I launched my nationwide pool hall finder today

VarmintKong

Cannonball comin’!
Gold Member
I'm hoping that you folks will find my new site useful. Once you get to the home page, enter either a zip code or a city(and state), where you'd like to find pool halls.

What you'll see are the listings and map pins for all pool halls, in my system, within a 50-mile radius of the zip code entered.

All pool halls on this site have a minimum of 4 tables. There are over 1,000 listed, but I know there are still more out there, that just didn't come up in any of the searches I have done over the past several months.

If you notice a missing pool hall, that has at least 4 tables, there's a tab at the top to submit that, so I can check them out and get the listed on here.

I look forward to any feedback you care to provide, after you have checked it out. Thanks in advance.

American Billiards Association map link

Jeff
Thanks for this Jeff.

I added a few places for you that didn’t come up in my search.

I don’t think the 50 mile radius is working on my end. I think it’s cutting off around 30. For example, I do not show a room that is about 30 miles away. I select a town 7 miles from me and it pops up. Another room I know is just over 40 miles from me; put in a town that is 11 miles down the road and it pops up.

Still cool, found a place I never knew existed that isn’t too far from my sister’s house. Will be able to get my fix when I visit, even if it is a sports bar.
 

jbart65

Well-known member
Seems like a list like this would be relatively easy to maintain.

Not a lot of pool halls open each year. Doesn't seem like a lot close each year, either. At least not anymore. Tons of halls went out of biz before and during covid. Seems to have weeded out the most likely not to succeed. Where I live, in DC, the scene has stabilized.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
I'm hoping that you folks will find my new site useful. Once you get to the home page, enter either a zip code or a city(and state), where you'd like to find pool halls.

What you'll see are the listings and map pins for all pool halls, in my system, within a 50-mile radius of the zip code entered.

All pool halls on this site have a minimum of 4 tables. There are over 1,000 listed, but I know there are still more out there, that just didn't come up in any of the searches I have done over the past several months.

If you notice a missing pool hall, that has at least 4 tables, there's a tab at the top to submit that, so I can check them out and get the listed on here.

I look forward to any feedback you care to provide, after you have checked it out. Thanks in advance.

American Billiards Association map link

Jeff
Great job Jeff! very helpful info for the roving poolplayers among us. You left out one of the oldest poolrooms in the Los Angeles area and definitely one of the best. Gardena Bowl in Gardena, CA has been around for over 75 years and has it's very own eight table poolroom with four Global tables and four Gold Crowns (all 9'). All the tables, cues and balls are kept clean and in good shape. The tables play well with the GC's being set up for the better players. They open at 10 AM daily and are busy from Noon until closing (10 PM I believe). Believe it or not I played (and gambled) there over 50 years ago. They still have action there today. That is officially now my home room, only 15-20 minutes from my home in Palos Verdes. Only practiced there three times in the last month, but will be going there more.

A bonus is the excellent coffee shop right across the hall from the poolroom. Very good food (lots of Asian specialities) at reasonable prices. The poolroom section of the bowling alley is isolated in it's own area away from the bowling, so there is no conflict between the two. Last but not least, the entire facility is kept clean, clean, clean! Bathrooms included. Same family ownership from the beginning and they take good care of their customers. Smart business people!
 

Zerksies

Well-known member
I've built many websites.

It's a good looking site, I mean of course not all pool halls are there, But then again think in five years a ton of pool halls are going to be up that are now closed down.

Also the about venue is a great idea for income for yourself.

The only downside i see is the name, But at $1900 poolhallfinder. com isn't a cheap investment with out an income stream. My advice would get an income off the the site and buy the name.
 

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
this is why you will never have a comprehensive list unless you have it on this site where all the players can add to it as needed.
and give the details of the places you will never get to visit.
 

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great job Jeff! very helpful info for the roving poolplayers among us. You left out one of the oldest poolrooms in the Los Angeles area and definitely one of the best. Gardena Bowl in Gardena, CA has been around for over 75 years and has it's very own eight table poolroom with four Global tables and four Gold Crowns (all 9'). All the tables, cues and balls are kept clean and in good shape. The tables play well with the GC's being set up for the better players. They open at 10 AM daily and are busy from Noon until closing (10 PM I believe). Believe it or not I played (and gambled) there over 50 years ago. They still have action there today. That is officially now my home room, only 15-20 minutes from my home in Palos Verdes. Only practiced there three times in the last month, but will be going there more.

A bonus is the excellent coffee shop right across the hall from the poolroom. Very good food (lots of Asian specialities) at reasonable prices. The poolroom section of the bowling alley is isolated in it's own area away from the bowling, so there is no conflict between the two. Last but not least, the entire facility is kept clean, clean, clean! Bathrooms included. Same family ownership from the beginning and they take good care of their customers. Smart business people!
That all sounds great but is it Fatboy Approved? :)
 

Boseph

Member
I'm hoping that you folks will find my new site useful. Once you get to the home page, enter either a zip code or a city(and state), where you'd like to find pool halls.

What you'll see are the listings and map pins for all pool halls, in my system, within a 50-mile radius of the zip code entered.

All pool halls on this site have a minimum of 4 tables. There are over 1,000 listed, but I know there are still more out there, that just didn't come up in any of the searches I have done over the past several months.

If you notice a missing pool hall, that has at least 4 tables, there's a tab at the top to submit that, so I can check them out and get the listed on here.

I look forward to any feedback you care to provide, after you have checked it out. Thanks in advance.

