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romaso

Lifer
Dec 29, 2010
2,005
7,737
Pacific NW
I spent years working for several gov. agencies doing security work. Retired and did private security work and consulting/training. Now I play cowboy/fly fishing guide and a little local security work on call. Getting slower as I age. Selling the ranch and moving to a lake in Alabama to be the local grumpy old man.
Are you moving in with Cosmic? That'll be quite a change!
 

alsatmem

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 7, 2019
115
164
Dealership shop foreman/technician for 35 years. Hobbyist gunsmith, IT and structured wiring (whole house audio/video) and custom networking. play around with my 72 Chevelle, legit 10 second car on pump gas and natural aspiration In the actual 1/4 mile.
 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,248
57,309
66
Sarasota Florida
Wow, thank you for sharing all of this. Sounds like a full and exciting life from here. What sort of businesses did you start?
My first business was an upscale Billiard Parlor. I had 19 full size tables made from solid oak and had cool lights over them. we were knonw for having the best house cuesthe Dufferin 1500 which we would sand and shape the tips ever week or so and no one could believe how slick they were through your fingers and the Le Pro tips we had on them could be shaped to perfection by walk up to the counter and who was ever behind it shaped the tip, roughed it up to it hold chalk really well. I only used Masters green chalk as it didn't make a mess like the blue.

We also used the best balls the Brunswick Centennials and those were cleaned by a ball machine every day and sometimes twice when we were so busy. The house table and certain other table used only Simonis 860 cloth which is what the pros played. The other tables used a good cloth that had a backing which for people who we would call ball bangers. It was still great felt.

Every day each table had the rails waxed, the table brushed and the table vacuumed 3 times a week. The 4500 sq ft of carpet was vacuumed every single day and when people came in at 11 am they expected nothing but the best. We closed at 1:00 am but sometimes stayed open a little longer if there were some good money games or some good card games. We had card games going for 18 years straight.
I opened in June 1990 and not once in 20 years did we ever close. The kids needed a place to avoid relatives after a while so Thanksgiving and Christmas we were the only place open. Here are a few pics, sorry about the quality.




I forgot to mention that I purchased the plaza that held the billiard parlor in 1994. I ended up cashing out the plaza in 2017 which was great timing for me. Also I can proudly say never once did I have to call the police. I ran a tight ship and my manager who took over in 1996 was an ex prison guard and he knew how to keep people in line.
 
Last edited:

dcicero

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 23, 2019
591
2,886
Michigan
My first business was an upscale Billiard Parlor. I had 19 full size tables made from solid oak and had cool lights over them. we were knonw for having the best house cuesthe Dufferin 1500 which we would sand and shape the tips ever week or so and no one could believe how slick they were through your fingers and the Le Pro tips we had on them could be shaped to perfection by walk up to the counter and who was ever behind it shaped the tip, roughed it up to it hold chalk really well. I only used Masters green chalk as it didn't make a mess like the blue.

We also used the best balls the Brunswick Centennials and those were cleaned by a ball machine every day and sometimes twice when we were so busy. The house table and certain other table used only Simonis 860 cloth which is what the pros played. The other tables used a good cloth that had a backing which for people who we would call ball bangers. It was still great felt.

Every day each table had the rails waxed, the table brushed and the table vacuumed 3 times a week. The 4500 sq ft of carpet was vacuumed every single day and when people came in at 11 am they expected nothing but the best. We closed at 1:00 am but sometimes stayed open a little longer if there were some good money games or some good card games. We had card games going for 18 years straight.
I opened in June 1990 and not once in 20 years did we ever close. The kids needed a place to avoid relatives after a while so Thanksgiving and Christmas we were the only place open. Here are a few pics, sorry about the quality.




I forgot to mention that I purchased the plaza that held the billiard parlor in 1994. I ended up cashing out the plaza in 2017 which was great timing for me. Also I can proudly say never once did I have to call the police. I ran a tight ship and my manager who took over in 1996 was an ex prison guard and he knew how to keep people in line.
Awesome man. Wow, that place looks beautiful! What a great story. Was it also a food and bar?