The newly opened Pickleball Warehouse in Pittsburgh is based on the idea of the fun, spontaneity and fellowship of open play. Since July 2024, Pickleball Warehouse has been Pittsburgh’s largest indoor pickleball facility with two private courts and 17 courts dedicated to open play.
Husband and wife Bryan Wigginton and Alexa Gervasi saw a gap in the pickleball market with a lack of indoor playing space. With that observation, the idea for Pickleball Warehouse started to form. Nearly six months into the open play business model they are having a great time and their players seem to feel the same way.
“Most clubs measure their success by the number of members,” Bryan says. “While we have nearly 200 members, we love the nature of drop-in pickleball and encourage that as well.”
Bryan says they started playing at a local park with four courts and loved the characteristics of drop-in with people always being there, playing for hours and always seeing new faces. He says they met a lot of interesting people and wanted to carry that feeling year-round at Pickleball Warehouse.
Pickleball Warehouse offers yearly, month-to-month, family and drop-in pricing for those who just can’t make that long of a commitment. Anyone interested in playing pickleball can stop in and grab a court for just 30 minutes or hourly.
Pickleball Warehouse offers all the activities players expect including weekly league play, monthly tournaments, lessons, lessons with pros and a focus on social events.
These activities help reinforce the feeling of camaraderie and inclusiveness that Pickleball Warehouse strives for.
“We don’t like the ‘clique’ mentality that can sometimes happen in competitive settings,” Bryan says. “That’s why our club is based on open play and keeping the focus on having fun along with playing pickleball.”
Some of those activities that are fun AND include pickleball are:
Moneyball – For a nominal entry fee players can join in tournament-style fun and possibly walk away with a little cash! Some tournaments are singles, others are doubles as well as mixed doubles allowing everybody in on the fun. Competitions are typically held on Friday nights and while the payout varies from Winner Takes All to top three cash-in, all players know it’s guaranteed to be a good time.
Pickleball Pong tournaments – The Warehouse After Dark Pickleball Pong Tournament keeps players dinking (and drinking) until midnight! Using five-gallon buckets instead of solo cups, players try to eliminate others by hitting their ball into their opponent’s bucket. So yes, there is some skill involved and skills gained by working on ball placement. It’s a win-win! And with nearly 50 players in the tournament, it is also well-received.
Dink & Date – Pickleball is a great way to connect with others, so why not take it to the next level with a possible love connection? The event was marketed to single players of all levels and included a demo for beginners and open play for all registrants. With a motto of “Even if you don’t find love, at least you got to play pickleball” the lighthearted event was a smash hit.
Many entrepreneurs will tell you their most successful businesses were the ones they believed in the most. The Pickleball Warehouse relishes in the open play opportunities and still rewards members with discounted tournament fees and private court options. Their consistent marketing messaging even attracts out-of-towners through social media asking to book court time while road-tripping around the country.
There isn’t one right way to run a pickleball club! Follow your heart and the members – and fun – will follow!
