I'm opening my dream pool room

Good luck Mike. Sounds like you have put a lot of thought to it.

I'm curious... I am not a dart player, but I'm wondering why you are seemingly adamant against it. It appears to me that dart players take up relatively little space, they drink and eat a lot while they are playing and they have a good time. Don't seem to be unreasonably rowdy most of the time.

Even shuffleboard might work. You don't see it much any more, but there's a huge shuffleboard tournament in Oklahoma City every summer and people come in from all over to play.

Ron
 
Wow

Sound like a dream pool room indeed.

Tell us more about the liquor law challenges if you will.

Best of luck to you,I applaud your going for your dream.

Just wanted to add that I agree with the no juke-box,kareokee,pin-ball,basketball...etc.I think that you should go with what you see as the best possible establishment.IMO most buisnesses try to cater to everyone and end up not providing a service to the origional targeted clientel.Yes I know these things are done for buisness reasons but if you can create the invironment you are looking for and succeed,go for it!
 
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mikepage said:
How many times have you said or heard others say "if I was opening a pool room, I would do THIS or THIS or I wouldn't do THIS....

Well I've been implementing THIS's and THIS's and NOT THIS's a lot in the last couple years. I'm soon to open a big new pool room in Fargo in about four months. The building is under construction as we speak.

Two years ago I met with city commissioners, chief of police, city attorney and others to talk about creating a new category of liquor license that would accommodate me. I got the laws changes about a year and a half ago, so that part's on track.

Then I started presenting business plan ideas to bankers --business plan, power point presentations, the whole works. Wow was that ever an effort! After working with two banks quite a bit each I finally got things going with a third bank, using the SBA 504 program.

In a nutshell -

Fargo Billiards & Gastropub (or just Fargo Billiards)

28,536 square feet

56 tables (7 9-ft Diamond Professional, 9 9-ft Gabriel Signature Pro, 33 7-foot diamond pro-ams, 7 7-ft Gabriels)

3,000 sf raised area in the middle that included a U-shaped bar with an island in the middle, high-top seating, and lounge (leather chair)-type seating. Offthe raised area near the bar is a tight 9-foot diamond professional.

Tables are more or less segregated into neighborhoods.

Off the raised area toward the front is a line of 6 9-ft Diamonds.

In front of that and separated by a half-wall (front of building ) are 11 7-ft. Diamonds.

Behind the raised area on one side is a group of 6 9-ft Gabriels. On the other side but still adjacent to the raised area is a set of 6 7-ft. Gabriels, three of which have leather, living-room style seating arrangements. These areas are enclosed by half-height walls.

Behind these, along the back of the building is the league area and includes 20 7-ft Diamonds that are arranged in two rows with a gap in the middle (two groups of 10)

There are 3 private rooms:

One (500 sf) has a 9-ft Gabriel and living-room furniture.
the second (950 sf) has 2 9-ft Gabriels and living-room furniture
the third (950 sf) has 2 7-ft Diamonds and living-room furniture

A conference room (The Fargo Billiard Academy) has a 12-seat conference table, a 7-ft diamond set up for video analysis, and a screen for presentations.

Full-service restaurant called The Gastropub that includes a seating area as well as service to the lounge and to pool tables. (Gastropub is a british term meaning a pub that takes its food more seriously than normal pub-fare). There is an espresso bar adjacent to the dining area with coffee-shop type lounge area.

Wireless throughout.

Music is low-volume blues and acoustic and a little jazz.

Occasional acoustic performers in the raised area.

Things you WON'T find:

-- juke box
-- loud music
-- darts
-- video games
-- smoke
-- dance floor
-- karaoke

I'll try to get up a diagram.
Click to expand...


This is exactly how I feel. If I would wins oodles of money in the lottery and could afford the loss I would bring pool back to it's roots. And a bit of a modern touch like streaming matches. I'd have good tables and bar boxes cause they are fun too. And Tournys all the time with money added.
 
