What makes a great pool hall?

Mr. Bond said:
In your opinion, what makes a pool hall great, besides having outstanding equipment and tables?

tv? music? food?
or no tv? no loud music? no greasy food smell?

keep in mind, we're not talking about the ultimate "sports bar" but the ultimate pool hall.

I like good furniture. couches and love seats even.
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IMO one of the things that makes a great pool hall is an owner who is player himself -- I don't mean just a banger, but someone who really knows how to play and is and/or has been in action.

These are the guys that know what's important to the players and are likely to keep their equipment in shape. They know about action, the players that frequent their rooms, and can often facilitate players matching up by either putting one of them in action, or arbitrating what a fair handicap between two guys might be. If he has a reputation as an honest broker, two guys who would otherwise spend hours woofing at each other and still not make it to a table can go to him and ask "what's fair" and trust his opinion enough to head straight for a table. Good for the players, good for the owner, good for the room. An owner like that can hang out with guys on the rail and knowledgeably talk about matches, players, tournaments, shots, equipment, etc, etc.

The very worst thing for a room are owners who are bangers and have no clue.

Lou Figueroa
 
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I think I may have the place within 45 minutes of me, so this is easy to answer.

#1 is equipment. If the equipment is good I can play anywhere unless I truly feel unsafe or something.

#2 is pool atmosphere, they have to minimize overcrowding and kids and bangers who don't know how to be respectful of the players. I don't want to discourage kids from playing but they need to know (from the houseman or elsewhere) not to jump balls off the table constantly, walk in front of my shot, jab me in the eye with the butt of their cue because they didn't look first, etc. Damn kids, get off my lawn.

#3 is the knowledgeable houseman lou talked about. I can't believe how many guys I see permit people to sit on the rail and un-level the table or even push the rail off a little. Even more shocking is when employees don't care about people placing full mugs of beer on the rails.

#4 is the non-pool atmosphere. I used to be bugged by this stuff but I've come to realize that without music (at a reasonable volume) and tv's and the occasional distracting waitress, a place feels dead, and when it feels dead it'll eventually BE dead.
 
joelpope said:
plenty of quality players to match up with, good equipment and an owner that keeps the assholes out
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That would be a tough one. Most quality players think of every guy they had a bad bet with or argument with is an a**hole. If you bar ALL the a**holes then you have the empty room syndrome again. Rooms are built on diversity. And a**holes sometimes have to be included. If for nothing else...for entertainment.
 
From Robert Byrne's Wonderful World of Pool and Billiards, "What I Like in a Pool Hall"
1. Stuff on the walls.
2. A comfortable place to sit and talk, spread a newspaper or play chess or checkers.
3. Plenty of places for players to sit.
4. A good place to spectate.
5. Semiprivate tables.
6. No salt-lick talc dispensers!
7. Carpeting.
8. Straight house cues with decent tips.
9. Unobtrusive music.
10. A variety of games.
11. An occasional freebie.
12. Under the table baskets.
13. Employees who are neatly dressed and friendly.
14. House players.
15. Beads, for keeping score.
16. A bridge at every table.
17. Decent chalk!
18. Clean balls and brushed tables.
19. Lots of events.
20. Good cloth on the tables.
21. Informed desk people.
22. House rules.
23. Books, magazines, video tapes. {written before DVDs became the norm}

All these are the first sentence Bob wrote concerning each item. Dream room, to be sure.
 
A nice big sign by the front door that explains pool etiquette and proper respect for the equipment to non-pool players. Hell, that sign may even help some pool players!

Chris
 
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