American Billiards Association map link

Jeff
Didn't see Classic Billiards just outside of Portland Oregon when I enter my zip. 3636 SE 122nd Ave, Portland, OR 97236. They have close to 2 dozen 9' Gold Crowns, as well as Billiards tables and a Russian Pyramid table (I think)
 

jsw548

Member
Thanks for this Jeff.

I added a few places for you that didn’t come up in my search.

I don’t think the 50 mile radius is working on my end. I think it’s cutting off around 30. For example, I do not show a room that is about 30 miles away. I select a town 7 miles from me and it pops up. Another room I know is just over 40 miles from me; put in a town that is 11 miles down the road and it pops up.

Still cool, found a place I never knew existed that isn’t too far from my sister’s house. Will be able to get my fix when I visit, even if it is a sports bar.
Thanks for adding the new places. In regards to the 50-mile radius, that means it's 25 miles out in all directions from the center of the zip code you searched. That's why the ones over 25 miles away aren't showing up. I had to limit the search radius to protect my work from those who would try to abscond with all of the data on my site.
 

jsw548

Member
Seems like a list like this would be relatively easy to maintain.

Not a lot of pool halls open each year. Doesn't seem like a lot close each year, either. At least not anymore. Tons of halls went out of biz before and during covid. Seems to have weeded out the most likely not to succeed. Where I live, in DC, the scene has stabilized.
The biggest challenge is that so many pool halls don't pay any attention to marketing, which means they never show up in searches, no matter how many ways you try to search. My goal is to work with these pool halls to help improve their marketing efforts. That's the real goal of my organization. It's just to grow pool as a sport, from the pool hall owners perspective. Some of the steps I've already taken are outlined under the main menu "Hey Pool Hall Owners" in that section of this site. Take a look.
 

BadBeef67

New member
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jsw548

Member
this is why you will never have a comprehensive list unless you have it on this site where all the players can add to it as needed.
and give the details of the places you will never get to visit.
Lucky for you, I'm doing both. If you look at the attached screenshot, you'll see a menu item at the top called "Can't find a Pool Hall?". That's where people have been submitting missing pool halls. I'll get an email, check them out and add them.

In that same screenshot, you'll see a listing for Black River Billiards and a brief About section at the top of the pop-up. I'm working with each pool hall individually to get that written, so it's going to take quite a while before a majority of the listings have one.
 

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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The biggest challenge is that so many pool halls don't pay any attention to marketing, which means they never show up in searches, no matter how many ways you try to search. My goal is to work with these pool halls to help improve their marketing efforts. That's the real goal of my organization. It's just to grow pool as a sport, from the pool hall owners perspective. Some of the steps I've already taken are outlined under the main menu "Hey Pool Hall Owners" in that section of this site. Take a look.
I applaud your efforts but i've never had issues finding a room by just Googling it. Any place worth a shit always pops up.
 

jsw548

Member
I applaud your efforts but i've never had issues finding a room by just Googling it. Any place worth a shit always pops up.
After doing that for hours and hours, I found that Google returns many pool halls that have been closed for many years (up to 15 years in some cases). They cannot tell if a pool hall is still in business or not; they just return a result if there is still an old website floating around.

Also, many people don't want to sift through the myriad of bars that show up in the results, that only have a table or two. Anyways, those are some of the reasons I decided to do this.
 

GoldCrown

Pool players have more balls
Silver Member
I'm sure this is a labor of love but not really sure what the point is. If I Google "pool halls near me" I get the same results.
Maybe a review of the bathrooms would be good idea. The reviews should include stench. Sticky floor factor. Cheap toilet paper. Hand soap. Toilet seat stability. Does the door lock? Bathroom window available in case a person needs a back door?
 

muskyed

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Clicked on this link, says page can't be found.
There are 2 by me,
- Dales Weston lanes, 8 tables in a separate room with perimeter lighting and 2 more out in the general area. Leagues and tournaments weekly. Wausau/Weston Wis.
- On The Hill Billiards club and Bar, Mosinee Wis. 8 Diamond tables in a new beautiful side hall and one extra table in bar. Weekly leagues, and tournaments
Very nice well maintained facilities for both.
 

jsw548

Member
Clicked on this link, says page can't be found.
There are 2 by me,
- Dales Weston lanes, 8 tables in a separate room with perimeter lighting and 2 more out in the general area. Leagues and tournaments weekly. Wausau/Weston Wis.
- On The Hill Billiards club and Bar, Mosinee Wis. 8 Diamond tables in a new beautiful side hall and one extra table in bar. Weekly leagues, and tournaments
Very nice well maintained facilities for both.
Sorry about the link. I had to move and rename that page to it's own spot on the menu, since folks weren't easily finding it. Here's the link to submit pool halls now. I appreciate your efforts: https://americanbilliardsassociation.com/cant-find-a-pool-hall/
 

mjantti

Enjoying life
Silver Member
One of the challenges I found with doing it that way, is that Google will return results of pool halls that have been closed for many years, but their website is still floating around out there. I've found some that have been closed for 15 years, in all of the searches I've done. Plus, in the results, you'll get a ton of bars that have only one or two tables, and I didn't want to offer that.
I think you should be able to report to Google about closed businesses but I am not sure if it really makes a difference. It’s Google’s benefit to keep their data up to date anyway.
 

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I respect the challenges with making this and the work you've put in, so don't take this as a knock: You may need to look at how your mapping is ingesting zip codes. Two Sisters in Slidell, LA is showing as on the south side of the lake 25 miles away from its true origin and incorrectly as adjacent to New Orleans.

You've got their correct zip code, but it's rendering visually incorrectly from a geo standpoint.

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