It's great to hear Mike, congrats!

You know that I know that racket so here is some of the best advice I can think to give you.

#1- Digital CCTV system piped to the internet.

#2- Check into a beverage management system for the booze (Berg is the major player). All it takes is one bartender over pouring to really skew the numbers and take a big chunk of the profit. These systems are very pricy but it will pay for itself ten fold down the road. I would use it on all of the high volume sellers and let them free pour the lower volume mid-top shelf stuff.

#3- When it comes to the kitchen and bar design pay someone that specializes in that arena to do design the layout for you. Speed and efficiency are everything and a poor/inefficient design will give you grief and cost you money.... Whatever it cost to do so you'll make it back big time....

#4- Why only 28,536 square feet??? LOL

Kirk
 
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Why no video games? Golden Tee is a monster money maker.

I had to look up to see how big Fargo is - 100,000 population correct?

Best of luck - sounds like an impressive place.
 
ronhudson said:
I'm curious... I am not a dart player, but I'm wondering why you are seemingly adamant against it. It appears to me that dart players take up relatively little space, they drink and eat a lot while they are playing and they have a good time. Don't seem to be unreasonably rowdy most of the time.
Click to expand...

Ron makes a real good point..... Darters are big time action at the bar (at least here). I'm not a dart fan but a four man dart team is equal money to most 6-7 man pool league teams at the bar, maybe more... And like he said, they take up a lot less real estate.
 
Mike...Congratulations on pursuing a dream in a VERY big way! Fargo will have something to be quite proud of, and I sincerely hope you can make this work for you. A few of the rooms you listed here are out of business, but you probably know that. From the looks of it, this sounds like it will be the premier poolroom in several states. I look forward to visiting your new room when it is completed! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

mikepage said:
.By the way, here's a list of at least SOME of the pool halls I've been in in the last decade while thinking about this:

Illinois

Chris's
64th street
Green Room
Chicago Billiard Caf?

North Dakota

Billiards on Broadway
Lucky's Green Room

California

Family Billiards/SF
Shoreline Billiards
Chalkers/SF
Hardtimes/LA
Danny K's/LA
College Billiards/SD
Family Billiard Center/oceanside
California Billiard Club

Iowa

Big Dog Billiards/Des Moines
Bank Shot/Sioux City
Q&Feather/Sioux City
Corner Pockets/Ames

New Jersey

Comet/ Parsippany

Maryland

Orange Ball/ Rockville
Champion/Rockville?

South Dakota

Breaktime

Oregon

Cueball/Salem
??/portland

Montana

Palace/Missoula

New Mexico

??(Albuquerque)

Minnesota

Ducks/St. Cloud
CR Billiards
Jimmies Pro Billiards
Two Stooges (Billiard St. Caf?)
Shooters
Crown Billiards
City Billiards
???/Duluth
Sharkeys/Mankato
Q-Sharks

Connecticut

Action Billiards

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Billiards?

Massachussetts

Smiths/Springfield
Boston Billiards/Boston
Brighton Billiards Boston

Wash DC

Buffalo Billiards
Atomic Billiards

Virginia

First Break Caf? (Sterling)
Fast Eddies/Alexandria
Arlington?
Q-Masters

Indiana

???/South Bend

Louisiana

Two Sisters

Colorado

McChesneys/Denver
Table Steaks/Denver

Texas

CJ's/Dallas
Erics/Austin

Wisconsin

Green Room/Madison

North Carolina

???/outer banks

Ohio

Airway Billiards/Dayton
Chalkers?/ Columbus

Washington

City LightsBilliards/Tacoma
Schotzes/Everett
Dr. Cue/Seattle
Click to expand...
 
mikepage said:
How many times have you said or heard others say "if I was opening a pool room, I would do THIS or THIS or I wouldn't do THIS....

Well I've been implementing THIS's and THIS's and NOT THIS's a lot in the last couple years. I'm soon to open a big new pool room in Fargo in about four months. The building is under construction as we speak.

