Two warehouses totaling 55,000 square feet full of supplies and pool table materials was just a dream in Elaine Gerber’s mind when she first started her company, Presidential Billiards, 20 years ago.
Presidential Billiards first opened a small warehouse and office in The Woodlands but wanted to find a larger space to expand and add more warehouse space for the materials used to make the custom pool tables.
“We started very small,” said Gerber. “Our first warehouse was 1,200 square feet. Over the next four years, we grew to 10,000 square feet. Eventually, we moved to a new location in The Woodlands for six years but always kept adding to the point where we were close to 22,000 square feet and still needed more room.”
Gerber began to search for land where the company could build an office and have enough warehouse space for future expansion when a fellow business owner suggested reaching out to the East Montgomery County Improvement District.
“I heard about the warehouses EMCID was building in the East Montgomery County Industrial Park and made the trip over to see what they were building,” said Gerber. “EMCID was a blessing from heaven. They were able to give us five acres of land through an incentive agreement and have helped us through the years with low-interest loans to build additional warehouse space. We would not have been able to do any of this without EMCID’s help.”
Presidential Billiards is a wholesale company that produces a variety of products, including a large selection of pool tables and game room furniture from entry-level to heirloom quality with exotic hardwoods and hand carving.
The company is fully vertically integrated with Wilson International, a Zimbabwe-based company, where most of its components are manufactured and then shipped to New Caney. Presidential Billiards’ employees then work to build the pool tables and game room furniture to order.
The Presidential Billiards warehouse has every color of felt imaginable for the pool table covers, slate and all the materials to build the tables in-house as well as the accessories to go with them, such as pool cues, balls, lights, cushion rubbers and cue racks. Presidential Billiards can also build shuffleboard and table tennis tables.
Next up for Presidential Billiards is a new website launch, enhancing its digital marketing and a digital catalog that allows them to showcase all their products and increase their business.
“If you had asked me 20 years ago where do I see myself now, I never would have imagined that I would be here,” said Gerber. “I have a fantastic staff and am lucky to get linked up with important companies in our industry that have helped as a mentor along the way. Working with EMCID to build in the EMC Industrial Park was the perfect fit for Presidential Billiards. We look forward to continuing to grow and be successful.”