What Happened to Pool Rooms

cueandcushion said:
Our pool table time is approximately 8-9% of our gross income.

Diversification is key to just surviving...not to mention making a profit.
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Let me ask all the room owners here this...

What would your prefer 1) bangers that spend $50 a night and abuse everything inside and outside the room, or 2) real players with respect that spend $40 a night 3-5 nights a week and ask for free pool or at least a pro rate like $5 or $10 all you can play?

We have a few "pool halls" in the area. I put quotes up because they are all turning to the new wave of pool halls. The one that really hasn't is infested with bums, drunks, and kids. None of whom spend any real money just destroy the place and its image. There are 4 main rooms besides those and soon to be a 5th. 1 is poorly located but not bad when you are there. The main table is great, and really tough, but the others are only ok. 1 runs the main local league and is mostly 7's with only 4 poorly maintained 9's. 1 is almost all snooker and most players play golf. And the last one just sank $1.4 million into it and is charging up the ying yang to recover the cost. The new one to open will rival the one that has had the upgrade complete with golf simulators and the works.

Now here is the problem, none of the rooms will consider catering in the least to players. They want to fill the bar with whatever they can and that's it. As a room owner would you not try to make certain accomodations for dedicated players that will play for 6 hours or so, run up $40-$60 bar tabs each, then come back tomorrow if all it meant was a good deal on the pool?

PS: The new bar that is opening has slapped all of us players in the face by promising the best 9 ball in the region, then recovering the tables in Master Speed cloth in Burgundy. Burgundy!!!!


Be honest, as room owners, because I am not, yet I have managed them in the past for 6 years, am I being unreasonable?
 
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I too watch a movie like The Hustler and wish I could have walked into a poolroom like Ames if only for a day. I'm 29...and started shooting pool in college I was broke all the time, and the dorm had 3 tables in the rec room. I won the campus 8-ball tournament 3 years in a row at IUP...and I've loved the game since. One of the things that concerns me in my area is that I think a lot of pool room owners flat out run their rooms the way they like it...instead of catering to their customers. Because of that...I don't feel at all sorry if they're having trouble. I go to the pool room these days because I've established an immense number of relationships with some really good people. The pool room is our home away from home. Many times we just hang out at the counter. For most of us...there's only so much pool we can shoot in a day. I know most of us are in that pool room a solid 30 hours + a week. However...when the pool shooting's done, there's little else to do but leave. There's a Golden Tee machine and a Megatouch...but nothing else. No darts, no shuffleboard table, no Touchtunes juke box...nothing. So...we go elsewhere. *shrug*
The pool room I'm in...I would have to say as ONE serious pool shooter. That's it. Everyone else is casual. We have but one tournament a week...a 9ball tournament on Tuesdays. No league's...no special promotions. There's ladies night on Monday nights...but that isn't advertised and doesn't draw any women anyway. It is not BYOB and does not have a liquor license. So when anyone wants to throw back a few, needless to say the place empties out. The food is...ok...but incredibly f'ing boring. A man can only eat so many hot dogs, hamburgers, and toasted ham and cheese sandwiches...so we leave yet again to eat elsewhere after awhile. The crowd is pretty young, yet a classic rock station is usually playing over what is a very poor sound system. There are 3 TV's in the room that run off an aerial. The TV's are as old as the room, and receive about 3 grainy channels. The environment really isn't conducive to serious shooting. The Sunday morning special from 9AM to 2PM ($6 for 5 hours of pool) is about the best draw of the week bar none...and the one day you can guarantee that nearly every table in the room will have people locked up in some sort of game. Other than that...there's really little action to speak of. There's a kind of apathy that just...fills this room...and everyone seems comfortable with it but me. LOL I just try to bite my tongue because I've known the owners for 12 years. I don't want to get kicked out of my 2nd home. It's just a shame suggestions aren't even close to welcome, or recognized, when they can seriously help out. All I ever get is "I've owned a pool room for xxx years...how long have you owned one for?" Not overwhelmingly receptive responses for sure. And don't even get me started on poker. They have a poker tournament on Monday nights, Tuesday night after the 9-ball tournament, Thursday nights....and now Wednesdays too. They're a bigger draw than pool. I can't stand it. It's not even poker. They're $20 tournaments where people play any two cards. There's not enough at stake to make anyone play even a remotely tight game. The biggest tragedy is...when poker is being played...there's no pool playing to be had...the room empties out into the back room...so I go home. *shrug* If nothing else...there was at least a time I can remember when I first started coming to this pool room...that when I showed up...you were going to shoot pool. Not wait around for an epiphany. It's barely even a pool room these days. I'm going to cut this short because I could surely consume the rest of this thread all by my self. It's just so frustrating.
 