Two years ago I met with city commissioners, chief of police, city attorney and others to talk about creating a new category of liquor license that would accommodate me. I got the laws changes about a year and a half ago, so that part's on track.

Then I started presenting business plan ideas to bankers --business plan, power point presentations, the whole works. Wow was that ever an effort! After working with two banks quite a bit each I finally got things going with a third bank, using the SBA 504 program.

In a nutshell -

Fargo Billiards & Gastropub (or just Fargo Billiards)

28,536 square feet

56 tables (7 9-ft Diamond Professional, 9 9-ft Gabriel Signature Pro, 33 7-foot diamond pro-ams, 7 7-ft Gabriels)

3,000 sf raised area in the middle that included a U-shaped bar with an island in the middle, high-top seating, and lounge (leather chair)-type seating. Offthe raised area near the bar is a tight 9-foot diamond professional.

Tables are more or less segregated into neighborhoods.

Off the raised area toward the front is a line of 6 9-ft Diamonds.

In front of that and separated by a half-wall (front of building ) are 11 7-ft. Diamonds.

Behind the raised area on one side is a group of 6 9-ft Gabriels. On the other side but still adjacent to the raised area is a set of 6 7-ft. Gabriels, three of which have leather, living-room style seating arrangements. These areas are enclosed by half-height walls.

Behind these, along the back of the building is the league area and includes 20 7-ft Diamonds that are arranged in two rows with a gap in the middle (two groups of 10)

There are 3 private rooms:

One (500 sf) has a 9-ft Gabriel and living-room furniture.
the second (950 sf) has 2 9-ft Gabriels and living-room furniture
the third (950 sf) has 2 7-ft Diamonds and living-room furniture

A conference room (The Fargo Billiard Academy) has a 12-seat conference table, a 7-ft diamond set up for video analysis, and a screen for presentations.

Full-service restaurant called The Gastropub that includes a seating area as well as service to the lounge and to pool tables. (Gastropub is a british term meaning a pub that takes its food more seriously than normal pub-fare). There is an espresso bar adjacent to the dining area with coffee-shop type lounge area.

Wireless throughout.

Music is low-volume blues and acoustic and a little jazz.

Occasional acoustic performers in the raised area.

Things you WON'T find:

-- juke box
-- loud music
-- darts
-- video games
-- smoke
-- dance floor
-- karaoke

I'll try to get up a diagram.
Click to expand...


ah, very nice, Mike. A heartfelt congratulations.

Sounds like the perfect place for an RSB reunion :-)

In the Spring.

Not to put too fine a point on it: Not the Winter.

Lou Figueroa
do they even have
Spring up there?
 
watchez said:
Why no video games? Golden Tee is a monster money maker.

I had to look up to see how big Fargo is - 100,000 population correct?

Best of luck - sounds like an impressive place.
Click to expand...

I know guys who have dumped thousands into that game as well as winning thousands off of that game.

I would have GT and one of one of those trivia bar top games on each end of the bar.
 
I've been doing rough estimates on a hall. I would model it after a hall I worked in when I was a teenager, but upgraded. I've worked as a cook for many years (not for 10 years though) so there would definitely be food to get people to come in for their lunch break or for dinner.

Considering that there is a chance that I may be getting laid off I think this is going to be on paper for now.
 
Oysters Rockefeller Might Get Me To FARGO

mikepage said:
There are 3 private rooms:

One (500 sf) has a 9-ft Gabriel and living-room furniture.
the second (950 sf) has 2 9-ft Gabriels and living-room furniture
the third (950 sf) has 2 7-ft Diamonds and living-room furniture

Full-service restaurant called The Gastropub that includes a seating area as well as service to the lounge and to pool tables. (Gastropub is a british term meaning a pub that takes its food more seriously than normal pub-fare). There is an espresso bar adjacent to the dining area with coffee-shop type lounge area.

