I may or may not be able to properly convey my dream, especially to the level of detail that my Red Bull fueled moment of glorious mania I experienced earlier this morning… but I’m going to do my best to keep it concise yet adequately descriptive.
A straight up pool joint is destined to fail. Overhead is enormous, can’t afford advertising, revenue streams, employees robbing you blind, and 100s of other factors. It has to be diversified. I frequent Chattanooga Billiards Club. It’s gorgeous, yet modest and inviting. Its side business is cigars. I believe it does well in the fact that it’s been open over 30 years. I’ve never opened a business, but I’ve been in successful places and those that closed up after a year. Every successful room has a characteristic in common. There are normal women there, and they’re having a good time. Above all, they go where they feel safe and don’t go to places where they don’t.
Down the street is a vacant grocery store, medium to small sized that’s been begging me. Great location. Big parking lot where there is not a long walk.
The lot will be well lit, no weed smoking in the lot will be tolerated and I’ll have an off duty cop at the front door. The sign out front would be neon, large and beautiful. As soon as you walk in, metal detector. There will immediately be a large counter where you’re greeted with somebody upbeat and positive. Attractive always helps, male or female. Hopefully one of each. At the counter, you see an expanse. There are separate rooms, probably 3, and from the front desk you’ll be able to look in to each, because there will be glass. It will be a regular wall from the waist up, but then glass to the ceiling. It’ll feel open, and you’ll be able to see people having a good time.
The rooms will be:
1. Billiards
2. Sports ‘bar’ but more on that
3. ‘Entertainment’ I guess is the best way to say it. It’ll have the typical video games
but it will have a couple separate rooms for kids parties, etc. melding this aspect of the business is the biggest challenge. I’ll discuss this later. Obstacles galore but I want kid friendly to be a big part of what I do.
Back to my glass idea. Only one wall of each room, the common wall shared with the entrance area. Each room will be a separate and unique atmosphere, with noise isolated as such. The billiard room will sound like a pool room, sports ‘bar’ same, game room same. Hard to really describe this as I have it in my mind, but when people walk in, they feel safe, it smells clean, is quite and you say ‘oh, wow’. you look to your left and see a room full of people shooting pool through the thick glass wall. You look to the right and on projectors you can see the college football, MLB, NFL, etc games playing. People are sitting at high top tables, bar, regular tables and movie theatre seats for the main screen.
Straight ahead is the game room, again with a glass wall letting you look right in. Not sure how to swing that one.
The pool room will have appropriate lighting and a juke box, but the surround speakers will play at a very modest level. 9’ and oversized 8’ s will be the mainstay, diamond and Brunswick GCIVs, but I’ll also have a 3 cushion or 2, and 2-4 valleys. ID will be taken as soon as you walk in and you’ll be charged $8-10 an hour flat. Everybody. When you leave your time is tabulated. Pick your table. For those who show up by hand themselves and want a pick up game, there will be a light that they can turn on above the table, indicating as such. There will not be a bar in this room. Patrons will have a way to send a text message to the bar with a drink and food request. No orders screwed up. It will quickly be brought to the table by one of the friendly staff. Main bar will be at the ‘sports bar’ section. During regular hours, this room will be 21+.
So much more to say but my afternoon is cranking up and I’ve got people to see. This has been part 1.
Worst light I've ever seen. I'd rather have the 3 bulbs from 1970.
