggers and guys who make a living with a leaf blower. :)
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Even ditch diggers and leaf blower operators can afford neat dress if they chose to, unless, more likely is the possibility that the ditch digger kept flipping rocks on his head and the leaf blower guy's leaf blower is running too rich. :wink:
 
Happy New Year. Here Are my closing thoughts on this thread.

The sole purpose of this thread is to open a discussion about pool's image. It starts right at the local level. Establishments have to lead the way. Do right by your patrons and your room and your customers will appreciate it and will return the respect by abiding by any reasonable dress and conduct code. Everyone always talks about it. I did it. Anybody can do it. It is worth the effort in every way. You will expand your customer base, enjoy your place a whole lot more, and do a small part to improve pool's image.

My place IS NOT exclusive. We want and welcome everyone. That is reflective in our very reasonable pricing, and the fair and even handed manner in which we conduct business.

The first order of business (and the easiest) should be to censor the vulgar and offensive music.

I wish everyone a prosperous 2011.
 
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