If I opened a pool room

[Solartje]

It would be beautiful, smoke free and very clean. There would be a "Members Only" players/tournament room. It would work something like a gym membership. Players would pay a monthly or slightly cheaper yearly fee and could play unlimited in the room with no additional table time charges. In addition any Open tournaments held, their green fees would be paid by the room.
I would want to hold weekly and monthly Members only tournaments as well as host major tour events...
The only way a non member could play, would be in an Open tournament or as the guest of a member, in that case they would be charged for their table time...
I'd also offer weekly passes, so if you were visiting from out of town you could play as well. Maybe a day pass as well but it would be kind of pricey...to keep out the riff raff ! Any pro player would get complimentary entry of course....

Every table and rack of balls would be cleaned after every use. The members area would also have their own bathrooms and access to a smoking area, preferably a patio. And well trained waitresses/waiters who would know better than to walk in front of someone shooting...and a very nice viewing/dinning area (though, again only members would be allowed in to the viewing area as well, unless they are a member's guest). Also lockers for the members to store their cues.

I would want the rest of room to be high end and just as well kept but be open to leagues, bangers and families. Great food and service would be a must as well.

AMEN

you naild some very good points. reps for you sir. for a second i was dreaming.. it was a nice dream

 

[cuechick]

AMEN

you naild some very good points. reps for you sir. for a second i was dreaming.. it was a nice dream

Thanks...though the "sir" thing is kind of funny... maybe it is my Bond avatar that threw you?

 

[manwon]

Craig, would you please explain how this works in a typical situation?

When a customer makes a purchase using the layaway program, I require them to put at least 25% down, and complete the transaction in 3 months interest free. I place the cue in a holding area that I have for these transactions. If the customer can not complete the transaction in 3 months, normally I give them another month interest free. If they decide that they no longer want the cue, I return their money minus a 10% re-shelving fee which covers my time invested in the transaction. On a case by case basis, sometimes there is no charge depending upon the situation.

This is a very good program, there is really nothing to lose if you handle it correctly. I also have a form which the customer signs which outlines everything above.

Many people will buy a more expensive cue under these cuircumstances that they would never consider due to the cost.

I hope this helps!!!!!

 

[freddy the beard]

Quote from The Hustler:

This isnt a knock on any current room owners, they are the ones working their aZZes off so they can earn a living and give us a spot to play, I respect that, this is a concept where profit isnt an issue. So room owners dont get mad at me, I give you all my respect and thanks.

If I ever opened a pool room it wouldnt be for a profit or a living it would be for pool. And I bet because I would do it right that I would accidentally make $$$, problem is(this isnt a knock) that pool room owners are nervious about losing $$$(i am in my main business too like they are) so since they are scared of losing $$$ the room owners copy what other successful rooms do-its a lock, the loud music etc. They for their own good reasons copy each other so at the end of the day all the rooms are about the same, and I dont blame them, I would too if all I had was 1 pool room.

I have been lucky enough that I could open a room on hobbie $$$, not blood $$$ and this would afford me the chance to open a proper pool room, and if I lost $$ it wouldnt be alot, I would buy the shopping center that the room would be in so the rents from the other businesses would cover the losses at the pool room, I would pay cash for the shopping center like I awalys do. Right now I dont have the time, but In a couple years I might just do that, and who knows the pool room might do good.

I would have about 5 tables with good video HD on them and a website with streaming video and charge small $$$ for people to watch like $5/day so if nothing happens the people who paid to see something wouldnt get hurt and also figure out a system to give them a replacement day since they paid, some players wouldnt like that cause other could see how they play so I would have the rest of tables without video and shut off the video at the video tables at the players request. I think tieing a website to a room is the triple nuts if its done right.

I would add huge $$$ to a couple big tournments every year. The amount added would be based on how the room is doing, even if it is a $$$ pit I would still come with something.

I would cut it into 2 seperate rooms like Great American & The Jointed Cue in Sacramento are, a players room, new chalk every day, some diamond tables and Gold Crowns, a good 12' golf table. Maybe even 3 rooms.

