Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and soon a new facility will offer Newarkers a place to play indoors.
On Monday night, city council approved a special-use permit allowing The Picklr to open in the former Kmart building in The Grove at Newark.
“We're really excited to be bringing a really cool, just different industry of sport and recreation to the Delaware tri-state area,” said James Maguire, a Middletown resident who is co-owner of the Newark franchise.
Slated to open next spring, the 40,700-square-foot pickleball club will include 12 indoor pickleball courts, dink walls for practicing, a lounge, a pro shop, locker rooms and a community room for events. It will be open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.
The facility will host tournaments, leagues and camps, as well as offer pickleball lessons.
The Picklr chain, which boasts former NFL quarterback Drew Brees as an investor and franchise owner, was founded in Utah in 2021. Since then, the company has expanded rapidly and now has more than 275 locations open or under construction. The Newark location will be the first in Delaware.
The clubs work on a membership model, similar to most gyms, in which members pay a monthly or yearly fee for unlimited access. Prices in Newark have not yet been announced, but most other locations charge between $109 to $139 per month or between $1,000 and $1,500 for a yearly membership. Non-members can buy a day pass for $30.
Pickleball is often described as a combination of ping-pong, tennis and badminton. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, nearly 9 million Americans play the sport, a 150 percent growth over the past three years. It's particularly popular with older adults because the smaller court size reduces the amount of running and stress on the body, compared to other racket sports.
The Picklr hopes to partner with local high schools, the Newark Senior Center and other organizations.
“We want to bring people together,” Maguire said. “Those of you who have played pickleball, this is a community social event. It does get competitive, but we want to have fun, bring people together and help out the community.”
Plans for The Picklr drew strong support from city council members.
“It's great to have some options other than restaurants to bring people in,” Councilman Jason Lawhorn said.
Councilwoman Corinth Ford noted that outdoor pickleball courts are often criticized for being noisy.
“I'm very pleased to see you come to The Grove,” Ford said. “I think it's terrific. One of the reasons I really think that indoor is terrific is that the outdoor courts in residential areas are somewhat controversial. I think you've chosen an ideal location for it.”
The Picklr will be joined in the old Kmart building by Lefty’s Alley and Eats, which is slated to open in March.
Modeled after the original location in Lewes, Lefty’s will include 16 lanes of 10-pin bowling, plus four lanes of duckpin bowling, which uses smaller balls and pins. It will also include axe throwing, Top Golf simulators, Krazy Darts, a 6,000-square-foot arcade, a small stage for live entertainment and a full restaurant and bar.
Other new businesses slated for The Grove – formerly known as College Square Shopping Center – include:
- X-Golf, which features golf simulators, a cafe and a bar
- Nifty Fifty’s, a 1950s-themed diner that sells burgers, cheesesteaks, milkshakes and more
- Del Pez Mexican Gastropub, a Mexican restaurant that started on Main Street and now has a location at the Wilmington Riverfront
- Turkiye Kebob House. a Middle Eastern restaurant
- Coldstone Creamery, which sells decadent ice cream sundaes, made to order by employees who mix toppings into ice cream on a frozen granite slab
- Smoothie King, which sells a variety of smoothies, smoothie bowls and fruit beverages
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