724, 728 Main St History - Laserfiche WebLink

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With respect to his ownership of this parcel in particular, Mossoni was primarily the owner and not the operator of the businesses occupying the building, except for some years when he ran the business at 728 Main. When he purchased the property in 1919, 728 Main was already a billiard hall and bowling alley. An article in the October 7, 1920 Louisville Times stated that "Lawrence Mossoni has been working on his bowling alleys and put them in excellent condition for the fall and winter season, and offers a prize of $1 for any man bowling the score of 200 for the first time.... Jimmie (Shorty) James has accepted a position with Lawrence Mossoni in the pool hall as a soda slinger." Historical records show that at the beginning, Mossoni operated the pool hall with John L. Porta. An unofficial transcript of an oral history interview that Lawrence Mossoni gave in 1975 gives insight into the early years of his ownership of the billiard hall and bowling alleys. Discussing the fact that Louisville's economy and the mining conditions and pay began to improve in about 1920, he said that by that time, he was already a business man and "had bought the only pool hall and bowling alley in town that was doing good, where the Twin Light Tavern is now." He told of how before there were automatic pin setters, setting the pins for men to bowl was hard work. He added a soda fountain and four tables. Then he decided to sell the bowling alleys, the hard wood of which were taken up piece by piece and removed to Fort Lupton. Mossoni referred to there being a lot of smoke in the pool hall and suffering from a possible ulcer, so he arranged for Roy Austin to take over the pool hall business, which happened between 1923 and 1926. Mossoni moved on to other business ventures in Louisville, while retaining ownership of Lot 10. Roy Austin had been born just across the street at 717 Main in Louisville in 1896 and lived there until he died in 1985. Along the way, he was involved in local affairs in many ways, including working at banks in both Louisville and Lafayette and operating the pool hall at 728 Main. He also served for over twenty years as treasurer for the Town of Louisville. He was a veteran of World War I. The following photo of Roy Austin shows him in the 1930s in front of his house at 717 Main: Roy Austin's pool hall business was included as one of twenty-two Louisville businesses on the movie curtain made for the Rex Theatre in circa 1927-28: 9