I would the have the biggest room with different music a bit louder only on fri/sat nights. The rest of the time i would have leagues stuff going on in there and big tables as well with full size pockets and a pile of bar boxes too, I know zero about league but thats easy to fix, The smaller room would be the 9' tables(one or 2 real tight for 1P the rest tough), low music, i would guess 12 tables and movie chairs so everyone watching can see and is comfortable.

The golf table would have its own room too, or be in a spot not to interfer with other stuff and to respect the golf players-I would charge them a flat rate for golf each month, real cheap so they could bet higher.

I would call it Fatboys Billiards.

The food, retail shop, etc. i'll save that for later,

My goal is to create a room like Ames in The Hustler, a real pool room. With perfect equipment, so what if it costs an extra 5 or 10 dimes a year to recover the tables more often, Owning the shopping center and collecting that rent every month from the other tenants to fund the pool room would give me the edge to have the best room in America.

I would also display parts of my cue collection by rotating them every month mabey 6 at a time in a very secue way so people can see the great works of the ledgends of today and yesterday in making cues. That would be my pet project. And bullett proof from theft.

feel free to add to my list of ideas and if your a room owneer use my ideas except the name please. "Fatboy Billiards" is my rooms name and I like it.

again any input would be great, i'm 2 years out from this, I have a few things to finish and a couple buildings i'm selling in the next 18-24 months. This will be built on disposable $$$, the Price of the property since I pay cash is the hard part.


Imight be on to something:

Fatboy, as Fats said to Fast Eddie in The Hustler, "Eddie, you talk my kinda talk." Or I can also say, "Great minds think alike." What you are thinking about doing is opening a big-time poolroom like the old days. Something like Bensinger's, or Ames, or Allinger's or Cochran's. Those were rooms! I've been trying to do that for 20 years in Chicago. I happen to be one of the few humans on earth that can put together and run a big-time poolroom. I would have been in action long ago except for the fact that Chicago is one of the few cities that puts up laws and ordinances that keeps a new poolroom from opening! To get open, you must move to the suburbs and I dont want to go there. In the 30s, in Downtown Chicago alone, there were 50 poolrooms with 30 or more tables. Today there is none. What no one has mentioned is a 3 cushion billiard area with a minimum of 3 tables. (That's how many tables you need to be recognized by the billiard associations.) That would take extra care and a special touch but it would be worth it. Good luck, if you would consider this area, look me up.

the Beard

 

[TATE]

I cant play pool like a champion but I'm a good biz man. I hope my back gets better so I can get up to my A- level I was at years ago, i can feel it in spots but cant hold it together. I just wrote this biz play in 15 minutes, i would love to hear all the negitative things and flaws. The good ideas take care of them selfs.


I like bad news so I can fix it. So find the problems here and let me know I would appericate it, i'm 75% asleep when I started writing this and now I cant keep my eyes open, thanks and good night.

Here's my big idea. In additoon to having a great room with professional equipment, if this is going to be in Las Vegas, have a spacious bar area with a really fancy, roped off table - the coolest, most elaborate table anybody has ever seen. Surround it with booths, a bar, fancy art - total class. We are talking a 5 star bar area with some of your fancy Szamboti's on display.

Every night, arrange for a challenge match race to 11 with two beautiful, scantily dressed female pool players who can really shoot. Have them work the crowd like Coyote Ugly but with class and a funny routine. Hell, take bets if you want. Pool will never be the same.

Chris

 

[jay helfert]

Here's my big idea. In additoon to having a great room with professional equipment, if this is going to be in Las Vegas, have a spacious bar area with a really fancy, roped off table - the coolest, most elaborate table anybody has ever seen. Surround it with booths, a bar, fancy art - total class. We are talking a 5 star bar area with some of your fancy Szamboti's on display.

Every night, arrange for a challenge match race to 11 with two beautiful, scantily dressed female pool players who can really shoot. Have them work the crowd like Coyote Ugly but with class and a funny routine. Hell, take bets if you want. Pool will never be the same.

Chris

Chris,

I'm gonna tell your wife on you.

What! It was her idea. Oh okay, now I like your wife.

 

[Alex Kanapilly]

Freddy,

What did you think of Muddlers downtown? My college roomate's dad opened that place up in the old turtle wax factory near goose island. I know it was a bit fancy but I thought it was a nice room... not an action room by any means but still a nice room.