Reply

FOR POOL SPONGE

The Bangers and the Players are very different animals.

I cannot speak for all pool room owners, but I know that BOTH are needed to keep a room alive.

POSITIVE: Bangers will play 6 people on a table, add $60 of drinks without thinking add another $15 in candy or snacks . So at the end of the night you make the MOST of your per table dollar off bangers. Bangers will tell all their friends what a good time they had and invite them to join them. More customers=more money= room stays open. At the end of every night, my largest bills 95% of the time are people I have no idea what their name is.

NEGATIVE: Bangers will sit on your tables,do not know common courtesty a retarded drunken monkey should know, will dive on your table and scream like a meth addict that was just castrated every five minutes just for the hell of it. They need more guidance than a road trip to Vegas with Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, OJ Simpson and Michael Vick. . Pinch collars and leashes should not be out of the question for most bangers. Pardon the dog pun.

POSITIVE: Players will come in every day. They will demand better equipment and point out needed repairs that sometimes go unnoticed. They will bring excitement and chatter from novices about how well they play. They will be a "show" for younger kids that cannot play. It shows what pool is supposed to be like. They will help the kids that politely ask them for help. Basic stroke and English sort of things. Its like having a free instructor which is always good for business. They will offer suggestion freely(sometimes TOO much) on ideas that might help your overall traffic.

NEGATIVE: Players will want to practice on your best table, use a half off coupon, bring in their own food and drinks. Then complain about their bill. If they shoot a ball into the first diamond after miscueing while standing up on thier stroke, they will scream that they were sharked or the pockets are fVcked up. Lots of drama. When the building is empty at 2AM they still complain they cant just hang out and watch cable when you are closing.
 
cueandcushion said:
FOR POOL SPONGE

The Bangers and the Players are very different animals.

I cannot speak for all pool room owners, but I know that BOTH are needed to keep a room alive.

POSITIVE: Bangers will play 6 people on a table, add $60 of drinks without thinking add another $15 in candy or snacks . So at the end of the night you make the MOST of your per table dollar off bangers. Bangers will tell all their friends what a good time they had and invite them to join them. More customers=more money= room stays open. At the end of every night, my largest bills 95% of the time are people I have no idea what their name is.

NEGATIVE: Bangers will sit on your tables,do not know common courtesty a retarded drunken monkey should know, will dive on your table and scream like a meth addict that was just castrated every five minutes just for the hell of it. They need more guidance than a road trip to Vegas with Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, OJ Simpson and Michael Vick. . Pinch collars and leashes should not be out of the question for most bangers. Pardon the dog pun.

POSITIVE: Players will come in every day. They will demand better equipment and point out needed repairs that sometimes go unnoticed. They will bring excitement and chatter from novices about how well they play. They will be a "show" for younger kids that cannot play. It shows what pool is supposed to be like. They will help the kids that politely ask them for help. Basic stroke and English sort of things. Its like having a free instructor which is always good for business. They will offer suggestion freely(sometimes TOO much) on ideas that might help your overall traffic.

NEGATIVE: Players will want to practice on your best table, use a half off coupon, bring in their own food and drinks. Then complain about their bill. If they shoot a ball into the first diamond after miscueing while standing up on thier stroke, they will scream that they were sharked or the pockets are fVcked up. Lots of drama. When the building is empty at 2AM they still complain they cant just hang out and watch cable when you are closing.
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Wow You hit the Nail rite on The Head!
How true!
 
CnC

Thank you for your reply. Bang on.

Let me ask you another question:

Would you cover your tables in red cloth? What do you think will be your reaction from the players? Do you feel that the players have a right to be disappointed and voice their opinions? Would you throw the "it's my money, don't like it don't play" card?
 
I really don't know

where Pool is headed, or Pool rooms for that matter, but I do notice when I get 2-3 articles a week anymore in a Google search I do daily for Billiards that says a Bar or Pool room is closing because of the drop off of business since the state or city 'NO Smoking' law went into effect.

I do know, that historically, a Government is judged by how much individual freedom each individual has within the government.
 
PoolSponge said:
CnC

Thank you for your reply. Bang on.

