proposed murray hill pool hall...

[ashmead]

anyone have any thoughts on the proposed pool hall on edgewood ave where the former wood's pharmacy was located? it seems to have caused quite a stir with the mhps and was wondering if anyone else felt the same...although i would much prefer to see another great resturant in the area, it looks as if the new owner paid a premium price for a burned out building so i couldn't imagine that it would be a typical "pool hall"...but then again, it is what it is, a pool hall....

http://www.duvalclerk.com/OnCoreWeb/...i=0&ref=search

[danno]

Well there are pool halls and then there are Pool Halls. Though I am not a pool player I have been to a couple of really nice places that are more than just regular pool halls they are a entertainment/bar/resturant type place.

One was in the Five Points District of Birmingham AL. The other was in San Jose CA.

I guess it is dependent on what their target market is and what they are willing to invest.

[RiversideGator]

I didnt realize Woods Pharmacy had closed. As for the pool halls, there are nice, legitimate pool halls, as Danno indicated, and there are dives. So, I think this is not necessarily a bad thing. I will reserve judgment on this until I get more information.

[ashmead]

woods was the victim of an arson fire about 8 months ago and has sinced moved to the bank of america building down the street..it was very sad..i miss the old post office which was located inside, too, especially since the usps has removed every mail box from murray hill to avondale..

[danno]

I liked going into Woods. It reminded mw of the pharmacies where I lived in the UK. You could walk in, give the pharmicist your symptoms and he would mix something up for you on the spot.

[rush2112]

Woods pharmacy also had a great barber shop in it.

[pearlstone]

Every citizen in this country has the right to open a business, no matter what kind it may be.
GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Personally, I love to shoot pool, but the atmosphere of the establishment determines where I continue to take my business to.

If they open with the attitude of being so-so then that is what they'll get and in time they will find their books going negative and will be destined for closure. However, if they open with the attitude of catering to well behaved citizens looking to ENJOY themselves, and adhere to that standard, then they'll stay around for a long time, and that's a good thing.

EDIT: Let them open and let's just see what choices they make for their investment.

[2Shea]

Also coming to Murray Hill is Thai! I am very excited. I talked to the owner last week and they should be open by the end of the month. Same owners as Taste of Thai on University. Yum!

[RiversideGator]

Yes! We need some good Thai food in the area. There was a rumor that an upscale Thai restaurant would open in the old 5 Points Theater bldg, but I guess this fell through. Glad to see this coming in.

[Murray Hill Jag]

A mid to up scale pool hall would be perfect, attracting more people to the Murray Hill strip for more than just food. What has the MHPA up in arms about it?

[Jimmy]

A friend of mine lives just on the Avondale side of 17 from the proposed location. When I told her about it, she wasn't too pleased. There is a pool hall close-by on Blanding that attracts unsavory elements. I'm sure she's worried about that in close proximity to her home.

[TheITSteve]

People think pool halls and they think dives (they just do).

This project is not going to be popular, until after he opens and he shows that his place is not a dive.

With that said, he as an entreprenuer has the roght to do it, so long as the property is zoned for it

[danno]

Back in the 40's and 50's bowling alleys were seen in the same light.

[ashmead]

i spoke to the owner of the new building and his proposal for a Billiard Room. he is a very nice gentlemen who explained that it will NOT be a quater pool table/ dive but will have a more upscale quality to it and featuring mohagony pool tables, on-site security, where you rent the tables by the hour. he has a lot of good ideas and i think it is a shame that a small number of people were able to have his zoning hearing delayed because they heard "pool hall" and "bear & wine license" and immediately drew the same conclusion without even hearing what the man had to say.. as for it not maintaining the level of "family oriented" aspirations of the mhps, one of the things that he mentioned that he would like to start is a family league night..i find this so ironic..

[thelakelander]

Any chance of him bringing this concept downtown?

[TheITSteve]

^You beat me to it. This would be perfect Downtown

[ashmead]

Pool Hall Update
The City of Jacksonville Planning Commission has given approval to the owners of 1186 Edgewood Avenue to open a pool hall with gaming machines. The Commission ruled against the recommendations of the Planning Department and the Murray Hill Preservation Association and numerous residents that spoke out against the Pool Hall at the hearing.

[Jimmy]

Gaming machines? I may be behind the times -- what passes as a gaming machine?

[AJCORDON]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Gaming machines? I may be behind the times -- what passes as a gaming machine?

Electronic poker, Blackjack, etc.

[RiversideGator]

It sounds like this is a damn casino. Not exactly the upscale pool hall concept that its supporters claimed (i.e. lied about). I assume they will not actually be winning real money, but gambling devices are a little different than nice pool tables. Thanks for approving this, City Council.