Closed big box and department stores in the Tucson area could soon be filled with flying pickleballs.
A pickleball court franchisee of an East Coast operation is planning to open five indoor locations in the Tucson area.
The fastest growing sport in the U.S., pickleball courts have popped up in vacant Bed, Bath & Beyond locations and empty department stores in malls.
The Tucson operators of the Dill Dinkers Pickleball franchise plan to absorb some of those spaces around Tucson and in the Green Valley area.
Nathan and Lizz Andersen signed the franchise agreement after looking for an opportunity to build a business that they could run as a family.
“I was thinking about trying to do this by myself and I realized there was a lot I didn’t know,” said Nathan Andersen, who is an engineer. “The thought of starting a business seemed intimidating but I have an appreciation for how important physical and mental health are and the family-life balance.”
A tennis player since high school, Andersen said he avoided pickleball for fear of messing with his tennis technique.
“There is a tennis scene here but not as convenient because it’s a little harder to find a court or find someone to play with,” he said. “I thought, I can either hold onto tennis and never play it or embrace a new sport that has some community around it.”
They are looking to open the first location on the southeast side of town and hope to find spaces in Marana and Oro Valley, as well as Green Valley.
Spaces they are eyeing are between 15,000 and 30,000 square feet.
The Andersens plan to have vending machines and snacks behind the counter and partner with a local restaurant or food vendor.
“The beauty with this is, once we have a location and get floors painted and nets installed, you’re ready for business because we don’t have to build offices,” Nathan Andersen said. “We could have courts built out and open in three months.”
Aside from closed stores, industrial spaces would also work well for the indoor courts.
The parents of six children who are homeschooled, the couple also plan to use the future facilities for PE classes or pickleball groups for other homeschooled students, said Lizz Andersen.
Dill Dinkers Pickleball has four locations in the Maryland area and is opening a new one in Virginia this year.
Nathan Andersen can be reached at nandersen@dilldinkers.com with opportunities for big spaces available for the new courts.
The National Association of Realtors says the popularity of the sport has led to a “pickleball gold rush” in commercial real estate.
There are about 130 new pickleball courts opening nationwide each month, according to USA Pickleball, and there’s a need for an additional 25,000 courts to keep up with demand.
The game is described as a mix between tennis and ping-pong and has become popular with younger players since the pandemic.
According to Pickleheads, which tracks pickleball data, Tucson is No. 10 in the top 10 cities for pickleball locations, with 29. Seattle is No. 1 with 49 pickleball locations.
