Will this shutdown finish off most pool halls in the US?

jimmyco

NRA4Life
Silver Member
My parents never forgot the conditions they lived through in the Great depression.

Same with my parents. They rarely spoke of it and only with others their own age when they did.

IMO, this cannot begin to compare.

The Great Depression was a perfect storm of sorts.
Post-war Europe.
Black Tuesday.
The Dust Bowl.
Shortsighted Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act .

These events all played huge roles. Hopefully, we are wiser now and can prevent history from repeating.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Same with my parents. They rarely spoke of it and only with others their own age when they did.

IMO, this cannot begin to compare.

The Great Depression was a perfect storm of sorts.
Post-war Europe.
Black Tuesday.
The Dust Bowl.
Shortsighted Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act .

These events all played huge roles. Hopefully, we are wiser now and can prevent history from repeating.

Agreed, those of us who weren't there, even those like me who've read volumes about it, can hardly imagine the Depression.

I recall some twenty years ago watching "The Three Stooges" with my uncle, who even then was in his 70's. I always enjoyed their comedy and the way they regularly found themselves employed in jobs for which they had no skills.

My uncle offered an insight that I'll never forget. He'd grown up in the depression and noted how when unemployment skyrocketed, people were so desperate for work that many people tried, and sometimes succeeded, at getting jobs for which they were absolutely unsuitable.

He related that he had seen "The Three Stooges" (cinema shorts back then) in the 1930's and explained to me that when they took on all these jobs at which they were incompetent, it was just a satire on something that was actually going on during the Depression.

To me, it was pure comedy. To him, it was satire. Guess you had to be there to truly understand the Depression.
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think sadly that many rooms will not reopen again- so there will be probably less rooms now than any period in the last 100 years. Honestly believe that pool will be close to extinct in the U.S. within 20 years. i may lose the value of my entire collection too- but I'm not selling- I love them!
 

jimmyg

Mook! What's a Mook?
Silver Member

Cheesecake Factory Refuses To Pay Rent, Cites "Tremendous Financial Blow"

cheesecakefactory_0.jpg


Not an April Fool's joke...

Mar 26, 2020 11:30 AM
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Agreed, those of us who weren't there, even those like me who've read volumes about it, can hardly imagine the Depression.

I recall some twenty years ago watching "The Three Stooges" with my uncle, who even then was in his 70's. I always enjoyed their comedy and the way they regularly found themselves employed in jobs for which they had no skills.

My uncle offered an insight that I'll never forget. He'd grown up in the depression and noted how when unemployment skyrocketed, people were so desperate for work that many people tried, and sometimes succeeded, at getting jobs for which they were absolutely unsuitable.

He related that he had seen "The Three Stooges" (cinema shorts back then) in the 1930's and explained to me that when they took on all these jobs at which they were incompetent, it was just a satire on something that was actually going on during the Depression.

To me, it was pure comedy. To him, it was satire. Guess you had to be there to truly understand the Depression.

I had this conversation with my 98 year old aunt (a New Yorker) last week. I asked her if she had seen anything like this in her lifetime before. She immediately answered YES! I was stunned. She then launched into a ten minute soliloquy of what the Great Depression was like. It began with the stock market crash of 1929 and continued unabated for the next ten years! In 1939 we began manufacturing armaments for WWII and that breathed some life into our industry, and the jobs to go with it. In essence the war saved our country.

She said that everybody was out of work and families would line up at the bread lines each day to get their ration of soup and bread. There was no unemployment or bail out for anyone. Most businesses were shuttered. People slept in the street or alleys at night and bundled up together when it was cold, maybe one blanket to cover them all. My grandfather had been a wealthy man, the owner of the largest diamond cutting factory in New York. He was smart and saved his money. He had to close up shop, but he owned the building. He let his employees who had no place to stay sleep at the factory, where they had heat and restrooms. He had food brought in every day for them. They no longer got paid, but they survived!

She told me that when their neighbors were getting their homes foreclosed they came to my grandpa, Jay Dinhofer. He would lend them the money to pay the mortgage, usually small amounts like $30 or $40. Grandpa Jay had provided diamonds to the Bulova watch company and in the depression he bought in and became one of the owners. I'm proud to carry his name.

P.S. That building on 23rd St. (over 150,000 square feet on six floors) is still in our family and I own exactly 1% of it. :smile:
 
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TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member

Cheesecake Factory Refuses To Pay Rent, Cites "Tremendous Financial Blow"

cheesecakefactory_0.jpg


Not an April Fool's joke...

Mar 26, 2020 11:30 AM


Many of the restaurants will not be paying rent or will negotiate a lower rent until this is over. It's a sad fact but the business can't go on "unemployment" and many likely won't qualify for a bailout. The owners of buildings and banks should consider some relief during this time. It's in the long term interest of everyone. This will really hit the REIT's (Real Estate investment Trusts) which have declined significantly on the market. Their income produces dividends, so the dividends will likely be cut until this subsides.

Restaurants are sensitive to rents, which are usually pretty high, but employees are expensive too. I went to home offices about seven years ago. When we did rent, our rent for a 2500 square foot office in a nice building in Burbank, CA with a view was less than the total cost of hiring one qualified employee. By the time you add up salary, payroll tax, medical/dental and 401K contributions, hiring people is costly.

Jay, my aunts and uncles got shoes once a year during the depression, from a charitable organization.
 
