Now, let's try to figure out a way to signal to owners, that there is a critical mass of customers like you to sustain this business model. Holding tournaments, weekly leagues, clinics?
The only place I've seen pool halls like the ones I, and my friends, enjoy is in bigger cities where there's a large enough population to cater to unfortunately. In my experience the more a pool hall caters to the sport only, the more the annoying customers that come in. You know them, we all do; "hey buddy I'll play ya for $20 a rack. No? Well I bet I could show your girlfriend there how to play..." Keeping those Jack Wagons away brings in new customers.
Action should be left to tournaments - when the stakes are higher on the tour or in special matches like TAR's than they are in Earl's back room it drives the game forward. Otherwise you end up with some nitwit pestering you.
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I've alluded to it a few times, but here's a sad example. At the sports bar I used to play in (converted from an old pool hall, they kept 5 9's) we were playing for a few hours. Across the room from us is a gentlemen and his lady friend. Two young hustlers come up and start off with the standard tease, he rejected, they used the girlfriend as bait, and had him strung. While one of the boys kept him busy the other kept inching closer and closer to his girlfriend. She played along, feigning interest until he became a little more insistent. Unfortunately her gentleman friend was still caught up in his "action" (I use the term loosely) and didn't see what was going on. It wasn't until the more annoying of the two hustlers dragged his chair next to the girl and she immediately stood up and walked around the table (with him following) that I went over.
Now it's true this is an example of poor management by the staff, to not see these two we bothering the customers. It's true I, as a customer, didn't really have the "right" to step in, but someone had to. Those two hustlers didn't seem to want to play me and left. I apologized to both the well-heeled patrons but, to my knowledge, they never returned even though both were showing a genuine interest in the game.
As a side note, one of the nails in the coffin of my playing there came when I was paying my bill. I was accosted by the owner who complained about me chasing the two kids out. I asked if they had paid for their time on the the couple's tables and the answer was no. I asked if they paid for their drinks, and the answer was no, the couple had out of respect. I was told the bar felt "cheated" out of their "big action". So really the owner had been watching this kid touch another patron (gentleman's lady friend) who clearly did not want the attention and thought nothing of it because he might make an extra $20?
The couple we met that night would have brought in more of their friends, and made the bar more money. How do I know? I see them every few nights at my new hall, and the place is doing well. It's not the only example I have either, it's just the most recent. They did let me know the only reason they even play anymore is that I went over and put an end to it and it wasn't a hustle.
What's my point in all this: be careful you don't cater too much to players only because you end up with more problems than it's worth. Find a balance. If I want to come in, sit down, and drink some scotch and play with a friend I don't need or want your attention or your money. Cater to hustlers and your best friends and you drive away more people than you bring in.
The 60's are over. Pool needs to grow up again, and so do a lot of the people who play it.
I for myself have very good nerves and it doesn t matter to me, but many ppl have a real problem with things like that around them while playing billiards. 
