Pool Hall / Billiards Venue
Table rental + beer = 43% profit margins, no food prep required
Bottom line
Worth studying, but do not buy without strong local proof.
Pool halls charge by the hour or half-hour for table time, typically $10–$20/table/hour, supplemented by alcohol and non-alcoholic beverage sales. The global billiard hall industry is valued at $673M (2023) with steady 2.8% annual growth. What makes pool halls financially interesting: table rental revenue is nearly pure margin once rent and labor are covered, and alcohol sales — which require no kitchen — can double the per-customer spend. A well-run venue earns 10–20% net profit on $200K–$600K in annual revenue, with stronger venues in dense markets clearing $1M+.
How It Works
Revenue streams: table time (hourly or per-game), beverage sales (alcohol and non-alcoholic), equipment rentals (cues, chalk), pool leagues (weekly recurring revenue), and tournaments. The key variable is utilization — how many of your tables are occupied per hour of operation. Weekends and evenings drive 60–70% of revenue. Pool leagues are a retention machine: they lock in recurring weekly visits from teams of 4–8 players.
BizBite verdict
Worth underwriting
Pool Hall / Billiards Venue has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.
Why it may work
- +SBA dataset shows 66 recent comparable loans
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !No category operating model yet
SBA 7(a) data
Real acquisitions in this category
Change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 713990 · All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries
Deal size distribution
Deal flow over time
Financing profile
Franchise vs independent
Franchised acquisitions finance at $854K median vs $506K for independents — a +69% franchise premium. Franchises make up 23% of deals tracked.
Recent comparable deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | NJ | $350K | $412K |
| Mar 2026 | PA | $335K | $394K |
| Feb 2026 | CO | $970K | $1.1M |
| Jan 2026 | NJ | $3.9M | $4.6M |
| Jan 2026 | MI | $4.6M | $5.4M |
| Jan 2026 | NJ | $5M | $5.9M |
| Jan 2026 | IL | $60K | $71K |
| Jan 2026 | AZ | $5M | $5.9M |
| Jan 2026 | PA | $567K | $667K |
| Jan 2026 | KY | $483K | $569K |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.
Deal Calculator
Priced off $68K SDE — can this deal service its own debt?
SDE = revenue × margin estimate for this niche; it includes owner compensation, so budget your salary out of cash flow. Excludes working-capital injection, capex reserves, and taxes. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower.
Pros
- +No kitchen required — bar service only keeps overhead lean
- +Pool leagues create sticky recurring revenue streams
- +Relatively low startup cost compared to other hospitality venues
- +Attractive acquisition multiples — many owners underprice aging venues
Cons
- -Nighttime/weekend concentration means daytime hours generate little revenue
- -Liquor license costs and compliance vary significantly by state/city
- -Table maintenance (re-felting, cushion replacement) is an ongoing cost
- -Gentrification and demographic shifts can gut a neighborhood pool hall's customer base
Best For
Community-oriented operators with hospitality or bar management experience in working-class or college-town markets
Operating Costs
Key costs: rent (typically $3K–$12K/month), staff (2–4 per shift), liquor license, billiard table maintenance (~$300–$500/table/year for re-felting), cues and chalk, and POS/booking software. COGS on beverages runs 20–30%. Table revenue is near 100% gross margin.
Where to Buy
Find pool halls and billiard bars listed for sale
Entertainment and hospitality business listings
Buyer's Toolkit
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Largest business-for-sale marketplace in the US
SBA loans and business acquisition financing — get funded fast
ROBS financing — use retirement funds to buy a business tax-free
Bookkeeping for small business owners — hands-off financials
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