So pickleball is heading to malls, where players can play and then grab a bite to eat or do some shopping, landlords hope.Ī group called Pickleball America is taking over an 80,000 square-foot anchor space in Stamford, Connecticut, in a former two-story Saks Off 5th retail store this summer. Some tennis players and neighbors are bothered by the pop-pop-pop noise of pickleball and have blocked the development of courts. Pickleball, virtual golf, skydiving, craft beer: How malls are luring shoppers Retirement communities and country clubs also face challenges building space for people who enjoy the game without antagonizing others. However, pickleball’s rapid spread has created dilemmas for public parks and recreation departments, which must balance competing interests with often limited space and funds. The number of people playing pickleball grew by 159% over three years to 8.9 million in 2022, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, a trade group.Ĭourts have been opening at recreation centers, hotels and retirement communities. But it has skyrocketed during the pandemic. Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, began in 1965. Backers of the game and developers are desperate to find vacant spaces to build courts. Meanwhile, pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport. The new mix at malls also includes skydiving, virtual golf and breweries.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Imagesīed Bath & Beyond is closing hundreds of stores. One week after home retailer Bed Bath and Beyond announced plans to close 87 of its stores the company added 150 stores to that list of closures in an effort to stave off bankruptcy. A customer looks into a closed Bed Bath and Beyond store on Februin Larkspur, California.
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