HUSBAND-WIFE ENTREPRENEURS SIGN 15,000 SQUARE FOOT LEASE TO OPEN FIRST INDOOR PICKLEBALL FACILITY IN HOWARD COUNTY THIS FALL

 

 

COLUMBIA, MD – (May 16, 2021) – Denise and Will Richards were only introduced to the sport of Pickleball about one year but, almost immediately, they recognized its tremendous growth potential and are now prepared to invest significant personal and financial resources to follow their instincts to parlay a recreational activity into a business. The entrepreneurial couple recently signed a lease with May | Riegler Properties for 15,000 square feet of space at 9179 Red Branch Road, and intend to open Dill Dinkers, the first indoor Pickleball facility in Howard County by this fall. Bill Harrison, Senior Vice President of Lee & Associates | Maryland and Eric Skogmo, Associate with Lee & Associates | Maryland represented the tenant in this lease transaction.

“My wife and I were playing Pickleball in a Pennsylvania barn that lacked heat and proper restrooms during the middle of the winter but, despite these deficiencies, the place was packed with participants,” explained Will Richards. “This amazed us and we wondered about the possibilities for a facility that included every modern comfort. After conducting initial research about the sport and available indoor facilities both locally and nationally, we focused our real estate search in the Howard County region. We always considered this section of Maryland to contain physically-active children and adults, and we wanted a location that would be accessible to as many people as possible. It was important to lease space in an open-space flex/industrial building with high ceilings, and we knew we would have more options in Howard County, as well.”

Dill Dinkers will offer drop-in play, leagues and tournaments on six indoor Pickleball courts and private lessons will be offered from a team of certified professionals. Activities will be separated into men’s, women’s, co-ed and youth categories at different skill levels. In lieu of an onsite restaurant amenity, a rotation of local food trucks will provide freshly-prepared meals in an array of different cuisines.

9179 Red Branch Road is a one-story building containing approximately 60,000 square feet of flex/industrial space. The building is within close proximity MD Routes 29, 100 and 108 and approximately three miles from Interstate 95.

“There are several indoor courts in the area that can accommodate pickleball, but this will be the first dedicated facility,” explained Richards, who lives with his wife in Columbia. “We have rekindled old relationships by playing pickleball and, after talking with a number people who are passionate about the sport, are confident that Dill Dinkers will be immediately embraced by the community. This location leverages a location in central Maryland and is near areas that we know we will draw players from, including Ft. Meade and Laurel.”

The sport dates back to 1965 when two families in Washington State were searching for a fun activity to entertain their children. The group began gathering equipment laying around in a garage (old ping-pong paddles and a wiffle ball) and took advantage of a nearby badminton courts. Its ubiquitous name mirrors the collection of items used to invent the sport with a nod to “the pickle boat” in which oarsmen chosen for the crew are “leftovers of other boats.”

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, more than a half-million people have started playing the sport within the past two years and it is estimated that more than five million people engage in the sport regularly. It is widely considered the fastest growing sport in the country but currently has less than 10,000 indoor facilities. That is likely to change with entrepreneurs such as the Denise and Will Richards, as well as Chicken N’ Pickle, a concept currently in four states that combines pickleball with cold beer and jerk chicken.

“The market for flex/industrial and warehouse space in the 10-20,000 square foot range is becoming increasingly tight, but our team was able to identify the perfect opportunity at 9179 Red Branch Road that matched every consideration and fundamental for Dill Dinkers,” explained Bill Harrison of Lee & Associates | Maryland. “Denise and Will Richards possess the two most important intangibles necessary for success – passion and strength in conviction. The Howard County region is a proven fertile ground for recreational activities and sports, and Dill Dinkers will be first to the market for a concept that we believe will achieve immediate success.”

May | Riegler Properties is a diversified commercial real estate development and investment company headquartered in Washington, D.C. which is active throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Colorado.

Lee & Associates is a commercial real estate brokerage, management and appraisal services firm. Established in 1979, Lee & Associates has grown its service platform to include offices in the United States and Canada. Lee & Associates provides superior market intelligence in office, industrial, retail, investment and appraisal to meet the specialized needs of our clients. Visit https://www.lee-associates.com/offices/office/?id=1591