What would you tell you local Pool Room/Pool Bar Owner to do

For my .02
I think it is all about SERVICE. The guy at the top has to get out when his customers are there and see what they want and need.
It could be lighting. one place we were at so so dark we couldn't keep score.
It could the loud music or style of music.
Good Food in a timely mannor.
Clean Restrooms!!
Service, Service, Service
 
I think monthly memberships are a good idea. The room may lose some money on some and gain some on others. But over all, its a good idea if the room is having a hard time getting business.
 
Article

Fart sniffer said:
Maybe I am ignorant, but I can't see a big difference between a bought drink and a free drink when it comes to liability. The bartender still uses his/her discretion on serving and the person uses their discretion when imbibing, how does the cost of the drink come into play?

Not trying to start an argument, just trying to learn. Oh and do you have a link to the news article, I would be interested in reading about it. Thank you.

Edit: Damn typo, thanks Jude for quoting since that's the only way I caught it
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Here is the article. The bar is being charged in a civil suit by the family.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime_courts/story/460466.html
 
catscradle said:
Recover the tables, they're an embarrassment

Clean the tables daily.

Lower the price/hour.

Put a partition around the toilet in the men's room separating it from the urinals. :mad: What a cheap bastard.

Turn down the damn music.

Lower drink prices. He charges like he is a high-end night club.

Teach the wait staff "pool etiquette".

RECOVER THE TABLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sounds like a real dump, what is the name of this place no other place to play??
 
Just posted in the other thread about "supporting Local pool hall" about this issue.

My local (25 tables) charges WAY too much for an hourly. 8.75 wkdys for single practive and 11.00 nights and all weekend for same.

I have told him: "Lower your rate and you will get about 30% increase in hourlies, plus more bar".

He looked at me like I was nuts. I drive an extra 15 miles for a better table and a 4.75 day rate now.
 
tsw_521 said:
I play in a room advertised as a serious "player's room," and I can't tell you how many times I've had a waitress come over to me while I'm down on a shot. I know they're just trying to do their job, but sometimes it gets ridiculous.
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A friend of mine was studying a shot so he backed away from the table maybe two feet and stood there surveying the shot. A waitress came zooming by and stepped right in between the cue ball and him, passing right through his line of sight and interrupting his concentration.

I watched the whole thing and just shook my head, he burned a hole through her back while she blindly went on to do her duties. It may or may not have helped if she knew any pool etiquette, methinks she was just in a rush and that was the easiest path for her to take.

Funny for me but not for him.
 
Get rid of the couple of guys, who can never get knocked out of a tournament early with grace.

Its always got to be a big drama, if not a fight.

Ju8stin Nuder
 
It's not required

sde said:
I am not certain of how the LCC regulation is written, but it is the standard here, in league play for the bar to buy a round of drinks for each team. Although there is one bar that refuses to give the "bar round", stating that it is against the LCC regs.

Steve
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But the 2 bars my team plays out of, always buys us a round. Not actually the bar, because it get rung up, and the owner actually pays for it. So, that may make a difference too. Not much different than me buying my team a round. Occasionally, when we're visting team at another bar, the owner will buy us 1 round.
 
cleary said:
I think monthly memberships are a good idea. The room may lose some money on some and gain some on others. But over all, its a good idea if the room is having a hard time getting business.
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See, the fundamental problem I have with a monthly membership is the idea that players are locked in for an unspecified amount of time. If I were a room owner, I would maybe do a summer special. Perhaps give players membership time during specified hours for June, July & August and that's it. If it goes well, I'd consider doing it again the following summer.
 
My list of PET PEEVES is small.

Start Tournaments on Time, or with in 15 minutes of announced start time.

Do not let LATE ARRIVES in Tournaments After the Draw.

Keep the Rest rooms stocked with Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, and Hand Soap
 
Exactly

Balabushka said:
Just posted in the other thread about "supporting Local pool hall" about this issue.

My local (25 tables) charges WAY too much for an hourly. 8.75 wkdys for single practive and 11.00 nights and all weekend for same.

I have told him: "Lower your rate and you will get about 30% increase in hourlies, plus more bar".

He looked at me like I was nuts. I drive an extra 15 miles for a better table and a 4.75 day rate now.
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Some business people can't see the forest for the trees. The bar is always a good money maker. And you're talking about possibly a 30% increase in traffic? Well, if you get 30% more people coming in, that tell 1 or 2 people where they hang out, that it's nice, and the owner treats us good. Or those few people even bring a couple of new people in every couple of months to play and have a couple of drinks, thats a potential new regular customer. Why do places run sales and specials? To get people in the doors. Once you get them there, you have a chance to convince them to come back.
I had a friend who did FREE pool 7 days a week. Had 20 tables. He would have to put the coin slots in during league play and charged 25 or 50 cents a game. But you could walk in his place almost every night of the week, and there would be people sitting at the bar eating and drinking beers while waiting for a table. I was told he was clearing between $250,000 and $400,000 a year. Not bad for only having 20 tables in my opinion.
 
