From Shopping to Sports: The Thrilling Transformation of America's Shuttered Malls into Pickleball Courts

Pickleball Courts Take Over Shuttered Mall Stores in America

Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of badminton, ping-pong, and tennis, has been growing in popularity in the United States, with an estimated 40% increase in players between 2019 and 2021. As the sport continues to gain traction, America's shopping malls are struggling to keep their stores open. However, pickleball courts are now being built in empty storefronts at malls across the country, offering a solution to both problems at once.

With online shopping becoming more popular, shopping malls need new ways to generate foot traffic. Meanwhile, pickleball players are running out of places to play. Municipal recreation departments have a limited number of public parks and facilities, and some communities oppose the construction of pickleball courts because they don’t like the sport’s noises and blame pickleball players for stealing their tennis courts. As a result, developers are getting creative, turning shuttered retail spaces into pickleball courts.

For example, the Paddle Up Pickleball Club in Lake St. Louis is taking over a former Bed Bath & Beyond store, while the new All-Stars Pickleball Club in Concord, New Hampshire, opened inside the space formerly occupied by Old Navy at the Steeplegate Mall. In addition, a group in Stamford, Connecticut, plans to build a massive indoor pickleball venue at the site of a former Saks Off 5th in the Stamford Town Center shoppingmall. The venue will include 28 pickleball courts, a cafe, a lounge, and a childcare area. Meanwhile, Proshot Pickleball has opened a new pickleball venue at the former Burlington Coat Factory store inside the Harbor Square Shopping Center in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

Pickleball is an accessible sport that has an easy-to-understand scoring system and doesn't require as much running as other sports like tennis. It was invented in the 1960s when two friends in Bainbridge Island, Washington, tried to play on an old badminton court but couldn't find a full set of rackets. Instead, they made use of what they had, including ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. By 1990, the sport had a presence in all 50 states, and it has gained even more popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As Mary Cannon, co-founder of CityPickle, New York City's first pickleball club, tells MarketWatch, former stores make so much sense as pickleball courts, as long as they meet the required specifications. Pickleball's inclusive and nuanced nature allows anyone, regardless of age, gender, body size, or shape, to have a great time playing the sport. With pickleball courts taking over empty mall stores, the sport is becoming even more accessible to players across America.