How to Start a Billiards Hall Business

Part 1 - How to start a Billiards Hall business - Background

A billiard hall (also known as a pool hall) business rents out pool tables and typically serves alcoholic beverages. Patrons usually rent tables by the hour and play with friends while drinking – and possibly eating if the business offers food. These businesses are often primarily cash businesses, which can be appealing to certain entrepreneurs. Whether cash-based or not, billiard halls can offer business owners a reliable source of income if located in the right area.

Our guide is in 3 parts:

• Part 1 - How to start a Billiards Hall business - Background
• Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
• Part 3 - Action plan to get started

What are the costs involved in opening a Billiards Hall Business?

A single pool table designed for use in a pool hall costs an average of $3,000 – $4,000. That’s one major reason why starting a pool hall requires significant capital. You need multiple tables, as well as a rental space, a bar, beverage inventory, furniture, and more to serve customers. You can expect to spend $50,000+ to open up your billiard hall business.

What are the ongoing expenses for a Billiards Hall Business?

There are multiple ongoing expenses that you need to prepare for in the billiards business. Table maintenance is a big expense. Pool tables can last 25 years in the right conditions. But in a pool hall setting, you will need to repair/replace felt regularly, and you can expect other parts – like rail rubber and pockets – to require repairs as well. Maintenance costs can be several thousand dollars a year.

Who is the target market?

The target market for billiard halls is typically men who are under the age of 35. There are of course exceptions – and you could always attempt to reach a different market using creative marketing efforts – but generally, younger men are your target market.

How does a Billiards Hall Business make money?

Billiard halls make money from pool table rental fees and alcohol sales. Billiard tables require a large upfront investment, but as long as you have steady patrons, they will generate solid income hour after hour, year after year. Alcohol sales are also an excellent source of income because you can generally mark up your beverages significantly.

How much can you charge customers?

Most billiard halls charge between $10 to $15 an hour for table rentals. The bar section of the business charges the going rate for beverages in the area – although the bar is generally focused on more affordable drinks like beers and basic cocktails instead of high-end drinks.

How much profit can a Billiards Hall Business make?

According to Entrepreneur, a billiard hall with 10 tables could generate as much as $200,000 a year. It will take time to get to that point, though. Much of your first few year’s profits will go towards paying off debt, maintenance, and other costs. Eventually, though, you can expect to earn good money from your billiard hall business.

How can you make your business more profitable?

You can make your business more profitable by attracting more customers. If you operate a clean, comfortable, professionally-managed billiard hall, you can build a good reputation in your area. You may have competitors, but you can often set yourself apart simply by paying careful attention to the quality of the experience you offer customers. If customers know that your tables are always in good condition, your cues are straight, and the customer service is reliable, they will keep coming back for more.

Day-to-Day and Growth

What happens during a typical day at a Billiards Hall Business?

Billiard halls are usually open in the late afternoon until midnight or later. Much like other bars, operating a billiard hall requires working late nights. A typical day may start in the late morning, with general cleanup, billiards table maintenance, and replenishing inventory. When you open your doors for business, you will juggle bartending and billiard rental duties. At the end of the night, you will break down the bar, cash out the till, and lock up until the next day’s business begins.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful Billiards Hall Business?

You don’t have to be an expert pool player to own a successful pool hall – but the more experience with the game you have, the easier it will be to operate your business. If you have experience with billiards, it will be easier to choose the right tables and equipment, answer customer questions, and perform maintenance as needed.

Having bar and/or hospitality experience will also be helpful. Many people assume operating a bar is easy, but it takes hard work and attention to detail to smoothly run this type of business.

What is the growth potential for a Billiards Hall Business?

The market for pool and billiard hall equipment is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 3% from 2023-2028. While seemingly not a large growth prospect, market researchers predict a large increase in people’s interest in learning, playing, and competing in cue sports activities.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a Billiards Hall Business?

The most surefire way to keep your billiard hall open long enough to start earning a profit is to start with a comprehensive financial plan. You most definitely do not want to “wing it.” Your initial investment in the tables will likely take several years to start turning a profit. Aim to have alternative sources of revenue – like your bar – to keep the business going.

Another important aspect of this business is bookkeeping. Take your accounting seriously so you know how much you are making and, more importantly, how much you are spending. Many hospitality businesses fail because they don’t take bookkeeping seriously. Don’t make the same mistake.

How and when to build a team

Operating a billiard hall is difficult – and may be impossible – to do on your own. There is too much ground to cover and too many different tasks to juggle. For instance, you can’t expect the bartender to keep track of all the tables and take care of all the bar customers on a busy Friday night. All this is to say that your initial business plan should probably include employees and the budget to pay those employees.

Plan to have at least a bartender and a person to work the door – in addition to you as a manager – to ensure the best experience for customers. Ideally, you should have enough employees to fill all required roles so that you can focus on management and have someone to manage the business when you need a day off.

Part 2 - Is a Billiards Hall business the right fit for you?

Part 3 - Action plan to launch your Billiards Hall business in 90 days