Owner Refurbishes Pool Hall, Then Police Raid It : Regulations: Jeff Bey bought Los Angeles’ oldest pool hall, seedy Hollywood Billiards. He fixed it up and invited the police to see--and got busted for operating all night, which the business had done for years.

After nearly a year of expensive renovations to Los Angeles’ oldest pool hall, business owner Jeff Bey suddenly found himself behind the eight ball with the Hollywood vice squad two weeks ago.

Bey, who bought capacious Hollywood Billiards on Hollywood Boulevard last year, was so proud of the improvements he made at the once-seedy all-night pool hall that he invited the local police captain to his “grand reopening” Nov. 10.

Though police eventually attended the celebration, it wasn’t in the way Bey had expected. Shortly after 2 a.m., Hollywood vice officers appeared and cited Bey for operating an “adult entertainment business” between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.

“I was surprised. I felt a lot of pride in what I had done; that’s why I invited the police,” Bey said. “But it was like inviting Judas to dinner and having him give the kiss of death.”

Hollywood police said Bey had violated a Police Code section regulating hours of business for bowling alleys and pool halls.

“The Police Commission rules state that such businesses have to be closed from 2 to 5,” said Sgt. Richard Webb of the Hollywood Precinct vice squad in an interview.

After looking into the citation, Bey, who is also an attorney, agreed that he was in violation of the Police Code. But after further investigation, he discovered that the Los Angeles Municipal Code was changed several years ago and allows pool halls to stay open all night.

Normally, changes in the Municipal Code are reflected in regulations of other governing boards, such as the Police Code, after a short time.

At a Tuesday meeting of the Los Angeles Police Commission, its president, Robert M. Talbott, acknowledged that the two codes may be inconsistent.

“We are going to be taking a look at this particular board rule,” Talbott said. He asked Bey to comply with the closure notice under another section of the Municipal Code that gives precedence to rules issued by the governing body--in this case, the Police Commission.

Hollywood Billiards had remained open all night after the initial citation, but Bey told the commission Tuesday that he would close during the required hours for the time being. He said he expects to resume all-night operation after the commission reviews the rule.

Bey, who said he met with police before opening the business, is puzzled why they suddenly decided to enforce the business-hours rule when the hall had been open all night on weekends for nearly a decade.

“I’m sure they did it in good faith, but no one intent on violating the law invites the police. It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure that out,” Bey said.

Customers of the club confirmed that Hollywood Billiards has traditionally maintained all-night hours on weekends.

Although Bey said he used to enjoy coming to the “oldest, grungiest, sleaziest, grimiest pool hall in L.A.,” he decided when he bought it that, while running the business of his dreams, he should help clean up the crime-infested corner of Hollywood and Western avenues.

By installing lights in the foyer, fencing and lighting the parking lot, and hiring security guards around the clock, Bey said, he hoped to drive out some of the drug traffic that had plagued the area for years.

“Before the renovation, we had a lot of smash-and-grab thefts on cars in the parking lot, and crack dealers on the sidewalk. There were some customers who were using cue lockers for other purposes,” such as hiding drugs and drug money, Bey said. “This is a pool room, and on some levels a penal colony. But we knew we had to have rules.”

Even Police Commission President Talbott said Bey’s cleanup of the pool hall has “been an asset in that area.”

Although the atmosphere of Hollywood Billiards is reminiscent of a Prohibition-era speak-easy, it looks more like a cleaned-up museum approximation than the dingy underground parlors of that era.

An elaborately decorated sign arches over a short staircase that descends into an immaculately clean basement housing 34 billiards and snooker tables. Maroon light shades bearing the names of past and present pool masters hang from a cobalt-blue ceiling. There is a long, elevated wooden bar where patrons can buy beer and wine while surveying games on the floor.

Bey said he was trying to find the perfect blend of atmosphere and cleanliness when he ordered the renovation.

“I am so proud of this place, I’ll put it up against any hall in the world. Most of them are big, clean--and boring,” he said.

Although police have questioned how keeping Hollywood Billiards open all night can have a positive influence on the neighborhood--an all-night pornography shop is across the street--Bey said a prominent, clean business at the site can only help.

“In this type of neighborhood, if you turn off your lights, you have lost everything you have gained,” Bey said. “Why are they attempting to pull out the only flower in this weed patch?”