Picklemall leaving Arizona Mills after just one year

The state's first "Picklemall " is moving out of Arizona Mills after just one year.

The big picture: Picklemall announced its "unexpected and sudden closure" on Tuesday because Arizona Mills terminated its lease.

• Its final day of operations at the mall will be Monday, July 22, and it must have its equipment out of the building by July 31.
• All memberships have been paused and Picklemall said it's providing refunds to its 650 members.

What's next: Picklemall was unable to find a new space in the immediate area, but will transfer operations to the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa.

• Initially, the company will offer 41 outdoor pickleball courts at the new location.
• Picklemall plans to cool and cover the courts, and convert some indoor space.
• "With the potential for expansion, we aim to provide an even better experience with an array of programs and events that will now be able to include more food and beverage as well as entertainment options," the statement said.

Between the lines: The Arizona Athletic Grounds in November will host the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships .

Flashback: Picklemall announced in May 2023 it would open its first Arizona location with 24 indoor courts in a vacant big-box store at Arizona Mills.

• The location was part of billionaire Major League Pickleball founder Steve Kuhn's plan to convert 50 vacant department stores and strip malls across the U.S.

The other side: Arizona Mills did not respond to an inquiry from Axios about why it terminated Picklemall's lease.