A pickleball and restaurant retailer is attempting to expand nationally, joining a larger field of competitors looking to cater to one of the nation's fastest-growing sports.
Crush Yard plans to open four locations by the end of next year and eight by 2025, Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Ladden said in an email to CoStar News. So far, the company is opening a location in Charleston, South Carolina, and a venue in a former supermarket in Kissimmee, Florida, near Walt Disney World.
Pickleball courts are opening in malls, offices and apartments as more property owners respond to the sport's growth in recent years. More than 35 million adult Americans played pickleball in 2022, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals. The sport also has a fan base among real estate professionals, including one Atlanta-based broker who is among the best players nationally over the age of 50.
Ladden said Crush Yard wants to open more than 50 locations nationally.
"The demand for pickleball is very high," Ladden said. "There's a severe court shortage."
Crush Yard aims to lease big-box locations with more than 40,000 square feet, Ladden said. The company is working with real estate broker Bobby Palta, senior vice president of The Shopping Center Group, on a national rollout.
Sport and Dining
Crush Yard is expected to offer courts, dining and lounge areas. Ladden said the company can open a location within 10 months of signing a lease.
Crush Yard has multiple NFL star investors, including Rob Gronkowski, who played for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A Crush Yard representative declined to comment on the company's investors.
Crush Yard is the latest pickleball entertainment chain that's trying to cash in on the sport's growing popularity.
Camp Pickle plans top open locations in Denver and Huntsville, Alabama, in coming years.
Meanwhile, Chicken N Pickle is growing in the Denver area and other parts of the United States.