BJ's Diamond Mine

an oasis in the desert of entertainment

What a very unique concept – to be able to go into a poolroom, play on a table to try it out and then purchase it! It is possible at BJ’s Diamond Mine, 16700 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, OH. Bob Schneider and Jerry Metzler, owners of BJ’s Diamond Mine have it all. Their tri-level room was born from three years of hard work, innovative thought and a strong complementary partnership. Perhaps most unique is that their room serves as a working showroom “where [they] are a dealer and billiard parlor operator at the same time.” Without further adieux about the many amenities of the Diamond Mine, let’s look at a bit about the owner’s lives and the history behind the business.

Born in Cleveland, OH, Bob was 13 years old when he developed a real interest in the game of pool. At a place called Clifton Recreation He was employed as a pinsetter, getting paid 10 cents. Besides bowling, there were pool tables where he and the other boys were allowed to play when they weren’t busy. “Well, naturally one thing led to another and we’d be betting up our pin money,” Bob explained. Apparently he had a talent because at the end of the evening he would be the winner, taking home all of his buddies’ pin money. At this time Bob’s father knew that he was going to be a “wild youth”, so he decided that in order to keep him at home, he would buy a pool table and put it in the attic for Bob, his sisters and their friends to enjoy. That they did because “people were at [his] house 24 hours a day on weekends, there was a real party central.” Good thing his mother loved to cook and take care of kids because that is exactly what happened… So began Bob’s impressive pool history.

A Business Administration major his freshman year in college, Bob earned enough money the first week on campus playing pool to pay for his entire first year of college at Ohio University. He played so well by this time that he placed second to Nick Varner in the NCAA Ohio University  Championship. He continued on to play in many local tournaments, winning many of them, and also played straight pool. Nineteen sixty-eight ushered in part time play on the professional tour for Bob while in 1969 he played another gamut—that of business owner. He purchased a home improvement business and ran it up until 1973 when he sold it.  During this time he played quite a bit of pool and was in fact very serious about his play, traveling to cities such as Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Toledo trying to find a good challenge. “It was a second life”, as Bob described it.  “It was a hobby that would support itself” and would help cover costs when he dated and “It was fun.”

Nineteen seventy brought him to the US Open while 1971 brought him and his wife together in vows of holy matrimony. A few years later Bob and his wife were relocated to Chicago by his employer the Cleveland-based Premier Industrial. While there he won the Illinois Open and developed friendships with players such as Nick Varner and Dallas West. It was in Chicago, 1974 that Bob became a great player.  The Chicago market was so big that traveling was not necessary and he could play pool every night. In doing so he  “met some fabulous players up there”: George Michaels, Tommy Spencer, Marshall Boulder, Wendell Weir, Jeff Carter, Willlie Munson and Joey Gold who makes Cognoscenti cues.” Herein Bob believes he reached his pinnacle. He shared that “At one time I think I was the best 9-Ball player in Chicago, because I was home and I was playing a lot.”

Five years later Bob and his wife, a Northwest Orient Airline employee, moved back home to Cleveland after Bob was promoted to regional sales manager thus having 94 salespeople working for him at one point. The new position would soon prove to be overbearing with its extensive travel schedule of four days a week plus office time on Fridays. However much territory he may have covered and however grueling the travel schedule, Bob considers himself lucky to have been responsible for so much territory, which at one point encompassed the entire United States! Virtually he has been in every state. Thus knowing in the back of his mind that he would one day own a poolroom, he would visit hot spot billiard rooms (upwards of three hundred) when out of town. In doing so he would make notes on what worked and what didn’t. Of his travels to rooms Bob told how he played on his “first Diamond table in Columbus, OH, at Fats…when I played on the Diamond I said ‘Wow,” what kind of animal is this?” He added, “Whenever I opened a room it was going to be Diamond Tables and Diamond Lights.”…

Bob’s partner, Jerry Metzler was also born in Cleveland and always liked pool. However, since pool at that time had an unsavory flavor, he was not allowed in the local room nor was he allowed to associate with pool in any way. Only nine years ago he became more efficient at playing pool. Before that Jerry described his shooting ability: “I couldn’t shoot a ball down the end of the rail nine years ago.” However, what he did with his time earlier on was go to college and complete two Masters degrees, one in marine biology and the other, history. After studying at Humble State College in California, Jerry received his teaching degree from Miami University of Ohio and taught for 30 years at Lakewood High School. He was a wrestling coach and taught biology and physical anatomy. The interest in marine biology came about when Jerry was in college working in the steel mills. Since he worked third shift and had nothing to fill his time when his friends worked first shift, he began reading. Of that time he said, “I read everything to do with water and the ocean.”

