CARPOOL
CARPOOL
“For years we had lines across the parking lot and were three-deep at the bar. Biggest problem? Not enough bathrooms”
Why stop at three? Our substantial successes with Bedrock, Atomic and Buffalo, combined with our team of creative, energetic partners and craftsmen, fueled our entrepreneurial fires and we took a look at an abandoned Rambler Used Car dealership in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Ballston? Where was that? It seemed like a world away from DC, and the first time we went inside the crumbling building, rainwater was pouring through holes in the roof, and a giant dead rat was lying on the floor. It looked worse than hopeless.
Two things made us fall in love with the location. First, it was surrounded by residential and commercial high-rise buildings, all packed with potential customers. Second, I loved the gritty feel of the building with its massive glass garage doors and open spaces. We kicked around the name AutomoBilliards, but that was a mouthful. Our architect buddy Jim McGowan said, “Just call it CarPool!” Jim, who had helped us design Atomic Billiards and created the Atomic logo, came on as our architect and managed the project. Working with Jim was a joy as he and I went around and around on layout and decor possibilities. I’m a dreamer and a “fire, ready, aim” designer, and Jim’s common sense and skill reigned my ideas into reality.
We were fortunate to bring in artist and muralist Tina Vaughan who created a massive Diego Rivera style industrial mural and a huge Esso Motoring smiling service station atendant. I took a trip to Hershey PA with craftsman friend Steve Pelszynski and his Red Ant design-build team and we scored truckloads of ‘automobilia’—signs, old gas pumps, license plates and oil cans. Once again, we had a blast doing the build-out. Having, smart, capable, creative friends working on all pieces of the construction gave us an advantage that is impossible to match. And we had more fun than should be allowed, laughing, drinking beers in the afternoon design sessions, and having job site parties when we needed a boost.
Once again, realtor friend Bob Fleming delivered, this time by suggesting that we throw in an option to buy the property for $2.5 million dollars, slightly more than market price at that time. No sooner had the ink dried on the lease than the value of the property sky-rocketed and we purchased it two years later. We also partnered with John Snedden of Rocklands Barbecue who ran a separate carryout within our space, while we just focussed on the bar. For years we had lines across the parking lot and were realizing 50%. Atomic and Bedrock had been solid triples, Buffalo Billiards was a home-run, and CarPool was a grand-slam, walk-off shot. We felt invincible, but this feeling should have made us one and consider the next steps carefully.
