Red Bank Says Rack 'em Up

The vision is an old time pool hall, something from an era of wood grains and fedoras and pinstriped suits. What the guys of Lucky Break Billiards want to open is a classic joint, a far cry from the blacked-out, just a few storefronts away, currently the only other place you can play pool in Red Bank.

At the meeting Thursday night, James Hertler, who along with his business partner Jeff Regen developed the plan to open a new billiards parlor on Front Street, said his new place will help fill an entertainment void in the borough’s downtown.

Along with a promise to take out the trash, Hertler’s plan proved enough to convince an enthusiastic board to approve a site plan after a presentation lasting less than half an hour, which it did with a unanimous vote.

“I think there’s a big gap in what people can do here,” Hertler, a Red Bank resident, said about the entertainment choices in town. “There are plenty of restaurants, there are plenty of bars, but there’s really nothing in between. How much can you eat; can you drink? There’s no place to just have a good time and a conversation with friends.”

The approved pool hall will be located at 14 W. Front St., a storefront currently occupied by the Monmouth County Democrats. Just as soon as the votes are tallied on Nov. 8 work will begin on opening the place. Though no opening date has been set, Hertler said the only changes needed are minor cosmetic ones, making a 2011 opening a possibility.

Hertler told the board that the hall will have seven pool tables and employ a pay-by-the-hour structure. In addition to light snacks and beverages – no food will be cooked onsite, merely heated up or brought in from outside restaurants – the poll hall will also be BYOB, allowing players to bring a bottle of wine or a six pack of beer. The concept is one Herlter said he’s seen at other pool halls, one he thinks will work well in Red Bank.

Though some board members initially expressed concerns about the kind of people a pool hall allowing alcohol might attract, Hertler allayed their concerns by promising to be vigilant when it comes to monitoring what happens at the hall. He also said the style of the place will attract an older, perhaps more responsible, kind of pool player.

The hall will operate seven days a week, mostly opening in the afternoon and closing in the evening, with late-night hours on Friday and Saturday.

At the start of the billiards hearing, which didn’t get underway until nearly 9 p.m. after several other issues were resolved, the planning board seemed poised to delay vote on the issue until next meeting. The few approvals needed to get board approval, however, weren’t significant enough to put the vote off for another day.

Board Vice Chair Tom Williams requested the vote after saying he thought the pool hall would be a good fit for the area. Though pool halls aren’t as prevalent as they once were, a victim of an aging niche demographic, Hertler believes there’s plenty of room for the hall to succeed in Red Bank.

“I think we’re in a fantastic location and I think the people will be very receptive to it,” the 36-year-old Hertler said. “For a lot of people it’s going to be a good place to begin and end their night.”