Questions/opinions about new table installs in bar

G

glfgd82

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
We are lucky enough as a business to be able to buy a bigger bar/restaurant to move our bbq joint into. We have a sit down restaurant area and then the more "bar-ish" area where we are planning on installing 3 new diamond pro-am tables.

My questions are the following:

Lighting- what would you prefer to see used for lighting, I've looked at the Littman lights as well as the predator tourney style, also the option of just led flat panel over top. I know opinions are personal, just looking for options.

Camera- So part of my interest in having great tables and setup is that there aren't any good tables to play on in the area. I expect to get the attention of good players and the possibility of either some nice tourney fields (I understand I'm limited with 3 tables) or even some money games has me thinking about setting up some cameras to catch the action. Would it be worth the investment for only having 3 tables? Would you like the ability to have us record your practice session or match and give you a copy? Trying to think forward on this one.

I'm not planning on the tables to be the focal point, but I know there isn't a quality table around and being a pool fanatic myself I'm wanting to offer some to those in the area with the hopes of maybe opening something bigger in the future with more tables.

Thank you,
James
 
glfgd82 said:
We are lucky enough as a business to be able to buy a bigger bar/restaurant to move our bbq joint into. We have a sit down restaurant area and then the more "bar-ish" area where we are planning on installing 3 new diamond pro-am tables.

My questions are the following:

Lighting- what would you prefer to see used for lighting, I've looked at the Littman lights as well as the predator tourney style, also the option of just led flat panel over top. I know opinions are personal, just looking for options.

Camera- So part of my interest in having great tables and setup is that there aren't any good tables to play on in the area. I expect to get the attention of good players and the possibility of either some nice tourney fields (I understand I'm limited with 3 tables) or even some money games has me thinking about setting up some cameras to catch the action. Would it be worth the investment for only having 3 tables? Would you like the ability to have us record your practice session or match and give you a copy? Trying to think forward on this one.

I'm not planning on the tables to be the focal point, but I know there isn't a quality table around and being a pool fanatic myself I'm wanting to offer some to those in the area with the hopes of maybe opening something bigger in the future with more tables.

Thank you,
James
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It sounds like your main business is your barbecue restaurant and bar. Is it a sports bar as well? You don’t want serious players hanging out there for long periods of time monopolizing the tables, not spending much $, and trying to hustle your regular F&B customers, who will nearly all be made up of recreational players. I would be real careful about trying to mix your personal passion for pool with your current business as a restaurant / bar.

I would recommend 2 or 3 diamond smart 7-foot tables, pay by the game, mainly for the enjoyment of your recreational players who are there to spend $ while they are waiting to eat or after they eat.

I really think two tables would be enough, particularly if that third table takes up room that could be utilized for up to three or four additional dining tables. Those additional dining tables will bring in a lot more $ than that one extra pool table will. Only having 2-3 tables will limit with you in attracting higher level players or larger tournaments, which in my opinion you don’t really want anyway. Just my opinion.
 
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Would be nice to know where you are located for a visit :)

If you have good tables and the area has players, even with 3 tables you can get a tournament with streaming going. There are places that run a 32-40 man tournaments with 4 tables and also a place with 2 tables runs stuff. Horrible long wait times though, so I would suggest having a 16 player limit if possible. I doubt you would need high end lights in a place that has good lighting already, you can probably just go by the look of the lights to match the decor.
 
ChrisinNC said:
It sounds like your main business is your barbecue restaurant and bar. Is it a sports bar as well? You don’t want serious players hanging out there for long periods of time monopolizing the tables, not spending much $, and trying to hustle your regular F&B customers, who will nearly all be made up of recreational players. I would be real careful about trying to mix your personal passion for pool with your current business as a restaurant / bar.

I would recommend 2 or 3 diamond smart 7-foot tables, pay by the game, mainly for the enjoyment of your recreational players who are there to spend $ while they are waiting to eat or after they eat.

I really think two tables would be enough, particularly if that third table takes up room that could be utilized for up to three or four additional dining tables. Those additional dining tables will bring in a lot more $ than that one extra pool table will. Only having 2-3 tables will limit with you in attracting higher level players or larger tournaments, which in my opinion you don’t really want anyway. Just my opinion.
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I know it wasn’t the question, but as a former restaurant guy too, it makes sense. You might even be able to fit 4 7-foot smart tables in the space of those three big tables. That’s enough to attract a smallish league one or two nights a week and supports smaller tournament play too. Like casual players, league players also spend a lot more on food and beverage than relatively serious players tend to.
 
David in FL said:
I know it wasn’t the question, but as a former restaurant guy too, it makes sense. You might even be able to fit 4 7-foot smart tables in the space of those three big tables. That’s enough to attract a smallish league one or two nights a week and supports smaller tournament play too. Like casual players, league players also spend a lot more on food and beverage than relatively serious players tend to.
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The tables we are putting in are 7 foot pro-am tables. If we wanted to take out the dart area I can get another one or two but we are hoping to do 2 nights of a 6 team house league and 2 nights of darts league as there is a serious lack of places in the area who take dart and pool players seriously.

I'm definitely not trying to get over my head with it so I figure small house league and some small tourney action (16 limit) is within reason.
 
glfgd82 said:
The tables we are putting in are 7 foot pro-am tables. If we wanted to take out the dart area I can get another one or two but we are hoping to do 2 nights of a 6 team house league and 2 nights of darts league as there is a serious lack of places in the area who take dart and pool players seriously.

I'm definitely not trying to get over my head with it so I figure small house league and some small tourney action (16 limit) is within reason.
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Dart players have been known to drink… 😁
 
glfgd82 said:
The tables we are putting in are 7 foot pro-am tables. If we wanted to take out the dart area I can get another one or two but we are hoping to do 2 nights of a 6 team house league and 2 nights of darts league as there is a serious lack of places in the area who take dart and pool players seriously.

I'm definitely not trying to get over my head with it so I figure small house league and some small tourney action (16 limit) is within reason.
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As long as you’re accepting that your bar / pool / darts business is going to bring in a significant % of the overall sales from those customers as opposed to your restaurant clientele that might be made up of a majority of customers that have no interest in the bar/ pool / darts portion of the business.

Without knowing more about your barbecue restaurant, % of your clientele that drink alcohol, etc, there’s just not enough info here to go on. I would highly consider leasing the Smart tables from Diamond to start with, before investing in purchasing the tables, which you can always do in the future if it works out.
 
glfgd82 said:
We are lucky enough as a business to be able to buy a bigger bar/restaurant to move our bbq joint into. We have a sit down restaurant area and then the more "bar-ish" area where we are planning on installing 3 new diamond pro-am tables.

My questions are the following:

Lighting- what would you prefer to see used for lighting, I've looked at the Littman lights as well as the predator tourney style, also the option of just led flat panel over top. I know opinions are personal, just looking for options.
Click to expand...

If you are looking at the Predator lights, check out the cost of these lights:

Tournament square LED Light is finally installed

Finally received this LED light this week, and installed it last night. This LED light turns out really amazing. No more shadows at side or corners. And the brightness on the table is pretty even. Used some LUX apps on iPhone, almost all positions are same with average 320(lux pro), 1600(light...
forums.azbilliards.com
 
I think its a GREAT idea!! Not only can I help sell you the tables, I will PERSONALLY install them for you too :) Hope you will reach out :) Have a good one

TFT
 

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