How Much Does It Cost to Start a Pool Hall Business?

You need about $250,000 to start a pool hall business. This will include the cost of building or reconstructing your pool hall facility. 

Starting a pool hall is considered a big business because of the investment involved in getting the business up and running. Acquiring the hall, furnishing, and equipment needed for playing billiards, which is also commonly known as pool and other related activities will cost you money.

Factors That Influence the Cost of Opening a Pool Hall

1. The Size of the Hall Facility and Infrastructure

The bigger the size of the facility and infrastructure you settle for, the more you are expected to spend on lease or rent and putting in place the required infrastructure.

Apart from the rent or lease of the facility, you will also be required to spend money on the construction or renovation costs of the pool hall including building or remodeling spaces for additional amenities such as an entertainment hub, pro shop, restrooms, concession stand (if offering food and beverages) and any other amenities you plan to provide.

2. The Cost of Amenities and Utilities

The amount you are expected to spend on basic utilities such as electricity, water supply, drainage systems, waste disposal, lighting, furnishing, electronics, gadgets, parking areas, and access roads can add up to the overall cost.

Note that you are going to spend money on installing or upgrading this infrastructure in your pool hall and this amount will depend on the scope and requirements of your specific location.

3. The Cost for Acquiring Pool or Billiard Accessories and Supplies

To open a pool hall, you should expect to spend money to acquire the pool or billiard accessories and supplies needed to operate your pool hall, including multiple pool tables of various sizes and styles, pool cues, cue chalk, cue racks,

Bridge sticks, billiard balls, triangle rack, table brushes, ball cleaner, scoreboards, table covers, cue tip shapers, table lights, Wi-Fi access, sound system and speakers, cleaning supplies, trash receptacles, medical and first aid supplies.

4. The Pool Hall Design and Layout

There are different types and styles of designs and layouts that a pool hall can take. Some pool halls have multiple pool tables of various sizes and styles.

When you contract an architect to help you design a pool hall, they will charge based on the complexity or simplicity of the design and layout that you choose.

In essence, the more complex the design you want for your pool hall, the more money you will pay, and the simpler the design, the cheaper you will be charged.

5. The Types of Permits, Licenses, and Approvals Needed

If you are looking to build a pool hall in any city in the United States of America, you will be expected to obtain all the needed permits, licenses, and approvals from all the appropriate authorities within your jurisdiction.

Make sure you budget for a business license, zoning permit, building permit, health department permit, fire department permit, entertainment or amusement license, music license, alcohol license (if applicable),

Food service license (if applicable), signage permit, special events permit (if applicable), insurance (liability and property), employee identification number (EIN), state and local permits and noise ordinance permits (if applicable).

6. The Cost of Hiring Employees

To operate a pool hall business, you typically would need employees such as a manager to oversee operations, front desk staff to greet customers and manage payments, and maintenance staff to keep the pool tables and facilities clean and in working order, and possibly bartenders or servers if your establishment includes a bar or food service.

This is the reason why you must make sure you have a robust budget for hiring employees when drawing your budget for your pool hall.

The amount you are expected to spend in this regard will be based on the number of employees you want to hire and the additional services you want to offer.

7. Miscellaneous Expenses

Miscellaneous expenses vary and they could cover expenses such as property mortgages, construction loans, equipment financing, working capital, interest rates, insurance, taxes,

Professional consulting fees (such as lawyers, planning, design, legal compliance, and financial matters), utilities such as electricity, water, and gas, as well as training, and recruitment of employees, and unforeseen contingencies.