If you could build your dream room that actually has a chance to stay in business…

M

Mark V

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’ll give my dream/vision later when I have some time, but how would y’all do it. Layout. Rules. Attractions. Dress code. Security.etc.

From what I’ve observed in successful/not places is… it comes down to the girls. If you make the place girl friendly where they feel safe (big one) and actually enjoy the time there, guys will come and you stay busy, and hopefully turn a profit.

Girls have to feel safe and enjoy the food and atmosphere.

A room filled with old timers and sketchy just out on probation types… dead. Forget about it.

Again, details to come.
 
Dream room: Best (well maintained) equipment, furnishings & lighting, the VERY best in a private/separate room (admission only to those who had earned the privilege). NO alcohol or food sold, no music, cell phones banned, only pool, charged by the hr. Open 24 hrs. Good local motels a must, as the best players would likely come from far & wide, for very long stays.
 
iusedtoberich said:
I've actually thought the same before. To hire a female interior designer to design the whole place, make it girl friendly. The boys don't give a hoot what it looks like, as long as the tables are good. The girls care about all that stuff.
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There is some truth to this. Most pool rooms look the same and it would be cool to distinguish "your dream pool room" compared to others. In my town, its a copy cat industry. We have a couple of pool halls and they all try to copy one another rather than outdoing one another. If one paints their interior one color then the other will to. One pool hall will get arena lights and then a few months later the other will too. Bathroom doors re always black or grey.
 
DynoDan said:
Dream room: Best (well maintained) equipment, furnishings & lighting, the VERY best in a private/separate room (admission only to those who had earned the privilege). NO alcohol or food sold, no music, cell phones banned, only pool, charged by the hr. Open 24 hrs. Good local motels a must, as the best players would likely come from far & wide, for very long stays.
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That would be similar to my dream unfortunately this dream will go out of business.

The banning of items and being near a local motel will bring in a different type of people.
 
DynoDan said:
Dream room: Best (well maintained) equipment, furnishings & lighting, the VERY best in a private/separate room (admission only to those who had earned the privilege). NO alcohol or food sold, no music, cell phones banned, only pool, charged by the hr. Open 24 hrs. Good local motels a must, as the best players would likely come from far & wide, for very long stays.
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I think you forgot about the "chance to stay in business" part. I just don't see that type of room making money. No music or cell phones especially is pretty...harsh
 
In the early 1960s Brunswick tried to attract women and families into rooms with a new inviting decor. Problem was it was just about 50 years too early in the female liberation movement. I agree, just like every successful gym in America- women must be attracted to your room for several reasons.
 
mikemosconi said:
In the early 1960s Brunswick tried to attract women and families into rooms with a new inviting decor. Problem was it was just about 50 years too early in the female liberation movement. I agree, just like every successful gym in America- women must be attracted to your room for several reasons.
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It means there must be good looking guys to attract women and I can say I scare customers away.
 
iusedtoberich said:
make it girl friendly.
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I agree 100% but I've known three rooms that explicitly tried this. None of them are around anymore.

The problem was regulars. A girl walks in and its a feeding frenzy.

Pool rooms are like the frats for guys that couldn't get into any of the other frats.

However, I would say Amsterdam, for a counter example, is very girl friendly but they are unique among pool rooms IMO.
 
JusticeNJ said:
I agree 100% but I've known three rooms that explicitly tried this. None of them are around anymore.

The problem was regulars. A girl walks in and its a feeding frenzy.

Pool rooms are like the frats for guys that couldn't get into any of the other frats.

However, I would say Amsterdam, for a counter example, is very girl friendly but they are unique among pool rooms IMO.
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The problem is the age factor.

A good comparison is the mortality rate and birth rate. LOL I have known more pool players who I have known for decades pass away than seeing new 18-25 year old players. They are not even playing leagues.

It could be different at night since I don't stay that long.
 
billiards_watch said:
The problem is the age factor.

A good comparison is the mortality rate and birth rate. LOL I have known more pool players who I have known for decades pass away than seeing new 18-25 year old players. They are not even playing leagues.

It could be different at night since I don't stay that long.
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Agreed - didn't think of the age factor but that's also true.
 
Mark V said:
I’ll give my dream/vision later when I have some time, but how would y’all do it. Layout. Rules. Attractions. Dress code. Security.etc.

From what I’ve observed in successful/not places is… it comes down to the girls. If you make the place girl friendly where they feel safe (big one) and actually enjoy the time there, guys will come and you stay busy, and hopefully turn a profit.

Girls have to feel safe and enjoy the food and atmosphere.

A room filled with old timers and sketchy just out on probation types… dead. Forget about it.

Again, details to come.
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Awhile ago, CJ Wiley made a post on here that echoed this insight. While I don't totally understand "a touch of inside" or "the game is the teacher", I do think there is wisdom in this observation--rooms with girls (or at least with the potential for girls) = rooms that make a profit.

However, when I think about what has changed in pool and what I miss, one of the big things I miss, is a room full of old timers and the occasional "just out on probation types."