 

[Alex Kanapilly]

Chris,

I'm gonna tell your wife on you.

What! It was her idea. Oh okay, now I like your wife.

THat was post #4999!

 

[jay helfert]

THat was post #4999!

OMG, 5,000 posts. Time flies when you're having fun!

 

[cuefeene]

if this room is built by fatboy, it will be the best pool hall in the country, probably the world! don't forget to add a no smoking section that has at least 4 tables. i would travel just to see it.

 

[BVal]

if this room is built by fatboy, it will be the best pool hall in the country, probably the world! don't forget to add a no smoking section that has at least 4 tables. i would travel just to see it.

The whole place will be no smoking with a smoker's section outside on a patio or something. I think I read that. I would come if you built it. Heck I would probably help build it.

BVal

 

[jon21588]

Hurry up and build it before I get out of college. So when I do get out of college, I'll know EXACTLY where I want to go.

 

[Ballistic Billiards]

sounds great

Don't forget the humidor/smoker's lounge and some nice wine.

This isnt a knock on any current room owners, they are the ones working their aZZes off so they can earn a living and give us a spot to play, I respect that, this is a concept where profit isnt an issue. So room owners dont get mad at me, I give you all my respect and thanks.

If I ever opened a pool room it wouldnt be for a profit or a living it would be for pool. And I bet because I would do it right that I would accidentally make $$$, problem is(this isnt a knock) that pool room owners are nervious about losing $$$(i am in my main business too like they are) so since they are scared of losing $$$ the room owners copy what other successful rooms do-its a lock, the loud music etc. They for their own good reasons copy each other so at the end of the day all the rooms are about the same, and I dont blame them, I would too if all I had was 1 pool room.

I have been lucky enough that I could open a room on hobbie $$$, not blood $$$ and this would afford me the chance to open a proper pool room, and if I lost $$ it wouldnt be alot, I would buy the shopping center that the room would be in so the rents from the other businesses would cover the losses at the pool room, I would pay cash for the shopping center like I awalys do. Right now I dont have the time, but In a couple years I might just do that, and who knows the pool room might do good.

I would have about 5 tables with good video HD on them and a website with streaming video and charge small $$$ for people to watch like $5/day so if nothing happens the people who paid to see something wouldnt get hurt and also figure out a system to give them a replacement day since they paid, some players wouldnt like that cause other could see how they play so I would have the rest of tables without video and shut off the video at the video tables at the players request. I think tieing a website to a room is the triple nuts if its done right.

I would add huge $$$ to a couple big tournments every year. The amount added would be based on how the room is doing, even if it is a $$$ pit I would still come with something.

I would cut it into 2 seperate rooms like Great American & The Jointed Cue in Sacramento are, a players room, new chalk every day, some diamond tables and Gold Crowns, a good 12' golf table. Maybe even 3 rooms.

I would the have the biggest room with different music a bit louder only on fri/sat nights. The rest of the time i would have leagues stuff going on in there and big tables as well with full size pockets and a pile of bar boxes too, I know zero about league but thats easy to fix, The smaller room would be the 9' tables(one or 2 real tight for 1P the rest tough), low music, i would guess 12 tables and movie chairs so everyone watching can see and is comfortable.

The golf table would have its own room too, or be in a spot not to interfer with other stuff and to respect the golf players-I would charge them a flat rate for golf each month, real cheap so they could bet higher.

I would call it Fatboys Billiards.

The food, retail shop, etc. i'll save that for later,

My goal is to create a room like Ames in The Hustler, a real pool room. With perfect equipment, so what if it costs an extra 5 or 10 dimes a year to recover the tables more often, Owning the shopping center and collecting that rent every month from the other tenants to fund the pool room would give me the edge to have the best room in America.

I would also display parts of my cue collection by rotating them every month mabey 6 at a time in a very secue way so people can see the great works of the ledgends of today and yesterday in making cues. That would be my pet project. And bullett proof from theft.

feel free to add to my list of ideas and if your a room owneer use my ideas except the name please. "Fatboy Billiards" is my rooms name and I like it.

again any input would be great, i'm 2 years out from this, I have a few things to finish and a couple buildings i'm selling in the next 18-24 months. This will be built on disposable $$$, the Price of the property since I pay cash is the hard part.