During his professional teaching career, Jerry was curious about shipwrecks. To satisfy his thirst he joined a scuba club and proposed that the club find shipwrecks. Jerry said unlaughingly that, “everyone laughed except for one person, Leroy Mermins. We found 69 shipwrecks, and we opened up the whole lid to diving and now nobody is laughing.” Jerry also developed and published a shipwreck map as well as having done vast amounts of research. For instance, he has read every Cleveland newspaper from 1809-1945; every Detroit paper from 1900 on up; and half of the Buffalo papers. He spent five years in basements of libraries diligently researching thus becoming known as the “shipwreck man” and international Great Lakes Consultant. He has probably the largest private collection of the history of vessels in the world. In addition, Jerry has spent his entire life collecting data from old captains and from other similar experts who have since passed on. Nine life works including his own, will be compiled by Jerry himself into one computer program.

Though he no longer dives, he recalled a couple of “wrecks” of which he had been the sole explorer! Jerry, having learned the importance and value of history, left the wrecks intact taking not a single artifact from the finds. Herein sparked the topic of his master thesis in history, which was “the basis of the Ohio laws on underwater salvage.” In addition, Jerry strongly proposes, “ that what we have to do is film these wrecks and preserve them.” At this point Jerry credited and complemented his wife, also a PhD as well as a teacher at Fairview, because she “has been a wonderful support.” Jerry said that he could never have succeeded this far without her. She comes first. Always. Seemingly, she is also the bridge for Jerry in the billiard business world.

In the pool business world of Jerry Metzler, he was first  general manager then partner in River City Billiards. Though he ran the room for six years with partners coming and going, he decided to sell his share to his partner so that he could put his energy elsewhere. He told his wife that he’d been around pool for a long time and heard a lot of this and that about what others wanted to do with their poolrooms etc., etc. Well, Jerry did not want to be one of those who wished he had; he wanted to be one who did embark upon his dream. Whether or not it succeeded, he’d at least be able to say that he had gone all the way with it, which lays the groundwork and brings us to the BJ’s partnership.

Bob and Jerry met at Lakewood Recreation, both having a mutual interest in pool. Bob loved to play and Jerry liked to watch, picking up pointers along the way. Moreover, Jerry took lessons there in order to learn more and play on the table in his basement. He realized that he very much enjoyed the game when soon thereafter he became part owner of River City Billiards. For a while they went their separate ways but reunited at a later point when they both had plans to retire. They began to check out each other over a series of about 100 meetings. Finally, about three years ago they sat down and began to fine-tune their business plan. Nine months passed before they were able to secure a location while another eighteen passed to remodel it. Dan Marguiles, architect and interior designer, spent a great deal of time “redesigning, redesigning, redesigning” before finding a comfortable fit, a great ambiance.

Having discovered that they have complementary business talents, the two have very different responsibilities in their room. With 25 years of managerial work under his belt, Bob is more sales/people oriented. He knows pool and the pool business well. Jerry also knew the pool end because of his experience at River City. However, Jerry also brought to the tables a great knowledge of computers, love of detail work and great ideas. Jerry saves and likes to stay in the background while Bob spends and is, in his own words, “kind of running around making nine balls.” At any rate they were now in position to really get the balls rolling and construct their dream. One of their guiding principles was to mold more of an adult hot spot. In Bob’s words, “an oasis between the suburbs and the flats,” a watering hole.

