A newly minted recreation business is the first tenant at Medford’s recently developed warehouse and distribution building.
Pickleball Heaven has secured a lease for 55,709 square feet within Wildflower Ltd.’s 129,242-square-foot facility on 10 acres at 645 National Blvd. This space will soon host a distinctive complex designed for enthusiasts of the rapidly expanding sport.
The brainchild of Long Island entrepreneurs Don Rickey and Anthony Adler, Pickleball Heaven is not your run-of-the-mill sporting facility.
The Medford complex will feature 18 pickleball courts, each with its own private lounge and dedicated 90-foot video monitor.
On this monitor, players can watch the action and even see instant replays of their drop shots and volleys.
The new pickleball venue in Medford will feature a 2,500-square-foot pro shop and player lockers.
Pickleball Heaven will also include a 60-foot bar with a full kitchen, as well as an 18-foot food truck on-site.
The food and beverage services will be managed by Long Island-based hospitality firm Never 86, led by Chris Quirke, who also owns the Wok N’ Roll and New York Panini restaurants in Huntington.
“Our goal is to create one of the first pickleball venues that’s more social and less intimidating,” said Rickey, who also runs a smart-home integration company specializing in audio/video, lighting, and security systems for both residential and commercial properties.
Pickleball Heaven will also offer an academy led by skilled player and coach Ricky Mango, which Rickey describes as a “training and certification program.”
While Manhattan-based Wildflower initially designed its $34 million Medford project as a warehouse and distribution facility, complete with 36-foot ceilings, 50-foot column spacing, 24 loading docks, and four drive-in bays, the developer is excited to welcome a recreational tenant to the property.
“We’re passionate about fitness and sports at Wildflower, so we’re delighted that Pickleball Heaven is opening in Medford,” said Adam Gordon, Wildflower’s managing partner. “We hope to attract more athletic-oriented facilities to the project.”
Rickey has ambitious plans to expand the Pickleball Heaven concept beyond the Medford location.
“We’re exploring locations in Nassau County, Williamsburg in Brooklyn, and other states including Connecticut, New Jersey, and possibly Chicago,” he said.
Pickleball Heaven in Medford is expected to open this fall. More details can be found on the company’s website at thepickleballheaven.com.
Mark Pawlitschek of Compass Commercial represented Pickleball Heaven, while Frank Frizalone and John Giannuzzi of Cushman & Wakefield represented the landlord, Wildflower Ltd., in the Medford lease transaction.