Imight be on to something:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=72151
__________________
Sorry for the poor spelling, I was practicing 9 ball and missed that class.

 

[stick8]

pool room

This isnt a knock on any current room owners, they are the ones working their aZZes off so they can earn a living and give us a spot to play, I respect that, this is a concept where profit isnt an issue. So room owners dont get mad at me, I give you all my respect and thanks.

If I ever opened a pool room it wouldnt be for a profit or a living it would be for pool. And I bet because I would do it right that I would accidentally make $$$, problem is(this isnt a knock) that pool room owners are nervious about losing $$$(i am in my main business too like they are) so since they are scared of losing $$$ the room owners copy what other successful rooms do-its a lock, the loud music etc. They for their own good reasons copy each other so at the end of the day all the rooms are about the same, and I dont blame them, I would too if all I had was 1 pool room.

I have been lucky enough that I could open a room on hobbie $$$, not blood $$$ and this would afford me the chance to open a proper pool room, and if I lost $$ it wouldnt be alot, I would buy the shopping center that the room would be in so the rents from the other businesses would cover the losses at the pool room, I would pay cash for the shopping center like I awalys do. Right now I dont have the time, but In a couple years I might just do that, and who knows the pool room might do good.

I would have about 5 tables with good video HD on them and a website with streaming video and charge small $$$ for people to watch like $5/day so if nothing happens the people who paid to see something wouldnt get hurt and also figure out a system to give them a replacement day since they paid, some players wouldnt like that cause other could see how they play so I would have the rest of tables without video and shut off the video at the video tables at the players request. I think tieing a website to a room is the triple nuts if its done right.

I would add huge $$$ to a couple big tournments every year. The amount added would be based on how the room is doing, even if it is a $$$ pit I would still come with something.

I would cut it into 2 seperate rooms like Great American & The Jointed Cue in Sacramento are, a players room, new chalk every day, some diamond tables and Gold Crowns, a good 12' golf table. Maybe even 3 rooms.

I would the have the biggest room with different music a bit louder only on fri/sat nights. The rest of the time i would have leagues stuff going on in there and big tables as well with full size pockets and a pile of bar boxes too, I know zero about league but thats easy to fix, The smaller room would be the 9' tables(one or 2 real tight for 1P the rest tough), low music, i would guess 12 tables and movie chairs so everyone watching can see and is comfortable.

The golf table would have its own room too, or be in a spot not to interfer with other stuff and to respect the golf players-I would charge them a flat rate for golf each month, real cheap so they could bet higher.

I would call it Fatboys Billiards.

The food, retail shop, etc. i'll save that for later,

My goal is to create a room like Ames in The Hustler, a real pool room. With perfect equipment, so what if it costs an extra 5 or 10 dimes a year to recover the tables more often, Owning the shopping center and collecting that rent every month from the other tenants to fund the pool room would give me the edge to have the best room in America.

I would also display parts of my cue collection by rotating them every month mabey 6 at a time in a very secue way so people can see the great works of the ledgends of today and yesterday in making cues. That would be my pet project. And bullett proof from theft.

feel free to add to my list of ideas and if your a room owneer use my ideas except the name please. "Fatboy Billiards" is my rooms name and I like it.

again any input would be great, i'm 2 years out from this, I have a few things to finish and a couple buildings i'm selling in the next 18-24 months. This will be built on disposable $$$, the Price of the property since I pay cash is the hard part.


Imight be on to something:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=72151
__________________
Sorry for the poor spelling, I was practicing 9 ball and missed that class.

as the caveman would say[ yes i have a reply] DUH WHAT!!!!!!!!!!

 

[freddy the beard]

Not my type of room

Freddy,

What did you think of Muddlers downtown? My college roomate's dad opened that place up in the old turtle wax factory near goose island. I know it was a bit fancy but I thought it was a nice room... not an action room by any means but still a nice room.

