Is pool going down the tubes ?
- Thread starter Realizm
- Start date
I've sold three cues and bought one in the last week. All low priced ($2-350) but still making deals.
I was talking with an old timer yesterday(older then me) and he thinks that with in 10 years there will be no more real pool rooms in Denver. That all we will have are bars with bar tables to play on. Sad.
Its not THAT bad!! I don't see any cars for sale yet! In my case its a matter of money[just like everyone else]. Right now I'm surviving [3 boxes of mac&cheese and a bunch of ramin noodles]. But I look every day regardless. I've sold off my collection bit by bit over the last 4 yrs while trying to keep my truck moving. I see a tightening of belts in the F/S section myself but I'll be buying again soon. In the mean time trading is a great way to stay in the game so to speak. Always hoping. Don
Or wait and get one cheap from one of those rooms that's gonna close.
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Measureman, what's the story with pool in Denver? Are there no good rooms? I can see marginal halls closing but certainly a city the size of the Denver area can support several well run rooms that have good equipment. I'd be surprised if what the old timer said is literally true. If it is, there will be a solid business opportunity for someone in about a decade.
Pool has seen a revival of sorts in my area. For about four years we have only had one room, and the owners didn't care about pool players. They would rather have a casual crowd with a "movie and some pool" attitude. They never changed the cloth and no one liked their tables. We kept telling them to buy a diamond but they refused because pool players didn't spend money (why have a poolroom).
Fast forward to about 5 months ago. A new room opened with all Diamonds, a mix of bar boxes and 9 footers. The place has been booming. They have 3 tournaments a week and it usually has 25-35 people. Shannon Murphy and Robert Frost played in it last week. There are some decent sets being played and all is well in my world.
Professional pool seems to be doing well also. We are only 5 months into 2011 and we have already had the masters 10 ball, the ultimate 10 ball, us open 10 ball and one pocket, the DCC, the bar table championships, and multiple international tournaments.
I think pool is doing great from where I'm sitting. There may not be as many cues selling, but that is a result of poor confidence in the future. Even though many people are recovering and have jobs again, there is always a rebound time where people are scared to spend money. When you have more sellers than buyers, the market becomes saturated. Along with all the current cues, cue makers continue to make more; who is going to buy the new cues?
I agree with you that the custom cue market is down, but I believe pool as a whole is very much on the upswing.
-Brandon
Fast forward to about 5 months ago. A new room opened with all Diamonds, a mix of bar boxes and 9 footers. The place has been booming. They have 3 tournaments a week and it usually has 25-35 people. Shannon Murphy and Robert Frost played in it last week. There are some decent sets being played and all is well in my world.
Professional pool seems to be doing well also. We are only 5 months into 2011 and we have already had the masters 10 ball, the ultimate 10 ball, us open 10 ball and one pocket, the DCC, the bar table championships, and multiple international tournaments.
I think pool is doing great from where I'm sitting. There may not be as many cues selling, but that is a result of poor confidence in the future. Even though many people are recovering and have jobs again, there is always a rebound time where people are scared to spend money. When you have more sellers than buyers, the market becomes saturated. Along with all the current cues, cue makers continue to make more; who is going to buy the new cues?
I agree with you that the custom cue market is down, but I believe pool as a whole is very much on the upswing.
-Brandon
You're more dedicated than I was. I took a bit of an butt kicking selling my Freightliner and trailer. At the end of the month, after repairs and fuel, there wasn't much left in the pot for me. I went from being 42K in debt to 110K in debt and it will haunt me for the rest of my life.
Good luck tho. No money in anything that eats or uses fuel.
IMHO the USA is hurting, we are in a recession, in the Phoenix Metro Area about 100 small bars have shut their doors in the last 180 days. Modst had a Bar Box or Two.
Many Pool support businesses are hurting, or closing their doors like Diamondback Billiards, & Connellys have closed most of their retail store in the Valley of the Sun.
Many Pool support businesses are hurting, or closing their doors like Diamondback Billiards, & Connellys have closed most of their retail store in the Valley of the Sun.
Yet....IMO....pool is getting better in the Phoenix area...
Bullshooters is doing great....Stingers is doing great.....Kolbys is doing great.....Skip & Jans is always rockin when I go in there....I have not been all the way out to Main Street for a while...but from what I hear it is also doing fine.
Perhaps the Phoenix (metro) market was just oversaturated with "small bars" that happen to have a couple bar boxes in them.
I did, ten years ago. It gets old in about 10 minutes, though
Yup. I kinda miss my Thursday night league.