Santa Barbara’s only family friendly pool hall, The Rack, is celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, March 21.
The Rack has been open for a few months now, but the festivities are just getting started.
“We are a pool hall for all,” said Meagan Soloff, co-owner and general manager.
The pool hall caters to a variety of skill levels and competitiveness. While being open for casual play, the hall also offers tournaments and leagues to compete in as well as a place for individuals to practice.
“There is a lot of daily community,” Soloff said. People come and practice in the afternoons to improve their skills before playing in the tournaments.
“Getting involved in competition really, really gets your game to the next level,” Soloff said. While it varies by tournament, handicaps are included so new players can hold their own even against highly experienced competitors.
Soloff is also dedicated to making sure The Rack is a safe and welcome environment in a sport that is mostly dictated by the bar scene. She is especially focused on making sure women feel comfortable to play and compete.
The Rack also presents a place where younger people can get involved in competition.
“I have a lot of players between 17 and 20 and they can’t go to bars, so they can’t play in any of the other leagues,” the co-owner said.
Soloff also hinted that some of the tables at The Rack have slightly smaller pockets than those at your standard bar pool table. This was done intentionally so that when people go to play at other locations, every shot becomes a gimme.
The family-friendly pool hall is also continuing a legacy of pool in the same space where Don Q’s stood.
The Rack is Santa Barbara’s only family friendly pool hall. Soloff said that they waited over three months to get their beer license before hosting the grand opening celebration.
“We want everyone to find us,” Soloff said. “We want to be ready to announce so we could really handle the pressure of the whole community finding us.”
The grand opening will feature raffles, including the chance to win a custom specialty pool cue designed by “local legend” Mike Rys.
“We want to grow,” Soloff said. “I already feel like we are bursting at the seams, on Friday and Saturday night we are full.”
Proceeds from Saturday’s grand opening will be donated to the Santa Barbara Immigrant Legal Defense Center.