That was a successful room that hired Jeff Carter as the house pro. His impact on pool in Chicago was zero. It was a small yuppie room with cheap 4 x 8 tables that didnt play very well. The place made money and if you wanted to meet girls that liked to play pool and have a beer that was the place for you. If you wanted to compete or lay down a bet on pro equipment, that was not the spot. When new bldg owners took over Muddlers was told to close and leave. They refused and stayed open. The new bldg owners, in the middle of the night, went into the room and dismantled the tables and moved everything out. After that, the neighborhood wouldnt allow another pool room to open.

the Beard

 

[bsmutz]

Don't forget the gamblers! Put an ATM type machine in one of the arms of each spectator's chair and next to the table where a bettor or player could deposit cash or use their debit/credit card to lay down the cash and get paid after each set/game, kind of like a slot machine. It would have to be computerized to cover a variety of scenarios and the house could rake a little of the action automatically. You are going to do this is in Nevada, right?

 

[Fatboy]

Here's my big idea. In additoon to having a great room with professional equipment, if this is going to be in Las Vegas, have a spacious bar area with a really fancy, roped off table - the coolest, most elaborate table anybody has ever seen. Surround it with booths, a bar, fancy art - total class. We are talking a 5 star bar area with some of your fancy Szamboti's on display.

Chris

Sadly people in Vegas wouldnt have any apperication for this, What you see on the strip and what Vegas is like are 2 different worlds, Vegas is a tasteless classless society of losers. I'm not a negitative person but I have lived here long enough to know, Thats why I only come hereVegas) as a jobsite and live elsewhere,

If I opened a room in Vegas it would be a bangers joint with loud music, smoke,poker machines and all else that sucks and I would make good $$$.

I think LA would be the spot, I dont want to go to Chicago(too cold). I went to my main biz a few weeks ago for the first time in a year-I'm a hands off owner, i would rather make less and have more things going and just work in the background. Same with the pool room it would run itself with out me setting foot in the door, if I went to it nothing would run different as I dont let my businesses suck me into working in them-that just limits my time to make more $$$. All that aside it has to be in a large city and LA makes sence to me, Orange county is too snooty, San Deigo isnt a plan, Dallas would be cool but I would perfer to have it in my back yard. and display some cues as you suggested, Ant as Mr. Beard said over 30 tables for sure. I have a few other things going so i'm about 2 years out from this project-maybe less if other things work out fast. The TV thing i mentioned along time ago fizzled, there is a small chance of it happining, i cancelled a meeting to come to Vegas yesterday with the TV show guy.

 

[Fatboy]

Don't forget the gamblers! Put an ATM type machine in one of the arms of each spectator's chair and next to the table where a bettor or player could deposit cash or use their debit/credit card to lay down the cash and get paid after each set/game, kind of like a slot machine. It would have to be computerized to cover a variety of scenarios and the house could rake a little of the action automatically. You are going to do this is in Nevada, right?

thats a brilliant idea but the gaming authority wouldnt ever let that happen, I could do a nicer room in LA but NV has better business laws hence everything I do is in Vegas. its a couple years out so i dont know where yet alot can change the biggest thing is getting the right building. Phoenix isnt a bad idea just thinking about it.

 

[BVal]

thats a brilliant idea but the gaming authority wouldnt ever let that happen, I could do a nicer room in LA but NV has better business laws hence everything I do is in Vegas. its a couple years out so i dont know where yet alot can change the biggest thing is getting the right building. Phoenix isnt a bad idea just thinking about it.

Phoenix is the best idea yet . Besides the original idea of course.

BVal

 

[Fatboy]

That was a successful room that hired Jeff Carter as the house pro. His impact on pool in Chicago was zero. It was a small yuppie room with cheap 4 x 8 tables that didnt play very well. The place made money and if you wanted to meet girls that liked to play pool and have a beer that was the place for you. If you wanted to compete or lay down a bet on pro equipment, that was not the spot. When new bldg owners took over Muddlers was told to close and leave. They refused and stayed open. The new bldg owners, in the middle of the night, went into the room and dismantled the tables and moved everything out. After that, the neighborhood wouldnt allow another pool room to open.

the Beard

Thats exactly why I wouldnt open a room unless I owned the building.