After building's emergency closure, Sam's Place pool hall opens on Ames' Main Street

Sam's Place is now open at 125 Main St. with 14 pool tables, NFL and Iowa State University TV packages and 10 arcade games.

The opening of the new establishment was held up when city inspectors in September found structural concerns and declared the building unsafe to enter. The building was constructed in 1892 and is the former location of the Corner Pocket pool hall.

"The city said the building had to be torn down," said Jonathan Hartman, CEO of The Best Construction, which owns the building. "If we weren't a construction company who knew what we were doing, this building would have been torn down. But from our perspective, tearing down a 100-plus-year-old building is really not something (we were) comfortable to have happen. "

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Sam Touzani, owner of The Best Construction and Ames Pool Hall, which operates Sam's Place, purchased the building from owner Zoey Riordan after the emergency closure. Sam's Place had originally planned to be tenants of the building, but Hartman said the best choice was to buy it and fix the problems.

After securing the south wall, which was leaning and is why it was closed on Sept. 27, the city gave the greenlight for the new business to open.

"A lot of times when dealing with cities, it's a bad relationship," said Hartman, adding that building inspector Sara Van Meeteren, city clerk Renee Hall and the fire marshal "have all been incredible."

"Everybody was trying to help us out," he said.

But the work isn't done yet, Hartman said. He described the work to anchor the south wall as temporary.

He said the company also is in the process of replacing framing and adding structure to the second floor, as well as replacing the roof. All of that work should be completed in November, depending on weather.

"The total remodel and repair work is going to be about $300,000 for the inside and outside work," Hartman said. "But we've cleared the hurdles with the city so we could have a soft open now."

Hartman said Sam's Place is focused on welcoming people "who want reasonable pricing, a clean place, friendly staff and fun."

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"I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan and I can't watch my games unless they are nationally televised," he said. "Any game you want to see — Monday, Thursday or Sunday, year-round — just come in, sit down and tell us what game you want to watch and we'll put it on."

Hartman said instead of serving from an onsite kitchen, Sam's Place has contracted with Great Plains Sauce and Dough Co. next door to provide food.

"You still want to have fun, even when you're older," Hartman said. " ... At Sam's Place, you get to enjoy all of the positives of going out and enjoying sports, along with great pizza. We offer a family atmosphere without having to bring the kids.

"I call it Dave & Buster's for adults."

Touzani said the Ames location is the first of two Sam's Place pool halls opening in central Iowa. Sam's Place 2 is opening at 2724 Second Ave. in Des Moines in February.

Sam's Place, 125 Main St., is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Sam's Place pool hall opens in downtown Ames at former Corner Pocket