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Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... She said that everybody was out of work and families would line up at the bread lines each day to get their ration of soup and bread. ...
Not everyone was exactly out of work. My father worked in the family business (ice cream shop/diner) and took home $10/week to support a wife and child. My mother made better money as a beautician. It was a time when a nice hair style was really important and tipping was standard.

Those who think pool players have it hard today should read McGoorty to see how he got through the 1930s. The joke headline was, "Pool Hall Burns Down, Hundreds Homeless".

As for the OP, I think pool halls are not necessarily better/worse off than any other business. Most landlords will see that they have to be flexible. I hope.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Not everyone was exactly out of work. My father worked in the family business (ice cream shop/diner) and took home $10/week to support a wife and child. My mother made better money as a beautician. It was a time when a nice hair style was really important and tipping was standard.

Those who think pool players have it hard today should read McGoorty to see how he got through the 1930s. The joke headline was, "Pool Hall Burns Down, Hundreds Homeless".

As for the OP, I think pool halls are not necessarily better/worse off than any other business. Most landlords will see that they have to be flexible. I hope.

As usual, you're right. Businesses could stay open if they could get any paying customers. The problem was no one had any money. And what little they did have went to pay for the barest of essentials. I guess for a woman, that would include getting her hair done once a month.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As usual, you're right. Businesses could stay open if they could get any paying customers. The problem was no one had any money. And what little they did have went to pay for the barest of essentials. I guess for a woman, that would include getting her hair done once a month.

Back then Taxis in NYC were not allowed in the Theater District unless they had a passenger going there. Otherwise all the taxis in NY would be jammed in there because that was the near only place where people had money. My father would stand outside the district and Taxis would pay him a dime to be their passenger to go into the district. He'd then run back to the border and repeat. He rented a room with 2 other guys and they slept in shifts.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
As long as we get a vaccine it won't. As advanced as we are today. I look for
a vaccine in months and existing good drugs to help with recovery sooner. However any
public businesses are going to lack investment in the foreseeable future for at least
awhile. Business is going to change with this memorable event.



I've gotta believe it will.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
As long as we get a vaccine it won't. As advanced as we are today. I look for
a vaccine in months and existing good drugs to help with recovery sooner. However any
public businesses are going to lack investment in the foreseeable future for at least
awhile. Business is going to change with this memorable event.

I agree. With all the brilliant minds working on this problem, there should be a vaccine available by next year. Not going to be much help this year though.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
It's going to take a combination of loan forgiveness and stimulus to get us
clear of this. Since we've bailed the banks out multiple times its time for lenders to
come to our aid and then we need to bring some jobs back from overseas.



I agree. With all the brilliant minds working on this problem, there should be a vaccine available by next year. Not going to be much help this year though.
 

Dan_B

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
maybe..., with all talk about the old, vintage things of old, it was a time when things did
not work out it was a loss, at best .10 on the dollar on ones' exit.
Then, if there was any real value, it would be exploited for a profit, nothing has changed.

...meanwhile, put some clocks to work in last nights gig, he, he :D, that was fun...
 
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duckie

GregH
Silver Member
Those pool halls will close who did not create a "rainy day fund" for emergencies. Those who do not have fiscally responsible management will be in trouble. Only a few will close.

How do you plan for a lockdown that is “until further notice”.
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A local pool room here in the Denver metro area has started a go fund me page.
So far no donations.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
A local pool room here in the Denver metro area has started a go fund me page.
So far no donations.

Yeah. I had a poll a couple weeks ago. Asked if people were willing to throw
in $10 bucks a year into a pro tour. Not many takers. How do you glorify a sport that has no support?
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah. I had a poll a couple weeks ago. Asked if people were willing to throw
in $10 bucks a year into a pro tour. Not many takers. How do you glorify a sport that has no support?

But if people kicked in $10 a year it would have support.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
But if people kicked in $10 a year it would have support

Like I said not many takers. Here is the link to the poll. https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=508825

93 total voters a smidge over half said they would. At $10 that's what $500?

Not sure how many clicked on the thread and how many didn't even care to post an opinion but out 67 thousand members here that's not much support.

However in reality if someone were to do something like this on their own, set it up right
you might get a event a year funded from it. If it caught wind and got pro support where
they did something to make it work it may work and be the beginning of something
good but if anyone is to get paid anything from it. Count on problems even if you
publish your checking account online with every debit and credit. That's my opinion.
Guys that wouldn't throw in a $10 for the game they love aren't going to love anything anyone does any better.
 

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
But if people kicked in $10 a year it would have support

Like I said not many takers. Here is the link to the poll. https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=508825

93 total voters a smidge over half said they would. At $10 that's what $500?

Not sure how many clicked on the thread and how many didn't even care to post an opinion but out 67 thousand members here that's not much support.

However in reality if someone were to do something like this on their own, set it up right
you might get a event a year funded from it. If it caught wind and got pro support where
they did something to make it work it may work and be the beginning of something
good but if anyone is to get paid anything from it. Count on problems even if you
publish your checking account online with every debit and credit. That's my opinion.
Guys that wouldn't throw in a $10 for the game they love aren't going to love anything anyone does any better.



If you define active posters as those that post once a week or more I doubt you have seven thousand posters, much less the 67000 members. Go look at the members page and sort by number of posts. How many pages of members with zero posts? Less than ten?

Simply look at your poll, it shows a little more than half would pay ten dollars a year. Problem is, even that isn't true. When the time comes to reach in their pocket every year maybe one-fourth of those saying they will actually contribute. Sometimes as little as one in ten. Maybe one in eight or ten contribute for a few years. When they see their money is accomplishing nothing even they quit paying.
 
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