from the table , it can mean angry customers, and it can
also mean lost business.
As one of these location owners asserts , an
operator-run table can prouide a competitive edge ouer
other locations in the area . "I'm sure we're hurting a lot of
bars in town that haue their own tables," he said.
There are seueral points to consider before purchasing
one 's own pool tables . These uiews are , by no means, all
of them . But the testimony of these location owners is
something that should not be ignored . Theirs is not the
uoice of a salesman but rather the uoice of experience .
Mick Kane
The first location owner is Mick Kane who. with Thomas
Murphy . is a part owner of Dooley"s Lounge . Kane tried
operating his own pool tables for a little under three
years . then he went back to a professional operator (in
chis case. to Dick Hawkins of D&R Star of Rochester ,
Minnesota) .
Dooley 's, which is in Rochester, has eight pool tables
and features the latest in electronic games. It is
frequented by college students and a middle-class
clientele . The tables are operated on 50-cent play and
each year become part of a sizeable operator-initiated
promotion - pool leagues.
Kane 's outspoken opinion about Hawkins ' operation
and . by extension. professional operators nationwide ,
touches on a central theme . Like many location owners
who co nsider operating their own tables. he thought he
could do a better job himself and make more
money - but he found that was not the case .
PLAY METER: What was your reason for buying and
operating vour own pool tables?
KANE: Because I'd rather have one hundred percent of
something than fifty percent or whatever percentage you
do get from an operator . But , in the long run , when
you 're talking about recovering the tables , making them
look nice and playable , you're probably better off with an
operator . I found that out myself - that it's better to have
fifty percent of a whole lot of money than it is to have one
hundred percent of so-so money because your tables are
not top quality .
PLAY METER: So an operator can keep the tables in
better playing condition for you?
KANE: I know we 're taken care of. We get new tables in
here probably twice a year , and they always look
beautiful. We have new sticks instead of repaired ones .
And . whenever there's a ball or anything missing , it's
always a brand new ball that comes back . There's plenty
of chalk . So it's a lot nicer this way . The tables always
look new .
Now when I owned my tables I would let them go just a
little longer . I'd put off recovering them and keep the
tables longer . And players notice that.
PLAY METER: Did the players cQmplain much when
you owned the tables?
KANE: I heard so many complaints about the tables!
Why , I remember one time when someone put a stick in
the cloth and cut it a little bit. Well , I wasn 't going to
recover the whole thing : so I kind of glued it down . It
wasn 't right , but that's what I did . And the players really
complained!
But now if that were to happen , my operator would tear
it down and put a new cloth on the table right away .
Players will complain if things aren 't just right. They
complained about my sticks not being new; and thev
10
really weren 't as straight or as smooth as they should
have been . I would just keep putting on those plastic tips .
But , with an operator that's all changed .
I'd say right now we have the premier pool players in
this town shooting here . We've got eight beautiful tables.
I'm sure we're hurting a lot of bars in town that have their
own tables . I've heard just that from guys who I've never
seen in here before who must have come from other bars
around here .
PLAY METER: What other sorts of problems did you
experience when you owned and operated your own
pool tables?
KANE: I'm not an expert at operating a pool table . I
found the pockets hanging up right and left. What they
needed was a little adjustment, but the slate would have
to come off then , and so , I had to pay someone ten or
fifteen dollars an hour to tear it down . Now when I have a
big problem like that , the table gets pulled and brand new
ones are in there that same day .
This whole setup with an operator is definitely to our
advantage . Immediately when someone steals a pool
ball , he's got it replaced for me . And with his pool leagues
on top of all that , it's pretty hard not to say I'm better off
this way because when you look at it , I'm getting more
than a fifty -fifty shake on the tables , when you really look
at what you're getting .
PLAY METER: Have you found that with an operator
your collections are up on the tables?
KANE: Definitely . You can't even get on the tables now ,
and that's because it's hard to resist them . They're in such
nice shape . And the pool leagues he's got set up make it
even more profitable . As I said , we have eight tables and
if you don 't get on the tables by six o'clock you just don't
get on them . Before the leagues , my place would be
dead about six o'clock . But now , with the pool leagues ,
we'll be packed at six . So it's good for my whole business
because they'll be buying sandwiches and drinks and
playing the games while they're in here . The pool leagues
are like that. They just attract people . Just as there are
some people who bowl , there are a certain number of
people who shoot pool.
But all that is so much gravy . It just makes a good deal
that much better because , as I said the big thing is that the
tables are well maintained and encourage play .
PLAY METER: Did you find that when you operated
your own tables , it took you away from your main
business of runn ing the bar?
KANE: Yes . It was all the headaches with the tables , in
fact , that made me give it up . I've got to worry about my
waitresses and bartenders showing up . I've got to make
sure my bouncer is "carding" [Ed. note -checking !D's) .
My number one concern has got to be the bar and crowd
control , and with this set-up I don 't have to worry about
the pool tables at all . And to top it off , there's that nice
amount I get every week when we make the split.
I don "t know how other bar owners can justify owning
their own tables , but this is it for me . I'm talking about
somet hing that is totally trouble-free . And , as I said , I
think because of it we're hurting the other bars in town .
The nice thing about this setup is that if one of those
tables screws up , and one of the players complains , we
give him some marked quarters to try it again . And then ,
if the table still doesn't work , I get on the phone and have
someone out to see to it. I don 't even have to mess with
it. That's a big change .
PLAY METER: Apparently you experienced a whole lot
of hassles from operating a table yourself.
KANE: Yes , I did . I had to worry about all these things
before . For instance , do you know how much a cue ball
PLAY METER , September, 1900