Let me ask you another question:

Would you cover your tables in red cloth? What do you think will be your reaction from the players? Do you feel that the players have a right to be disappointed and voice their opinions? Would you throw the "it's my money, don't like it don't play" card?
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Thats a vague question...if you want the short answer...yes. If I did a Cardinals THEME corner of pool tables..they would get red cloth. If studies showed that red cloth tripled your income..I would get red cloth. I get "reactions" from the players on an hourly basis about almost every single aspect of the business so that's an irrelevant issue. I try to cater to as many people as possible that are spending money. I do have the attitude that if "You don't like it then leave" about many things. I have regulars who declare "If you dont take that XXXXXXX song off the jukebox I swear to God I will never step in here again!!!" The next day they are back. That literally happens EVERY SINGLE DAY. NOT an exaggeration. I get these so-called threats that they will leave and never return. I realized a long time ago this is just a tactic of someone who is uneducated and is used to threats of getting his way. It really has ZERO meaning. They are just poor communicators, these types of people. So most of the time I have learned to seperate real concerns from whiney insecure threats. Not all the time..but most the time.

NOTE...Yesterday I installed a New Diamond Pro table with Tournament Blue cloth on it. A pool player came up and told me..."What kind of fvckin' cloth is that? Blue belongs on a kiddie table! I will never play on that piece of sh1t!" He had no idea that more tournaments are being played on Tournament Blue than ever before. He had no idea that Derby City, or the One Pocket Open or every match on ESPN now has blue cloth. Had no idea. So even choosing a color that is accepted in the pool community will get you threats and complaining and cussing. I love my new Diamond table. And since I paid for it. I can honestly say that anyone that doesnt like it...can go play on another table and keep it open just for me! I would be proud to have it for my very own.

I do not know about the room owner that went to red cloth and what his motivations are...but I know he would never do something he thought was going to deliberately hurt his business. Most of the general public would not care if the cloth was red. The poplularity of Pinkies down in Texas shows us that. They have hot pink cloth on their tables and have HOW MANY locations?? They found something that was right for them. So more power to them. Now I am off to work so I will end this rant. Forgive any typos or poor puncuation because I dont have time to go over it again;) . Thanks for reading everyone.

Craig.
 
Some Comments

I have owned a Billiards Club in Raleigh, NC for over 8 years. This does not make me an expert on pool rooms and starting a business. I am in line with Cue and Cushion, and his thoughts on the Pool Hall business. I will try not to rehash his ideas expressed in this thread.

Before you do anything else spend 6 months looking at every eslablishment with more than 8 tables. When you are out of town be sure and check the local pool scene. You will get more ideas on what you want, based on what others are doing and what don't want.

Don't assume because you build it they will come. Remember that less than 5% of your customer based will be A players. Focus on the 95% of your potential clientele. Network with businesses in your market to promote meetings and team building functions in your facility. This can be very profitable and uses your facility during the day hours which can be slow. Huge margins on parties.

Regardless of the investment you are willing to make you better add 20%.

If your the best, don't worry about competition. The more the merrier. Remember now we are trying to grow the industry. If your number 1 new players will find you.

If you have to rent, be careful and don't get yourself in over your head. When all your monies go to the landlord he's the one making a nice living.

Don't skimp on your pool table selection. You want tournament caliber playing equipment. There are several reputable table manufacturers who would love to get your business. Pit them against each other. Remember cheaoest is not always the best way to go. Used tables are an alternative if they are quality.

UPSCALE IT. If you can keep the customer their instead of leaving to get a bite to eat you are ahead of the game. You don't need to be a Ruth's Chris' Steakhouse to offer a quality menu at a resonable price. Don't be afraid of a non smoking legislation. The times are changing. It is 2007 after all.

Beer and alcohol are a must. Remember you control the behavior of your clientele.

This a shocker. Don't be afraid of poker. There are millions upon millions of people who have taken up the game. They eat and drink and can be very loyal. Keep the poker players separate from the pool players. Yes a separate room which must be non-smoking. We play poker here and get crowds of up to 80 players for a game. Many have never set foot in the pool area, but even more have started playing pool, buying cues, and joining leagues. If done properly you will increase your pool revenue by bringing exposure to a very competetive group of folks. By law here in NC, poker must be free and gambling is not aloud. Remember you set the rules for player behavior.

Be able to do every job in the place but don't do it all. You should focus your efforts in bringing in customers. That by itself is the most important thing you will do. Focus Focus Focus .

Buy a book and put together a comprehensive business plan. Remember add 20% to your startup costs for the mistakes you will make. Talk with other successful pool hall owners and you may be able to cut it to 10%. We all have made the same mistakes at one time or another.

