BEST BILLIARDS HALLS IN THE WORLD
ONE: HOLLYWOOD BILLIARDS SPORTS BAR & GRILL
- By Mason King

Jeff Bey didn't simply retool Hollywood Billiards, he completely revamped his business plan.

The entertainment complex opened in 1997 at its current Los Angeles location with scads of pool tables and a Northern Italian restaurant. It was named "Issimo," inspired by the Italian suffix meaning "the best."

"We had incredible food --- five-star food," owner Bey said. "(But) it fit like a sock on a rooster."

After enduring two years of empty dining rooms, Bey rethought his strategy. He upgraded the kitchen and ramped up the entertainment quotient --- essentially pitching the 30,000-square-foot facility as a massive sports bar to widen its appeal and capture corporate party business.

The end result? The newly dubbed Hollywood Billiards Sports Bar & Grill has doubled its annual revenue. It now draws some 10,000 customers a month --- double that of its earlier incarnation. And in its October issue, Men's Health magazine named the hall the best sports bar in Los Angeles.

"I can't even tell you what is has done to our demographics," Bey said of the concept switch. "We have housewives. We have families."

In the last year, Bey has invested between $400,000 and $500,000 in a state-of-the-art audio-video system. He positioned 32 high-tech TV viewing screens across the seven-room facility, including four big-screen and eight flat-screen monitors in the two-level, 18,000-square-foot billiards room.

As a result, hundreds of onlookers pack the place for pay-per-view sports event. And college and NFL football fans flock here on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

"The place is full when it used to be empty at certain times." Bey said "That has a big impact."

Guests can mingle in several distinctive environments, including the sports bar, a garden courtyard, a VIP room, a club-style room, and a rooftop patio. Some pastas remain on the menu, but they are now joined by a full complement of American cuisine, including salads, steaks and Mexican-inspired appetizers.

Bey's gambit to snare corporate clients has also succeeded. Hollywood Billiards now hosts cast parties and special promotions for the entertainment industry. For example, the cast of TV's "Power Ranges" just finished their wrap party, Bey said.

Now the goal is to use the center's elevated status to bring billiards back into the spotlight in L.A.

"WE want to bring high-level tournaments back to the West Coast,' Bey said.

BEST RENOVATED ROOM
HONORABLE MENTION: HOLLYWOOD BILLIARDS SPORTS BAR & GRILL

Hollywood Billiards Sports Bar and Grill underwent a $500,000 rehab in the last year, but observers didn't detect any significant changes of the bricks-and-mortar variety. Nor did the color scheme shift. All the same, the improvements cemented the hall's lofty place among the top clubs in Hollywood for shooting pool or hosting a wrap party. Owner Jeff Bey invested in a state-of-the-art audio-video system. He positioned 32 high-tech TV viewing screens across the seven-room facility, including four big-screen and eight flat-screen monitors in the two-level, 18,000-square-foot billiards room. He defined the mission as such: "you should be able to stand anywhere in any of the rooms and have an unobstructed view of the screens." The challenge in redesigning the sound system was to eliminate any "hot spots" --- nooks where the volume suddenly jumps --- and to create zones where management could isolate audio functions for private events. The plan seems to have paid off. The 30,000-square-foot "poolroom" now draws twice as many customers and is considered a hot hangout for watching weekend sports and staging entertainment industry functions.