New Pool Room!!!!

M

macaframa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Kennewick, Washington has just got new pool room. This room features 7 9' diamonds with simonis 860 on them in tournament blue. The room is called "The Billiardaires Club." The room is run by John Duclos. As for right now it is a alcohol free business. They are in the process of getting a weekly tournament established with 9 ball "break pot" with 100% payback. Please come in and check out the place and share any thoughts for improvements or opinions.

Business hours are from 4 to 11 (temporary) monday thru thursday and friday thru sunday 12 to 12.
Table rate is $4 per person per hour
 
macaframa said:
Any suggestion on bringing in some traffic here
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Food, drinks, Internet Juke Box? What are your other sources of revenue and entertainment?
JoeyA
 
My Observations

A room with all full sized tables would not do well around where I live. First off, bangers get tired of not being able to make a ball, get bored and quit.

Among the top players, only a select group of them pursue full table action very much, usually 1 pocket, or practlcing 8 or 9 ball.

Instead, most of the rooms around here have 10 bar tables, and maybe 1 full sized table for 1 pocket or 9 ball. We have 1 place that has good Golf action on a snooker table since the 30/40's.

I haven't played on a full sized table for over 5 years now, not because I can't, I just don't care to. I get real tired of having to use the crutch so much on one, and there is much more action on bar tables.

Bar tables have a much more 'bowl' feel to them,and there is usually better seating for railbirds or backers.
 
No Smoking state of washington has a ban. We have only been open for about 3 weeks now and are not completely finished with putting the room together. As of right now we are only selling snacks and softdrinks. We are really looking to cater to the pool players. So if anyone can help with increasing traffic in the room. We have had a lot of positive feedback with those who have been coming in and they have been coming back. As far as our local pool community they tend to stay away.
 
macaframa said:
No Smoking state of washington has a ban. We have only been open for about 3 weeks now and are not completely finished with putting the room together. As of right now we are only selling snacks and softdrinks. We are really looking to cater to the pool players. So if anyone can help with increasing traffic in the room. We have had a lot of positive feedback with those who have been coming in and they have been coming back. As far as our local pool community they tend to stay away.
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Please post pictures once it' s up and running.
 
Kennewick.

Congrats on getting it open. John will promote the game and make things happen up there.

It is a sign of the times when "the pool community" stays away from 9' tables. Sometimes I wonder why. My age group grew up on 9' tables.

I think 7' players don't understand the 9' table play. In other words, 8-ball is a great 7' game and 9-ball isn't. 9-Ball is a great 9' table game and 8-ball can get too easy on a 7' table.

They both have advantages and disadvantages. bottom line is more and more play is going toward 7' tables. And bars can provide most of the challenges that a pool hall can provide (in 7' table play). The problem is that most bars just do not give the tables or the players any respect.

So many bars don't clean the tables EVER!!!

Run properly, a 9' pool room can do fine if the overhead is not too high.

Mark Griffin
 
Mark Griffin said:
Congrats on getting it open. John will promote the game and make things happen up there.

It is a sign of the times when "the pool community" stays away from 9' tables. Sometimes I wonder why. My age group grew up on 9' tables.

I think 7' players don't understand the 9' table play. In other words, 8-ball is a great 7' game and 9-ball isn't. 9-Ball is a great 9' table game and 8-ball can get too easy on a 7' table.

They both have advantages and disadvantages. bottom line is more and more play is going toward 7' tables. And bars can provide most of the challenges that a pool hall can provide (in 7' table play). The problem is that most bars just do not give the tables or the players any respect.

So many bars don't clean the tables EVER!!!

Run properly, a 9' pool room can do fine if the overhead is not too high.

Mark Griffin
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7 tables at $8 per hour = $56 dollars per hour. That's with the tables basically fully occupied. While I have never been a pool room owner, I think the $56 per hour is a low number to survive on, considering that they won't be occupied 100% of the time, that you have to pay help, rent, utilities and other expenses. I think a room with only 7 tables has to find additional revenue streams to make it.

The pool hall in Dallas that was small and "PERFECT" apparently had problems with catering to pool players. I don't know all of the details but if you're not serving alcohol, you had better plan on wearing all of the hats and working lots of long hours.

I would consider putting in some video games. Let the local amusement company put in a couple of hot games and negotiate for the best split available that makes sense for both of you. If you're not serving alcohol, your clientele may consist of younger players who like playing video games and that could help your revenue stream. High profit snack items are a plus along with high profit fountain drinks. Again, take my advice with a grain of salt. I haven't operated a pool hall and tip my hat to all of you that do.

Good luck,

JoeyA
 
To JoeyA:

Wa. State went non-smoking on Dec. 8, 2005.

