As pickleball continues growing in popularity with players of all ages, a new chain of private pickleball clubs is getting ready to launch its first location. The Pickleball Club at Lakewood Ranch is preparing open in Sarasota with cushioned, U.S. Open-style pickleball courts (both indoor and outdoor), a full cafe, and other amenities for members.
“Around 9 million people play pickleball now. It’s doubled in the last year,” founder Brian McCarthy told What Now on Friday morning. “In 10 years it’s supposed to catch up with tennis. Racket sports have also been on the increase overall. People are getting out and getting active, which is great.”
McCarthy, who is heading up the Pickleball Club along with co-founder Matt Gordon, is intent on seizing that moment. The Pickleball Club currently has 7 locations under development, with the expectation of reaching 15 locations in Florida within 3 to 4 years. The Pickleball Club at Lakewood Ranch will open at 1300 Sarasota Center Blvd in about a week, and more locations are planned for Port St. Lucie, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Venice, and Pinellas Park.
The Pickleball Club is under contract to purchase the site on which the Pinellas Park location will be built, McCarthy said. Signs are good wherever you look: the Sarasota location hasn’t even opened yet and it already has about 400 members.
In addition to pickleball and bocce courts, members will be able to enjoy the Pickles Cafe, which will have “everything from a barista bar, juices, and blended drinks, to beer and wine in the afternoon.”
The Pickleball Club is an inherently community-focused endeavor, with an emphasis on healthy activity for people of all ages. It will also feature special events for veterans and first responders, and, in tandem with 501(c)(3) organization The Play For Life Foundation, will provide youth and other organizations with “clubs-in-a-box”: fully decked-out pickleball kits.
“We think this is obviously a great way we can reach out and give back,” McCarthy said. “Pickleball has a lot of health benefits and social benefits. And even if people can’t come play with us, we want to make sure they can still play.”