First priority before you move forward is find a trustworthy, reliable, hard working right hand man. Someone who can do any job in the house and cover daytime at your business. Not a manager but a do everything employee. This will be one of your greatest challenges.

You should have 6 months working capital available when you open the doors.

I hope this will be of some help in your decision making process and the fulfullment of your dream. Remember the pnly way to make a million is take a million chances. Good luck.

A final word; Listen to people and their ideas. people like Cue and Cushion can save you a world of grief because they have been there.
 
I'm 23 and started playing pool with my grandfather at the age of 6 on a milk crate. I married my lovely wife (also a pool player) a week and a half ago. The night before the wedding, I couldn't relax and went to go do the only thing that clears my mind. I went to the pool hall i've been going to for the last 6 years. What a disappointing sight it was. 9 tables open with no players and the main table had the cashier (or what ever the person behind the counter is called) on it.

The kid asked me to play some 8 ball, which I did for about 3.5hours. I honestly could say it was the best wedding gift anyone could give. So my hat is off to you pool room owners

and now the bad news:

MLG, think about those intials before you read on. They will break your heart.


MLG = Major league gaming

Professional online video gamers are the new big thing. The national Halo 2 tourny paid 100,000 to a four man squad. I think the circuit pays 25,000 to a 4 man squad, i'm not sure how many city stops there are on the circuit. It's only been around for a couple of years and it is starting to grow like a forest fire. It is getting sponsers from everywhere, I do believe the main sponser is Red Bull. Marketing managers have their door to the hardest demographic, 10-20 year olds. The best pros are making some serious cash to, sponser contracts around 250k not including special gaming sessions with the fans at 100 dollars an hour. These 19-23 year old kids are making more then most of the pro pool players.

Sorry guys, between poker and this new major league gaming. I feel the pool days are over. If i was 12 right now, I hate to say but I wouldn't be intrested in pool and I wouldn't get intrested in pool.

Sorry to add to the bad news
 
real pool players don't like distractions.

Orion said:
Hi, I have a 6000sq. ft. poolroom, opened 3.5yrs ago. Went gangbusters for the first year and a half, then started tapering off. Its kinda like there are two sides to it. I get serious players who are always looking for ways to improve their games, roadies and league players on one side. Then on the others there are the ones who are trying to balance the cue on their nose while downing a Yagerblaster to impress their frat buddies or whatever hottie they are with. Guess where the money comes from? Yep its not the folks who are serious about pool. They are a good group but they come in and drink water and practice, that fine and a large part of why we opened. Next comes the league players. We had 8 BCA teams when we opened. They come in and some drink some don't they demand team drinks, shirts, free practice before the matches and whatever else they think they can get. I have 10 7ft. tables and when league is on they are offended if I rent out the other two tables as it hurts their concentration. And no they don't pay table time during league play. Sad to say it but I am selling off half my tables so I can club up half of the place and leave the other side for pool. Not my rent but just my properity taxes are $600 per month I just don't have a choice.

Now I will be 60 in a couple of weeks and have been around pool one way or another most of my life, played the roadie game, worked for Richard Black making cues, make the reconstone turquoise ect. that most of the cuemakers use for inlays and own a poolroom. So here is my take on it.

Pool is not a sport its a pastime at best. Sports can't and don't live off themselves, they need sponsership (advertisers) to provide the money to pay professionals who play in whatever game it is. In pool the only ones who police themselves at all are the women at least to some extent. Take for instance "Pete Rose" got caught gambling, GONE. Sponsers are looking for sports that familes can watch and be involved in so they can plug their products. How could they do that with pool? The oddsmakers won't even touch pool as the players cut it up too much. If pool ever starts policing their ranks then the sponsers will come. But when a company like Camel dumps the pool players we are in sad shape.

I guess what I'm coming down to is that like it or not the banger who is trying to balance a cue on his nose is running up a $50 plus tab in an hour and the player is griping cause he has to pay $7 per hour for two players. If I want to keep the doors open who do I cater too?

Orion
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All I can say is that I have been playing pool since I was 9 yrs old and I am 69 now and poolroom today are a big joke. The owners just want to make money and that is a good thing. But, you cant' run a poolroom and irritate the players who want to concentrate on their shooting. Poolroom owners tend to give the jukebox remote control to the bartender who turn it up so load it hurts your ears because the person that put money in the stupid thing now has priority over anyone elses requirements. As long as the owner is making money, they don't care. Well this attitude has caught up with them because most players have left the post and given up the sport because they can't find a quite room to play in. A lot of players have bought their own table and play mostly at home. I love to play at night but can't find a quite room anywhere in or near my town to play in. It would be nice if you created a seperate partitioned area for real players that doesn't have speakers in it. No, I guess that would be too much trouble for owners. They will just go on patronizing the young irritating loud younger generation and say the heck with the serious players.
 