The times are changing; we have to adapt or die. Bring on the giant rooms with Golden Tee.

kollegedave
 
JusticeNJ said:
Agreed - didn't think of the age factor but that's also true.
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The youngest regular at the pool hall I play at is 25 and he just started playing. He reminds me of myself when I was 17. Just wanted to play everyday because he loves the game.

The guys my age, over 35 are too busy working. I have quit and came back many times. At our age group there are things to do besides being in a pool hall and family responsibilities.

The retirees can play all day so it feels like a senior citizen game.

Maybe I quit and come back when I'm retired. By then I would that demographic of an old guy playing pool. LOL
 
Some of the nicer and seemingly more successful rooms around here seem to be at least 50% bar/restaurant and not relying just on the pool player population. I think that is likely a key to success these days. I think a straight pool room that doesn't offer much else makes for a challenging business. But if the pool is just in addition to a successful bar/restaurant then I think you have something that has a chance of lasting a good while.

I don't know about the whole "girls" angle, I don't think guys go to a pool room looking to meet women. But just having an inviting space that all sorts of non-pool players want to visit is what makes a difference. Plus that usually means the food and drinks are decent.

My regular league spot is like this and if I'm out and about and feel like grabbing a beer I'd be likely to go there even if I'm not playing pool. Nice bar in a good space with a killer beer list makes it a good draw regardless of the pool area.
 
billiards_watch said:
The youngest regular at the pool hall I play at is 25 and he just started playing. He reminds me of myself when I was 17. Just wanted to play everyday because he loves the game.

The guys my age, over 35 are too busy working. I have quit and came back many times. At our age group there are things to do besides being in a pool hall and family responsibilities.

The retirees can play all day so it feels like a senior citizen game.

Maybe I quit and come back when I'm retired. By then I would that demographic of an old guy playing pool. LOL
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I'm 41, wife, kids, mortgage, demanding job. The only way I'm able to play pool regularly was by buying a table. Of the regulars at the pool hall, I'm probably younger than 80% of them.
 
billiards_watch said:
The problem is the age factor.

A good comparison is the mortality rate and birth rate. LOL I have known more pool players who I have known for decades pass away than seeing new 18-25 year old players. They are not even playing leagues.

It could be different at night since I don't stay that long.
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This is also very true. Although, I do think it's hard to generate new players as rooms continue to close. What comes first: the room or the players?
It seems like rooms in some other countries are able to stay in business, so maybe it is just a demand problem? Our kids don't want to play pool whereas kids in other countries do.

kollegedave
 
DynoDan said:
Dream room: Best (well maintained) equipment, furnishings & lighting, the VERY best in a private/separate room (admission only to those who had earned the privilege). NO alcohol or food sold, no music, cell phones banned, only pool, charged by the hr. Open 24 hrs. Good local motels a must, as the best players would likely come from far & wide, for very long stays.
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No alcohol or food sold is going to make it very hard to even have a chance to break even. If you can afford to operate at a huge $ loss, I guess that’s not a factor.
 
I'd go the other way. It would only work in a big city with a decent amount of money, but my dream room would have the following:

-Dark wood wainscot
-Leather club chairs
-Deco styling, it should look...and feel like you walked into the 1920's.
-No TV's
-No Jukebox
-A library
-10 9-ft pool tables
-No free pool
-Small menu with great food. Maybe five entree items at a time, two regular items, three that vary weekly.
-No TV's
-Chess, Cards, other board games.
-Every person under 45 would automatically be referred to as, 'whippersnapper'.
-Staff would play music from a curated collection. No hip-hop. Never played at over 70dB.
-Minimal dress code, but no shorts, no t-shirts with printing, no ripped attire.
-Professional barbershop attached, old guys named Sal and Vinnie manning chairs and specializing in classic cuts and straight-razor shaves.
-Coat check.
-Shine stand.
-No TV's.

This is something that would be the men's version of a day spa, ladies would certainly be welcomed, but not expected nor catered to, if they enjoy the atmosphere, fine. If not, I'll provide a map to the salons in the area. I don't think making a family/female friendly hall is the way to go. Go upscale and cater to the classy money. Offer private servers, offer bottle service, offer a place to get away from the shit.

And absolutely no whistling.
 
It would be a club in the southeast Houston metro area. It would have 10 diamond bar boxes and 4 9 foot diamonds and one carom table. It would only have vending machines. No bar, no kitchen, no smoke, no music and no tvs. It would have premium lighting, balls would be cleaned on a regular basis and a cue maker would be provided a space to work on shafts. Members would pay a monthly fee. Interior design would favor a 30s-40s look and feel. The biggest obstacle to this room is the cost of the space. I don’t think even a break even formula could be devised to keep it going. Not enough people love pool enough to forego the booze and smoking.
 
ChrisinNC said:
No alcohol or food sold is going to make it very hard to even have a chance to break even. If you can afford to operate at a huge $ loss, I guess that’s not a factor.
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Out by me in a very HCOL state, with exorbitant commercial rents, a room like that would last roughly 6 months. And only because it takes about that long to evict them.
 
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