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 The best souvenirs to bring back from vacation are good stories, and with 14 pool tables, 30 beers on tap, video games, and fried frog legs, Hot Shots Family Entertainment Center is the best place in Pismo Beach for the nightlife and hilarious hijinks that make for memorable tales.
“We’re looking to offer an experience that’s different than any place else,” said Phil Schwent, who has worked at Hot Shots for seven years and owned the joint for three. “You get a lot of different kinds of people here, and there’s plenty of space for everyone and enough to do to keep you from ever feeling cramped or bored.”
Located near the pier, this one-of-a-kind spot is right in the thick of things, but it’s sometimes easy to overlook. From the street, the building looks like little more than a novelty t-shirt and poster shop (great for actual souvenir shopping with a unique, California style), but past the racks, the room opens into a huge billiards hall. The smell of pizza and burgers fills the air, and the sudden cracks of cue balls breaking new games can be heard intermittently over rock ‘n roll blasting from an internet juke box with an almost unlimited selection of tunes guaranteed to get the good times rolling.
Schwent said that pool halls often get bad reputations as seedy, almost vulgar environments, but his establishment is far from the norm. It features two air hockey tables, a plethora of arcade style race games and first-person shooters, claw cranes with candy prizes, and more. There’s an entire kids section, perfect for birthday parties, that’s set off from the adult area without being isolated.
“It’s an adult atmosphere where the kids are welcome and can stay safe,” said Schwent. “Grown-ups can have a beer and shoot some pool while the kids play a few games.”
In short, it’s a place where everyone can have a good time. Kids like kid stuff well enough, but they really want the freedom to be loud and play side by side with adults doing the same. At Hot Shots, the parents can do something they’d actually want to do, and they can bring the kids along for the fun. Everyone wins.
It’s not a party without good food, so Hot Shots hooks it up. Their pizza is made from scratch; their burgers are juicy and dripping with cheese; and their fish and chips are rated among the best in town. Add fried pickles, artichoke hearts, and frog legs to the mix, and you’ve got a menu that delivers the care-free, fun loving life style of the central coast at an affordable price. The beer menu includes everything from crisp Coors Light to dark Guinness Draft, with a bevy of local brews and lesser-known brands in between. Hot Shots isn’t just a place to go to kill time, it’s an experience you won’t forget.
“This old building used to be a Vaudeville stage and a movie theater,” said Schwent. “It’s a great place for entertainment, and that old attitude lives on.”
Eighteen years ago, the focus was shifted from watching shows to playing games, and people have been thrilled with the results. Nowadays, pool rules at the old theater. Every Monday, a bracket-style, adults only tournament takes place at 7 p.m. with a $10 buy-in and a pot split between the top three winners. A ladies night takes place every Wednesday, and a league meets weekly to compete for bragging rights in “Scotch Doubles” play, meaning each team is composed of one guy and one gal. The seasons last 22 weeks, and the competition is more friendly than fierce. At the end, every single player is invited to attend a championship tournament in Reno.
That long term exposure to the same group of people in a fun, exciting setting makes the league a great way for the recently relocated to meet new friends and for long-term locals to reunite with their neighbors. Tuesday’s League nights are always a party.
“There are a lot of couples that come out for regular date nights as part of the league,” said Schwent. “Teams are placed into brackets by skill, so you’re playing people at your level. Everyone is invited to join the league, even beginners.”
Aside from meeting new people, playing pool can be a means for meditation. With every measured shot, you sink a little deeper into the game, and soon enough, you’re so focused on bank shots and adding English, that you’ve forgotten about bills, work, or any other stressors. If you happen to have a pool table at home or if you’re a serious player that uses his/her own equipment, the shop at Hot Shots is happy to repair scuffed felt and sell new cues. They’ll even assemble a table in your home or take an old one apart and box it for shipping when you move. Really, Schwent and his crew just want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to enjoy the passtime that they love so much.
“For me, it’s not about being so good that you sink everything,” said Schwent. “I’m looking for that one shot where every thing connects like you wanted. Pool’s a great release. It’s all about having a good time.”
Hot Shots Family Entertainment Center is located at 250 Pomeroy in Pismo Beach and can be found online at hotshotspismo.com. For more information or to join a league, call 773-4542.
— Nick Powell
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