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Trying

My hat is of to all the room owners trying to figure out what is going on. Shooting pool well is at least as hard as playing scratch golf. The good news is that most golfers SUCK. But they LOVE GOLF. And they play golf a lot. Most pool shooters SUCK. But they will play pool a lot. I'm not being critical. It takes a mountain of dediation and talent to be a really good pool shooter. I can walk into most pool rooms and represent myself respectively. I won't get killed, most times. The same thing happens to me with golf. Lots of people taklk a big game, but when push comes to shove (and if every body follows the rules) I find I can play pretty competetivly with most folks.

Perhaps Pool is the same as golf in these respects. I think it is. I've been shooting pool to one degree or another for almost 50 years. I don't think I'm far off. Pool is fun - for some it's a gift. Keep it light. Build it and they will come.

Thanks -- Andy
 
Just wondering.

If people keep bashing the room owners for making money off kids, where would they prefer we make our money? I can charge $3.60 to play pool and cater to mostly bangers. Or I can charge $14.40/ hour to cater to players. If I am catering to players at $14.40/hour and the room down the street is charging $4.25/hour. Where do you think all the players will go? Our room made just over 1% profit last year. If I had to rely on less than 25% of our customers to pay the bill, I would have to quadruple my prices just to START. With 75% less people, then I make less on drinks too. Then I make less on food too. Then I have to keep Simonis on the tables instead of Mali on the cheap banger tables. In Missouri I have never seen a room be successful with only good players. Maybe in other places they can have no Jukebox, no kids, no TVs, but its just not right for us. We have to split our priorities between the bangers and the regulars. If pool rooms are so easy to run and make money, why aren't all you A players on here opening rooms and getting rich? Just curious?
 
Just thought I may be able to provide some insight. Ive played pool about 5 years. I had my own table for 3 of those years, and I went to college for one, and I dropped out this year. Im 20, an I take pool seriously. When I walk in a pool hall I usually shoot an hour or two by myself and if the manager/ bartender isnt busy, I ask if they like to shoot. I play in APA 8 and 9 ball, try anything and everything to get better, and all gambling aside probably spend 200 a week on pool.




Just saying, there are some of us youngins out there
 
Trying to create an atmosphere for everyone is a difficult task. You have to seperate the two completely. Divide part of the room for the serious players and keeping the jukebox low in this area is a definite must. You have to have a zoned speaker system. If you don't, then get one. Serious players don't like to be distracted. On the other side who cares. Blast their ears off. The louder it is the better they like it. Just keep the two areas seperate from each other.
 
I played in a place with bowling lanes beside the pool hall. It was so distracting specially when the started the disco bowling! And I'm not a serious player... hahaha
 
I am 29 and starting seriously playing pool when I was about 14 or 15. I put in about 20-30h hours a week. I started pretty much when pool had been declining for a little bit, at least in the area I'm from. The pool hall I started out in had lots of tables, about 30 or so Seven of them had a deck overlooking them so you had a perfect overhead view if you wanted to watch gambling matches, tournaments etc... a real players atmosphere, ya know? Not too long after the deck was taken out to make room for an arcade, dartboards, and other things to draw in more people looking to do more activities other than play pool. The whole room has changed several times and now it's basically all bangers that go in there with the exception of a handful of guys, prolly less than 5 real shooters including me. Back in the day this place was buzzing like crazy with a 20 person waiting list almost every night... and they had 30 tables, that's insane!!! Now there's rarely ever a full room and never a waiting list. It's just a real shame... The funny thing is that even back then most of the customers were all still bangers, there were more shooters but not a significant amount more. This leads me to believe there are other factors that are contributing to the decline, prolly economical.

