Location
Location is important. About 18-19 years ago, we had
2 Pool rooms start up, not particularly a good area,
south of mid town about 3-4 miles, but they went over.
The fact that they are on the same street and about
1 mile apart from each other made it convenient for the
money players especially. They are both popular places
with 10 bar tables apiece, and one has a Brunswick 9 footer.
We had another place start up on the East side of town about
the same distance south but, by my car, 7 minutes travel time
going full bore to the East. The place out East has the best
paybacks for tournaments. Weekly, monthly, etc are 200%
payback, but many players will not go there because it is
East and not in their real comfort zone. Lori, the owner is
a real sweetheart of a woman, a good player, and she goes
the extra mile for the players. She just had an annual memorial
tournament for 32 players that paid $750 plus $500 Shurtz custom
cue to the winner plus a calcutta too. The women's tournament
paid $500 plus $350 Shurtz cue plus calcutta. BUT she never fills
up her tournaments, and some of us regular players there just can
not understand why. Many players would rather play in tournaments
where they are getting 125% payback than travel 10 minutes further
for 200% payback.
Now, we have a big place on the westside of town (1st one) called
SidePockets with 33 tables (bar and full), and it does okay, better
since they gave in to gambling. Real nice place, little higher prices,
good tables, gets a lot of the early 20's after work crowd and a few
intermediate type money players.
The 2 on the same street though are the known 'money' places
though, and they get the most business and players in there.
I think as long as a Pool room offers what people want, they will get
the people as long as the location in not in a bad bad area of town, but
life long players are funny about where they patronize, and usually
very loyal to where they go unless big $$$ come into the picture.
.
)
How does that work?