Wireless throughout.

Music is low-volume blues and acoustic and a little jazz.

Occasional acoustic performers in the raised area.

Things you WON'T find:

-- juke box
-- loud music
-- darts
-- video games
-- smoke
-- dance floor
-- karaoke

I'll try to get up a diagram.
Click to expand...


Uh-huh, it's good to see that the shrewd businessman that you are hasn't ruled out male OR female midget wrestling.

Doug
(and 'open mike' Comedy Night) :)


*Oysters Rockefeller Might Get Me To FARGO http://whatscookingamerica.net/Seafood/OystersRockefeller.htm
 
Sounds like a great room. Good luck with it!!

A couple of random points:

Sounds like you've been through a million rooms and must have a sense of what you like the looks of and what you don't. Next time you are in Illinois, check out Pro-Tyme Billiards in Orland. It is a very nice looking room.

Also, how did you decide what percent 7 footers and what percent 9 footers you wanted? Is it a question of being able to fit more tables in? Or for league action, or is that just the market there? I haven't been in a ton of halls in my life, but it seems like the ones that I have been to all have way more 9 footers and just a couple of 7's. It might be a regional thing though.

Finally-and this is just my humble opinion- but in this country "gastro" may conjure up negative associations for people. Go to Google and type in just "gastro" and up will come a litany of unpleasant stomach ailments, irritable bowel syndrom, intenstinal inflammation, etc. I know that the word is also used in the culinary world as well, but at least for me it conjured up images of unpleasant trips to the doctor (or bathroom!) I'm not saying this to be a wiseass or anything...
 
Dave...Mike is referring to gastonomy...the art and science of GOOD EATING, and that's right out of the dictionary! :D

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

219Dave said:
Finally-and this is just my humble opinion- but in this country "gastro" may conjure up negative associations for people. Go to Google and type in just "gastro" and up will come a litany of unpleasant stomach ailments, irritable bowel syndrom, intenstinal inflammation, etc. I know that the word is also used in the culinary world as well, but at least for me it conjured up images of unpleasant trips to the doctor (or bathroom!) I'm not saying this to be a wiseass or anything...
Click to expand...
 
Congratulations. That's the best pool move yet.

Will you adopt me?

pj
chgo

P.S. Please keep us posted on your grand opening date.
P.P.S. Cameras, lots of cameras.
 
Scott Lee said:
Dave...Mike is referring to gastonomy...the art and science of GOOD EATING, and that's right out of the dictionary! :D

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

I understand, and didn't think he was misusing the term. I also just read an entry on "gastropub" on wikipedia.

I was just offering my 2 Cents that some people in the market will read the name and not think of good bar food but rather stomach ailments. It made me personally think of a trip to the GI and a colonoscopy, but maybe that's just me. :o

More importantly, sounds like an awesome room and I wish him the very best. If I'm ever in that part of the country I'll stop in.
 
Congratulations Mike !

Congratulations on the new room. We all wish you luck, obviously. :thumbup:

Keep us updated on your progress and success.

RL
 
This looks and sounds amazing...just wow! Don't you think you'd be happier and more successful doing this down the street from wherever I happen to move for the rest of my life, though? I think you should seriously consider it.:-P

I'm curious about why you chose two brands of tables, and about what sort of special liquor license you got. And why do you hate three cushion?

I had the same reaction as some others when I heard "gastropub" even though I knew in what sense the word was being used.

Congratulations!
 
mikepage said:
Things you WON'T find:

-- juke box
-- loud music
-- darts
-- video games
-- smoke
-- dance floor
-- karaoke

I'll try to get up a diagram.
Click to expand...

CONGRATULATIONS MIKE! An especially brave and ambitious effort in your part of the world at this time! But if anyone can make it work you can.

Bravo for your stance on the above!!!! One thing you would have if I lived there would be ME as a steady CUSTOMER.

Good luck and I hope it stays open and profitable for hundreds of years!!!!!
 
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