I personally think people my age and younger, who grew up playing video games and had computers and more technology, basically find the game pointless or too hard to learn. There isn't instant gratification like there is with video games and other stuff. I think society in general has been almost trained to have a short attention span and look for that instant gratification. Pool takes time and patience to learn, and that costs time and money that a lot of people aren't willing to dedicate. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think so. Give me a cue and a set of balls and a table and I can be content forever... or a guitar ;)

My two cents... for what it's worth,
Jim
 
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Could it be that more people can afford a home billiard table today and have homes large enough to place them in? When I was a teenager in Chicago in the 60s there was never any idea of owning our own table. Our home was just to small. No one I knew had one. How many people have a home table today, quite a few I think. Now I have my own table so I won't have to leave home,play anytime I get the urge. Instant gratification. We used to play at a place called Pioneer Bowl on Pulasky and North ave. Bowling downstairs, pool,snooker,three cushion up stairs.
 
buffalofloyd said:
I am 29 and starting seriously playing pool when I was about 14 or 15. I put in about 20-30h hours a week. I started pretty much when pool had been declining for a little bit, at least in the area I'm from. The pool hall I started out in had lots of tables, about 30 or so Seven of them had a deck overlooking them so you had a perfect overhead view if you wanted to watch gambling matches, tournaments etc... a real players atmosphere, ya know? Not too long after the deck was taken out to make room for an arcade, dartboards, and other things to draw in more people looking to do more activities other than play pool. The whole room has changed several times and now it's basically all bangers that go in there with the exception of a handful of guys, prolly less than 5 real shooters including me. Back in the day this place was buzzing like crazy with a 20 person waiting list almost every night... and they had 30 tables, that's insane!!! Now there's rarely ever a full room and never a waiting list. It's just a real shame... The funny thing is that even back then most of the customers were all still bangers, there were more shooters but not a significant amount more. This leads me to believe there are other factors that are contributing to the decline, prolly economical.

I personally think people my age and younger, who grew up playing video games and had computers and more technology, basically find the game pointless or too hard to learn. There isn't instant gratification like there is with video games and other stuff. I think society in general has been almost trained to have a short attention span and look for that instant gratification. Pool takes time and patience to learn, and that costs time and money that a lot of people aren't willing to dedicate. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think so. Give me a cue and a set of balls and a table and I can be content forever... or a guitar ;)

My two cents... for what it's worth,
Jim
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Sounds like Carl's place in Depew, is that right Jim? If so, man, I remember the room the way it was. I'm in Erie, but originally a Rochester player, so I remember the good old days there. Lots of action! That area overlooking the tables was perfect!

I agree with you on kids these days. Too much instant gratification. The room I opened was for players...that was the intent. Mostly filled with kids looking to kill time, though. Closed the room a few months ago...same reasons as mentioned in this thread.

-Padron-
 
Exactly right....

illusivetrout said:
Could it be that more people can afford a home billiard table today and have homes large enough to place them in? When I was a teenager in Chicago in the 60s there was never any idea of owning our own table. Our home was just to small. No one I knew had one. How many people have a home table today, quite a few I think. Now I have my own table so I won't have to leave home,play anytime I get the urge. Instant gratification. We used to play at a place called Pioneer Bowl on Pulasky and North ave. Bowling downstairs, pool,snooker,three cushion up stairs.
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Although there are a hundred and one reasons for pools up and down popularity this definitely plays a part. We have had a billiard parlor and sold tables for 40 years. We started out just having 2 display tables for sale. Retail now accounts for 92% of our income. Homes today are larger and can accomodate pool tables. Basements went from being just a place to store junk to a "rec room, family room" type of layout. Better construction, taller ceilings and smarter layouts mean that new houses had dry basements that would not flood. The influx of cheaper pool tables that were better looking in terms of furniture styling meant that women wanted the tables too. (Sorry guys, you know you cant have a pool table without the wifes permission) This all means today that so many people know a buddy that they can hang out and play for free. Drink cheap beer. This is also playing into the decline of bar business. League play isnt near what it was 15 years ago. People are isolating themselves throughout society and bowling alleys and pool halls and other public gathering places are slowly dwindling as our population ages. IMO there are a hundred and one reasons pool rooms are dying and this social aspect of it is definitely a contributor. Great point illusivetrout.
 
nfty9er said:
My math is a lot different. And more accurate.
If I buy a bottle of beer for 1 buck and sell it for 3, my profit is 2 not one.
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Of course it's profit... Do you use your profit to buy the next bottle, or is it free? I guess the bottles of beer replenish themselves magically. The point I'm trying to make is if you have $3,000 in bottled beer inventory, you can never count that $3,000 as profit, EVER.. So if beer was 3 to 1, You have to throw up the money first to buy the beer, and it has to be replenished... What money do you use to replenish it? Your original $3,000? or your profit? You have to pay yourself back at some point. :)
 
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