Big news at the Village at Leesburg. Loudoun’s first dedicated indoor pickleball facility will be taking a large spot in the lifestyle center off Route 7.
The center has announced that Village Pickle is scheduled to open in early January. It will start out with four pickleball courts and four more courts are expected to open in late July.
Village Pickle is taking a nearly 24,000 s.f. space in the center, including the storefront that used be the Charming Charlie women’s clothing and accessories store.
The facility is being opened by USTA Mid-Atlantic, the well-known tennis organization that is expanding into pickleball as the sport skyrockets in popularity.
According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, more than 48 million American adults have played the sport at least once in the past year. That’s nearly one-fifth the adult population.
The fact that an indoor pickleball court is opening in a retail center should surprise no one. It’s actually become a significant trend in the world of commercial real estate.
As most everyone knows, big box retailers and large department stores have suffered as more and more people turn to shopping online. Stores such as Sears, Nordstrom, and Bed, Bath & Beyond have closed locations locally and around the nation.
Landlords are struggling to find new tenants to take these large spaces — but now one solution appears to be pickleball courts. Across the country, large empty retail spaces are being turned into indoor pickleball courts to meet the rising demand from players.
The upcoming Village Pickle at the Village at Leesburg is just one example.
Just like a fitness center, Village Pickle is offering memberships which will come with special access to courts and other services the center offers – such as lessons and leagues.
(Image at top: File photo)