To Macaframa:

Other than maybe (although it may not be necessary) getting the liquor license, also possibly making solid arrangements for decent food (NOT snacks!), also, as previously suggested, maybe putting a few video games (at least ONE Golf game) AND making provisions for DARTS PLAYERS/LEAGUES:

1. Get an ATM machine installed. This produces more income per cubic inch than anything else you can put into any type of public establishment, pool or otherwise. Then, make sure that the ATM's owner/service rep KEEPS IT FILLED -- you lose income when it runs out, and it ALWAYS WILL AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME! The Rep will give you some song and dance about being worried about ATM heists. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS GUY -- find one who is carrying insurance on his wares and deposits, just like any other sensible businessman. If you can't find an insured rep, then SPEND THE MONEY TO BUY YOUR OWN MACHINE (definitely NOT cheap, but DEFINITELY worthwhile!) and make a deal with your local bank to help you keep this filled.

2. As you well know, McQue's in Spokane has at least a monthly B-Players' tournament, as well as occasional big-name tournaments. See if you can work hand-in-hand with them to promote each other's tournaments, setting up complimentary tournaments with McQue's at, maybe, two-week offsets, so that there is continuity of regional action. This type of action could benefit BOTH establishments in terms of participation and could also benefit the many active players in the S.E. Wa./N.E. Ore./Western Idaho areas.

Good luck to you and Joe, Mac -- maybe I'll run into you one of these days when I start travelling again -- there IS a bunch of us up here in the San Juans that would make a trip or two if the conditions were decent. We've all played a couple of times at McQue's -- AND, one of my grandsons (14 years old) lives in Kennewick.
 
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Mark Griffin said:
Congrats on getting it open. John will promote the game and make things happen up there.

It is a sign of the times when "the pool community" stays away from 9' tables. Sometimes I wonder why. My age group grew up on 9' tables.

I think 7' players don't understand the 9' table play. In other words, 8-ball is a great 7' game and 9-ball isn't. 9-Ball is a great 9' table game and 8-ball can get too easy on a 7' table.

They both have advantages and disadvantages. bottom line is more and more play is going toward 7' tables. And bars can provide most of the challenges that a pool hall can provide (in 7' table play). The problem is that most bars just do not give the tables or the players any respect.

So many bars don't clean the tables EVER!!!

Run properly, a 9' pool room can do fine if the overhead is not too high.

Mark Griffin
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John has been working hard on the pool room and is always willing to help anyone who comes in with their game. John is one of the only players in town willing to share his knowledge to anyone who walks in the door. Also we are going start a sunday weekly tournament with a 9-ball break pot.

Mark, he is pretty excited about going to the DCC next month. He seems to be rejuvenated I'm glad to see John Playing again.

Augie
 
If this pool room were within an hour of me I'd probably have to change my address as I'd pretty be much living there the next few months while I'm layed off for the winter. :cool: You'd have to reserve a table for me at least every other night for at least 3-4 hours each night. :)

I'd love to have a place to go and stay away from the "bar boxes"."Bar boxes" = dirty unlevel 7' Valley tables w/loose rails and hazy dirty balls. Very few bars in my area keep their tables/balls even halfway clean and level.:( About the only exception is my home town bar and that's only because I'm the one cleaning/leveling them for the bar owner so at least we have one place in the area where we can play on decent equipment.

Keep a nice clean room and the players will come and keep coming. Good luck. :D
 
macaframa said:
Any suggestion on bringing in some traffic here
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Like others have said. Compliment the tourneys in the area, don't compete with them.

From reading this forum for a while, most of your business is going to come from the younger crown that want to feed the jukebox.

But, there seems to be a consensus about a few things:
  • Good equipment
  • Good food
  • Good music

Also, I'd love to have leagues at the room I frequent. But the owner doesn't seem to want to bother with it. I am not sure of your area, but I was thinking of 3 different leagues (8-Ball, 9-Ball or 10-Ball, and Straight Pool).

Best of luck in your new venture.
Craig
 
We had our first successful tournament today sunday dec 30 2007. We had 24 players in our 32 limit weekly tournament which was handicapped. We had a mixture of levels placing in the tournament. Here is how we handicapped it. A played spotted B players the wild 8, C players got the wild 7 from the A's. B players spotted the 8 to C players. All were races to 3. We had Two B's placing 1st and 2nd, a 13 year-old C players placing third, A player placing fourth, 2 B's placing 5th/6th and 1 c and 1 b placing 7th/8th.
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Here are some pics of The pool room for those who are curious House Pro John Duclos
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My checklist would have at least the following on it:

some decent food with decent seating to eat at (pizza/pasta is a good option)
reasonably priced beers with an advertised happy hour will make big bucks
keep the bathrooms clean
make sure your employees are treating your customers with respect even if all they ever pay for is table time
an advertised ladies night where ladies play for free
jukebox (either internet or old skool)
secure cue lockers
kids 16 and under get a free soda if they intend to play for longer than one hour.
a monthly membership program (with perhaps a free 30 min lesson from the house pro for first timer members)
plastic or leather headed bridges...none of those crappy metal ones
weekly business card raffle for two hours of free pool with two sodas
good chalk
keep the humidity down with AC or something else
one of those bartop finger poking video games thingies

and...

a stripper pole for those rare nights when you wish you had one

Good luck!
 
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