“I’m afraid that after COVID, it’s going to fade away even worse.” “This is an industry that’s kind of fading away,” says Thomas. Hall of Fame Billiards in Bay Ridge closed before the pandemic.
Only two dozen or so or left in New York. Pool halls have already been under stress in the city, in part because of high rents. In response, the state says with hot spots popping up across the country, they are continuing to monitor how and when higher-risk activities like billiards can safely reopen. That creates a lot of distance”, says Thomas. “A pool table is 9’ x 4’, and they’re spaced five feet apart. Thomas at Status Q points out the restrictions on pool halls are especially baffling because pool is a distance sport. Playing pool is a very calm sport,” says Buckley. There’s no strenuous activity of any kind.
In a pool hall, walking around the table is your only exercise. I knew Jean's parents, Al and Peggy Balukas, and met all of Jean's brothers and sisters. “In a gym, there’s a lot more exercising, a lot more heavy breathing. I probably played at Hall of Fame Billiards over thirty times and had many pool matches against both Jean Balukas and her then roommate Gerda Hofstatter in the 2000-05 years. He says there’s also no guidance for when pool halls can reopen. I’m lucky if I’m still paying all my expenses and the salaries of the people.”īuckley says he’s frustrated the state gave the green light to indoor businesses like bowling alleys but not pool halls. It employs 6-10 people and has 1M-5M of revenue. “When I come back at 50%, I’m not making money. Wisconsin Billiards Hall of Fame is a company that operates in the Hospitality industry. He figures it will take years to cover the cost once he’s allowed to reopen. Paying the rent is a real challenge right now,” says Thomas.Īt Gotham City Billiard in Gravesend, owner Kevin Buckley invested $8,000 on a new air filtration system and other safety measures. We can pay the electric, we can pay insurance. “With our little outdoor dining setup, we could pay a bill or two. Thomas says his only lifeline came with outdoor dining was permitted and he started serving drinks and bar food outside. The problem is pool halls have been excluded from the states re-opening plans. The 3,000 square-foot hall can accommodate 58 people, but without customers, owner Brian Thomas says he hasn’t been able to pay the rent. We don’t know if we’re going to get to the end of September.“ And a lot of us are not going to make it, us in particular. “The billiard industry is very small in New York City. “We need to open,” says Status Q owner Brian Thomas. It’s been a Bay Ridge fixture for three decades, but like other businesses, it’s closed because of the coronavirus. It’s been months since anyone shot pool at Status Q Billiards.
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