MobilityTechzone

Latest News

TMCNet: Tucson's Connelly Billiards files for Chapter 11 protection

[December 18, 2008]

Tucson's Connelly Billiards files for Chapter 11 protection

(Arizona Daily Star, The (Tucson) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 18--Tucson-based Connelly Billiards, a high-end billiard table manufacturer and retailer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday.

Connelly has its main headquarters at 1440 S. Euclid Ave. and operates a retail showroom at 5855 E. Broadway, as well as four stores in the Phoenix area. The company also has dealers throughout North America and exports tables.

Under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a debtor is protected from legal action while it works out a plan to repay creditors.

The company referred questions to bankruptcy attorney Scott Gibson.

Gibson said in an e-mail that the filing won't immediately affect operations at the company's five retail stores, which are only in Arizona, "although there may be some consolidation after the first of the year similar with what is happening to many retailers."

Connelly intends to continue manufacturing tables and selling them on a wholesale basis to its network of independent retailers, Gibson said.

The sales of billiard equipment hit $240 million in 2005, according to a study from the Billiard Congress of America, a billiard industry association.

Rob Johnson, CEO of the Billiard Congress of America in Broomfield, Colo., said that no one is immune to the hard economic times, especially billiard businesses that rely on discretionary income.

Prices for Connelly's tables can run into the thousands of dollars.

"Connelly has a first-class reputation in the industry -- I think they'll get through it," Johnson said.

The company began in 1980 when Craig Connelly was first out of college.

He began his business in a rented garage and sometimes slept on the tables, according to Connelly's company biography.

--Contact NASA Space Grant intern Dan Sullivan at 573-4237 or at dsullivan@azstarnet.com.

To see more of The Arizona Daily Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.azstarnet.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

[ Back To MobilityTechzone Homepage's Homepage ]
FOLLOW MobilityTechzone

Subscribe to MobilityTechzone eNews

MobilityTechzone eNews delivers the latest news impacting technology in the Wireless industry each week. Sign up to receive FREE breaking news today!
FREE eNewsletter
Interview with VPI Systems
TMC's Rich Tehrani speaks with Russ Green, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management for VPI Systems
Interview with Thrupoint
TMC's Paula Bernier speaks with David Jodoin, Chief Strategy Officer for Thrupoint
Interview with Nuance
TMC's Erik Linask speaks with Christy Clark Murfitt, Sr Manager of Solutions Mktg, Enterprise Division for Nuance
Interview with Abukai
TMC's Erik Linask speaks with Philipp Schloter, President & CEO of Abukai
Interview with DragonWave
TMC’s Stefanie Mosca speaks with Greg Friesen, VP, Product Management of DragonWave