Pros and Cons of Pool Hall Ownership

 

If you are a die-hard pool player, you probably, at some point in your life thought about opening your own pool hall.  It sounds like a glamorous career doesn’t it? You get to see your buddies all the time, you can play pool whenever you want and you can hopefully make some good money doing it. We have compiled a pros and cons list for you, so you can decide for yourself whether this business endeavor is right for you.

 

PROS

 

1. Independence- You are your own boss.  You get to come and go as you please and if you take a longer lunch one day, it won’t affect your paycheck.

 

2. You get to play pool anytime you want.  Whether you are conducting lessons, playing with friends or just brushing up on some techniques, you can pick up your cue anytime.

 

3. If you run a successful business, you can be profitable and make more money than you were working for someone else. We have compiled a few examples below to help you be more profitable, should you open your own pool hall.

 

-Learn from others that have owned their own pool halls/businesses and make smart decisions. Find a successful pool hall owner to mentor you.  

 

-You can make extra money if you have leagues, tours and tournaments in your pool hall each week, have a house pro/instructor and allow set times for youth to play.  

 

-Reach out to the equipment companies and see if they would sponsor your pool hall and include them in any events you run.  

 

-Having a spot for retail sales and repairs in your pool hall is something else to think about including.  

 

-A big part of this business and making money includes food and liquor, so get your licenses set for these!  

CONS

 

1. There is a lot of time, energy and money that goes into owning your own business.  Like they always say, you have to spend money to make money.  Some things to think about include;

 

-Where are you going to get the money to start? What are your daily costs to run the place? Financials are important. You will need a good amount of money to start this  business. 

 

-Location...Location...Location

 

-Purchasing, updating, maintaining and replacing equipment, food, liquor etc. (you need to have good equipment, so players want to play at your pool hall).

     

-Having to manage employees (hiring, firing, managing)

 

-Marketing to bring new customers in

 

-Licenses & Zoning (food, liquor, billiards etc.)

 

-Your website (updating it and advertising events, menus, promotions etc.)

 

2. Summertime and slow times during the year. Summer is usually the time that everyone is outside and not in some dark pool hall.  Keep this in mind regarding your cash flow as you will have to find ways to supplement your income during your slow months.

 

3. Hiring, Firing and Managing. If you get lucky and find a great manager and staff that wants to work hard, appreciates their job and loves working with customers, then you are lucky! This can be a hard part of your business, but one that comes with owning a pool hall or any business for that matter. This side of the business can be stressful at times, but can also be rewarding if you put the time into training your staff.

Bottom line, do your homework on owning your own pool hall because this business is not for everyone. While there can be lots of profit in it, you need to make sure you are ready for some of the downsides too.  Like any small business, put your customers and staff first and make sure you are delivering quality across the board.  Learn about your competitors close by, so you can make sure to offer what they don’t. We recommend finding a pool hall mentor, so you can get more insight and help with your business. Hey, you might even think about working in a pool hall first to see if it is something you will really enjoy and are cut out for. You need to think of every aspect of the business before you quit your day job.

 

Are you a pool hall owner? Let us know what other pros and cons there are to your business @thedelta13!