After over two decades in the billiards scene, Soddy-Daisy resident Melissa Smith decided it was high time she opened a pool hall of her own.
Sweet Melissa’s Billiards opened its doors in June. Smith said she wanted a Hixson location to bridge the gap between other pool-playing destinations, Charlie’s Restaurant in Soddy-Daisy and Diamond Billiard Club in Red Bank.
Placing herself smack dab in the middle of Hixson has been a success thus far, she said. Her weekly tournaments have each drawn in at least two dozen people – something she credits to her kitchen staff and the quality tables she purchased for her hall.
“We’ve got Diamond Blue tables that the pros play on,” she said. “They take anywhere from two to four months to ship, since they make them to order.”
She’s employing that mentality with her menu as well. Smith said she wanted to avoid humdrum bar food, and instead wanted to be able to bring in customers who were looking for a quality dinner.