Who did George sell his cue shop to? I read a story about it and tried to find it again, but unable to. Thanks, Mitch
George Balabushka shop
- Thread starter Mitchorama
- Start date
Pete Tascarella ?
I believe that to this day if you order a Tascarella it is built on the same lathe that Balabushka used. I like to think that some of George's DNA is in every one of Pete's cues. My Tascarella cues are a big highlight of my cue collection.
Thats good way of looking at it.
I believe I also read that Pete either apprenticed with George or worked with him. Thats maybe the closest anyone will ever come to owning a GB cue.
I believe I also read that Pete either apprenticed with George or worked with him. Thats maybe the closest anyone will ever come to owning a GB cue.
George never sold his shop, however, he past away in 1975. After Georges death Bill Schick and Pete Tacarella were both interested in buying his equipment and others items in the shop.
Bill Schick inventoried the shop for the Balabushka family, but Pete Tascarella ended up with the equipment and other items. At that time Pete worked doing cue repair for Adam custom cues, a job his Son worked at when Pete moved on.
Pete also was partly responsible for Adam making the Balabushka Production cues. I believe help acquire the rights from the Balabushka family so that Adam could use the name.
All of Pete's early cues look exactly like and were also built like Balabushka cues, I have even heard that some of the early cues were actually cues that George started and never finished, but I can't confirm it.
Hope this helps
Pete did not apprenticed under Balabushka, no one did. However, Pete was a Local New York Police Officer who became good friends with George. Pete use to stop by on a regular basis and bring George coffee, and Pete was one of the few people who George would discuss cues with, and work in front of.
Lucky guy.