As mentioned earlier, the remodeling project alone lasted some eighteen months but oh was it worth the wait! Enter the front door and follow the hardwood floor walkway past ten 4 1/2 x 9 Diamond Professional Tables with matching nonglare, Diamond Lights. Set in the middle of these tables on the first floor is their centerpiece zebrawood table with matching light, chair and triangle. Twenty-two thousand dollars is the worth of this piece! There is no smoking on the first floor (save the bar and private room) and players are not interrupted by passersby because the walkway was set up to ameliorate this conflict. Continuing on the walkway takes one to the counter area and bar, restrooms, private room and café area. All along, the walls are tastefully adorned with matted and framed posters the likes of which have never been seen elsewhere by many folks. Some limited edition, signed lithographs also hang there.

Continuing upward to the second floor, one can steal a glimpse of the “Voodoo Room”, see the bar area and the tabled and chaired mezzanine. Smoking is allowed. At the far end of the mezzanine sets Bob and Jerry’s office. Nearby sets the cue shop, some of which are Cognoscenti Cues for which BJ’s is an exclusive dealer. Several steps at the opposite end of the mezzanine leads one to the “Voodoo Room.” It’s black. It’s dark. It’s cool. Not in temperate sense that is. Originally it was going to be called the Oasis, but they couldn’t “find enough things to do with camels and palm trees (we had a similar situation, as you can tell, with our front cover!). And there set the3 ½ x 7 Diamond Smart Tables with Bob and Jerry being the first in the country to have them in their room. Bob has always “been amazed at the attitude coming out of Diamond ” while “Greg [Sullivan] has been very interested in bringing the level of pool up so that all the equipment is standardized. If you have a problem they don’t want to cover it up, they want to attack it.”

The Smart Tables, as well as the forethought and research behind them, are very impressive. Bob told how “ the Smart Table was developed so that the average tavern player could play on good equipment, using a regular cue ball and a regular set of balls. There should be no difference: pool should be pool on any table.” If a person plays on the 9 foot Professional Table on the first floor then plays on the Smart Table on the third floor, his/her game remains the same; same slate thickness; same speed rebound off the rails; same pocket angles; same excellent nonglare lighting etc., etc. The only differences will be in the climb to  floor three, atmosphere and the like. Continuing on Bob said that “everybody likes [the Smart Tables]’ and that “they have been marvelous.” Even more remarkable is that the Smart Tables are played with debit cards! Gone are the days of employees and patrons alike fussing with quarters! These are the wave of the future!

The thought behind the Voodoo Room was why drive all the way downtown to hear a band when one could be heard virtually in their own back yard? The same could apply to grabbing a bite to eat. Two state of the art kitchens with Quick and Crispy ovens are situated downstairs as well as upstairs and they correspond to the two café areas on either floor. The menu is varied and the food is delicious and heartily proportioned. Bob told how the food “ comes out with 20-40% less grease than when it went in.” Prices are affordable and the employees were pleasant and kind, some of who are prior students of “Mr. Metzler.”

Tom Donaldson, longtime friend of Bob, is the general manager of the room while Liel Gay, aka JR. is house pro and assistant manager. Incidentally, Bob and JR’s father were good friends and that is how he came to know JR. Pete Vanco is a staff member who runs the promotions and is in charge of all the leagues. Those that are already in place include a Women’s Wednesday night 9-Ball, Saturday morning B&C straight pool handicapped league, and another nonhandicapped straight pool league. On August 28, 2000 BJ’s will host the first ever International Wheelchair One Pocket Tournament in the United States. All in all, Bob, Jerry and their team of employees strive for an excellence and a unity that works. They plan to have something exciting every month.

BJ’s Diamond Mine is a must to experience if ever in the northeastern Ohio area. The research and kind considerations that were put forth in planning every square inch of this renovated 10,000 square foot area in the historic Kamm’s Corner is apparent. In the future look forward to professional tournaments as well as other known pool affficionados gracing the rooms of BJ’s.  Bob and Jerry are friendly and would be glad to chat awhile. So stop by to play on wonderful equipment, grab a bite to eat, party with a hot band or just enjoy the feel of the place. They really do offer many wonderful amenities, except their friend Bernie, the camel that is. He lives farther south.