Older Pool Halls

[Lawnboy77]

VERY few are left. The owners may have died off or rent got too high or the city/town just changed. Booches has survived mostly because Columbia is a college town (U of Mo.) and most of their business is selling burgers(classic semi-greasy burger btw) to students.

Yes, Yes, Yes it was the burgers that made the money in the small town halls. Pool was a dime a stick, so all it was doing was attracting folks in as either a spectator, or player. The smell of the fried onions and fresh ground beef on the flat griddle was oh so good!

 

[billb]

As I have contemplated the ongoing, and escalating, decimation of pool halls, the absolute cornerstone of our sport, I have wondered about the status of American pool halls in general. Particularly, I have begun to wonder about the longevity of our rooms. In other words, how many pool halls have survived from the '40s? '50s? '60s? In my area, there are no long term survivors. I am really hoping that something remains from these bygone eras beside memories. What's left around y'all?

The Metropolitan Billiard Parlor in Morgantown WV. Around a hundred years old.

 

[Z-Nole]

Country Retreat Family Billiards & Grill in Boone, NC.

Isn’t Boone where all the skiing is located? My kids keep bugging me to take them there. It would give me something to do while they’re out breaking knees and wrists.

 

[garczar]

Isn’t Boone where all the skiing is located? My kids keep bugging me to take them there. It would give me something to do while they’re out breaking knees and wrists.

Skiing | Boone, North Carolina

Choose from three great ski resorts in the Boone Area. Find a great hotel, then strap on your skis in the ski capital of the South.

www.exploreboone.com

 

[billb]

The Met. Since 1924.

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x88357b7cfc576189%3A0xad9c9c7f69db418d!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPj31PZH0flxUKC7twoIOmHWqkPGmKVbtmFsuE%3Dw361-h160-k-no!5smetropolitan%20billiard%20parlor%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPj31PZH0flxUKC7twoIOmHWqkPGmKVbtmFsuE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSm8PStOLuAhXFEVkFHYxUD34QoiowCnoECBMQAw

 

[Lawnboy77]

A lot of people who frequent Booches never go in the back to play. They have no idea the treasure trove of tables there.

That place is on my bucket list. I wish I lived closer, I'm out here in West Texas and don't think they had anything like that back in the day here. Speaking of those old T-rail tables, they played great! Just as good as any table today, the only problem was the big pockets. Fats called them pockets "Soup Buckets". I hear a few folks talk bad about the playability of those old tables when compared to modern tables and that's just not true at all.

 

[garczar]

The Met. Since 1924.

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x88357b7cfc576189%3A0xad9c9c7f69db418d!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPj31PZH0flxUKC7twoIOmHWqkPGmKVbtmFsuE%3Dw361-h160-k-no!5smetropolitan%20billiard%20parlor%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPj31PZH0flxUKC7twoIOmHWqkPGmKVbtmFsuE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSm8PStOLuAhXFEVkFHYxUD34QoiowCnoECBMQAw

Awesome. Looks like Booches twin brother.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

College Towns emerge as an early pattern (besides good burgers).

 

[garczar]

Another golden oldie: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x87c0e394f02d57ad:0x3a13a2ecd259d627!3m1!7e115!4shttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMzh0hwKgXg_ee-FWfFJ8z1fbhT1E0g56wTXSrL=w200-h200-k-no!5sraytown rec - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipMzh0hwKgXg_ee-FWfFJ8z1fbhT1E0g56wTXSrL&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjt_a30tuLuAhXQLc0KHU5ICcUQoiowEnoECCQQAw Raytown is part of Kan.City. Cool old walk-down joint. Has a 5x10 Kling that used to be in Kling-Allens room. Nothin fancy, just pool baby.

 

[Lawnboy77]

"Dumas Walker'

Yes sir! My old stomping grounds. Good "Salt of the earth" folks. A little taste here in this video, radio station WLOC was our local station. My father worked there from 1957 until just about the time it closed it's doors.

 

[chuckg]

I will most likely am moving to the Columbus Ms area this summer. I saw a great looking pool room is Starkvillee...Southern Billiards. Hope they are still open .

 

[garczar]

I will most likely am moving to the Columbus Ms area this summer. I saw a great looking pool room is Starkvillee...Southern Billiards. Hope they are still open .

Their FB page says they are.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

Southern Billiards -- another College Town -- will be open a very long time. It has everything one could want in a pool hall, including the Starkville Police Department next door.

 

[garczar]

Here's a WestCoast treasure: https://www.thecueball.com/index.html Uber cool spot. Another down the coast a ways: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!...hUKEwiVtYfJu-LuAhUEVc0KHeGbAtYQoiowEnoECDEQAw

 

[Black-Balled]

It’s pretty hard to pass through here! We are over an hour away from the nearest interstate highway - located north of I-40, west of I-77 and southeast of I-81.

Much to my chagrin.

I have been near while passing to charlotte and Asheville more than once. Never could convince myself to go west.

Some day...

 

[forabeer]

Country Retreat Family Billiards & Grill in Boone, NC.

I lived in Boone from 82-86. (ASU grad) There was a place on Clement St. called "BIG G RECREATION". Place is long gone.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

I overlooked Boone as a College Town. Seems to be a definite, although unscientific, trend.

 

[garczar]

I overlooked Boone as a College Town. Seems to be a definite, although unscientific, trend.

When i was at OU in '78 there was a good spot right on CampusCorner area. I think it was called The 8ball. Long gone now.

 

[Quesports]

Romine's in Miwaukee, Wi along with Chris's in Chicago, Il and Orton's in Wilmington, NC come to mind. Some may be temporarily closed due to the covid issue, but they have all been around for quite a while..

 

[Hoser]

We opened in 1996 and are still going - 10 tables in a rural market, although this is a tourist area in the mountains, which helps. We don’t have alcohol, but our food and beverage operation amounts to 90+% of our sales.

A majority of our customers have never once played pool here - roughly half of that being take-out orders. If it weren’t for that, we would never have made it.

All the old time pool rooms in smaller towns in western NC ( virtually all of them had one or more rooms) have all closed up to my knowledge, without exception.

Have a friend with a home in Burnsville. Going to check it out next time were there.