Advertise. Since I started playing again and word has got around where I work, a bunch of people who didn't even know the place existed have started going. I'd say about 10 people have went just from me casually mentioning it. Now there are four or five of us who regularly go to play during lunch.

If they did some real advertising I would think they would get a lot more business.
 
md5key said:
Advertise. Since I started playing again and word has got around where I work, a bunch of people who didn't even know the place existed have started going. I'd say about 10 people have went just from me casually mentioning it. Now there are four or five of us who regularly go to play during lunch.

If they did some real advertising I would think they would get a lot more business.
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This is the key to running a poolroom, IMO. You have to have an effective advertising plan. The question thereafter is, how do you advertise?

The best thing I see done are mailing lists. Every Poolroom in the country should keep active mailing lists (email lists, too). Have something right by the counter for customers to fill-out. There is no better group to advertise to than the people who have offered up their contact info voluntarily. I mean, this is the most simple idea in the world and it's rarely employed.
 
stick8 said:
Man what a joke, when they give me free power for lights and water, heat &air then i might think about it .with only 12 tables my power is 500.00 month my lease is3 times that ECt, ECT ,you need to own one!!!!:confused: :confused: :confused:
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I frequent a place in my town and every Tuesday is FREE pool. It draws a crowd and while they are there... enjoying the FREE pool, they eat and buy drinks. :D :D :D
 
maldito said:
Sounds like a real dump, what is the name of this place no other place to play??
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The funny thing is it is not really a dump. As a matter fact when I start playing there about 4 years ago it was excellent, but about a year or so ago they just stopped maintaining anything. They sublet about a 1/3 of the place and put up a new wall. When they put in the new restrooms they didn't put partitions in (at least not in the men's) and have not touched the tables since before the renovation. They're really good tables too, Connolly Ultimates. The tables are holding up okay because of their original quality, but seams are popping here and there, got some funny rolls (especially around that middle seam), cloth is coming loose on some rails, the rails have lots of bad spots. Just little things that could easily be remedied, a table a month would make everyone happy. There is an excellent room not far away, but I can't get my teammates to join me in a move. If we move north the ones from the south balk, if we move south the ones form the north balk. Also the league is a non-handicapped league, I don't really want to go back to a handicapped league.
I understand the guy has to make money, but if he just do little things like the men's room partions or 1 table at a time....
 
Bluesteel said:
Here is the article. The bar is being charged in a civil suit by the family.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime_courts/story/460466.html
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Read that article 4 times to be sure, especially the ending of course since that pertained to the civil suit. It seems that he left Wild Wings, the place that closed because of the suit, and resumed drinking at the Surf Shack until he was cut off.

The Surf Shack served him AFTER he left Wild Wings so I don't see how they are liable but that's above my understanding I guess. He has also been arrested for having an open container in a vehicle so he we know it's possible he drank more AFTER he left Wild Wings.

Wild Wings closing might be because of this suit, you know how the press blows things out of proportion. So I am wondering, from the law gurus on the forum, can Wild Wings be held accountable for his accident and following death even with all of these contributing factors?

Edit: His last drink at Wild Wings was about 2 hours before the crash and he continued drinking at another place so I am really thinking they can't be held liable "fully", but maybe partially. Right, or am I thinking wrong?
 
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I don't think the owner of my pool hall cares. Bathrooms are junk and cramped. Tables are stained. House cues look like sticks found on the ground outside. Balls all mismatched, not balanced and crap. No wait staff, just bartenders. Same stuff every week. Fri, Sat bands. Wed APA. Tues free tables. Sun/Mon dead but small walk-in tourneys too late start for me to attend. Thurs dead w cheap beer.
 
yea

Bigjohn said:
I frequent a place in my town and every Tuesday is FREE pool. It draws a crowd and while they are there... enjoying the FREE pool, they eat and buy drinks. :D :D :D
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All fine and good but i do not serve drinks---i have been in bussiness 10 yr and do o.k. so i must be doing somthing right. but would take half you guys that post all these things to do, and open a room any takers?? i treat my players right as i am a players owner. if one as never been around the game . yes so have a hard time at it. as they dont understand you guys!! I DO AS I AM ONE OF THE SAME!!!!:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:
 
I think that advertising, leagues, etc. are crucial to getting regular customers in. Once they are in, treating everyone consistently and with respect goes a long way. There are often several rooms within a 20 or 30 minute drive, and usually the one with decent equipment, fair prices, and the best customer service wins out.

Free pool or pool specials during slow times is a good idea, as is running other non-pool events or specials to attract non-pool players. Taking care of your regular customers somehow is important, even if it's not free drinks or pool occasionally but just recognizing that they are your mainstay and treating them as such. Maintaining the equipment, keeping tables, cloth, and balls clean, changing the cloth at appropriate time intervals, etc. The best rooms do all of these things, rooms that I frequent typically do at least most of them or I'll find one that will if at all possible... :)
 
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