Billiards
big tournaments and pretty good memories here.”
Maidhof, who was born in Fort Lauderdale and is known in the pool world as “‘Florida Bob,” was a professional pool player himself. He spent his younger years visiting pool halls around the country, hustling to make it as a professional. Some of the places he visited he sarcastically
called “winners.”
“I said if I ever open a poolroom, I want it to be where everyone can come and enjoy, and I think I did it,” he said, “We’ve established this place. We’ve developed a nice clientele. We have pool leagues and a weekly tournament as well as some championship tournaments we do once or twice a year. I tried to put together a place that was family friendly as well as competitive.”
He met his wife Susan when she came to Florida
on a spring trip and they lived there 14 years before landing in Broomall.
Maidhof said his club won’t be part of the Drexeline as the costs would be prohibitive. He does hope to open elsewhere.
“We have a plan. I’m trying to stay very local for my regulars. I don’t want the flame to go out yet. It’s been a long time and a lot of history here,” he said. “I have some other spots within a couple mile radius in mind right now. It’s just a matter of doing the math.”
Maidhof said pandemic closures cost him 5 ½ months of income but he has absorbed those costs himself.
Maidhof said pool is a great activity for all ages and the atmosphere at the club is very friendly.
“Anyone can play - young to super old. We had one guy come in, he was 100 years old and we have fathers bring their little kids in to play,” he said. “And it’s the camaraderie. They just enjoy it. There are also some serious players who like to compete. They love to come in and mix it up.
They play for a lot of bragging rights.”
On Wednesday afternoon, there were 20-25 people playing some of the 20 tables.
“I come here every day. I’m going to miss it,” said Chuck Masciantonio of Springfield. “It’s a shame. We’re all friends in here. It’s a nice place for the guys to go.”
“I’ve been here since it opened. This pool hall kept us out of trouble,” said Russell Parsons as he played with Ken Harmon of Narberth, also a longtime regular.
“I started coming here when I first started playing pool. The best players in the world have been in here,” said Mark Semerjian, who grew up in Upper Darby but now lives in Garnet Valley.
Maidhof believes he has another month before he’ll have to move his tables come, each of which weigh about 2,000 pounds, and all the memorabilia of tournaments gone by.
“I’ll miss this room and all the great stuff that happened here,” he said.