Dill Dinkers Pickleball Expanding to DC
By Keith Loria November 9, 2023 2:59 pm
reprints
Two local businessmen, Travis Andrews and Jonathan Boateng, have partnered up to take the Dill Dinkers pickleball brand to Washington, D.C. The duo have signed a regional development deal with Dill Dinkers to open five indoor pickleball facilities in the District over the next five years.
Earlier this year, the duo were introduced to the founders of Dill Dinkers, Will and Denise Richards, and thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved with their company.
Since its beginning in November 2022 in Columbia, Md., Dill Dinkers has expanded with more than 65 locations in seven states.
The D.C. deal is the second regional deal for the pickleball company, which focuses on indoor courts, and follows a 20-facility deal in San Antonio, Texas, made earlier this year.
“There’s just not enough locations in D.C. to play pickleball today,” Andrews told Commercial Observer.
He and Boateng will look for franchisees to manage the venues, or possibly develop sites themselves.
As of now, there have been no specific D.C. locations chosen, but the duo have their sights set on certain neighborhoods..
“We’re looking at some facilities in Georgetown, the Navy Yard, Northeast D.C., and we’re prospecting different locations to see if they meet the requirements,” Boateng told CO. “We’re looking for places that are at least 16,000 square feet, ideally 20,000 square feet, with 18- to 25-foot ceiling heights.”
The hope is to get one pickleball location open every year, he added. In addition to Maryland and Texas, Dill Dinkers has locations in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Connecticut.
“A core aspect of our mission is to support entrepreneurs and the professional indoor experience,” Andrews said. “We deeply believe that our success is intrinsically linked to the success of our franchisees, and we are thrilled to introduce the friendly and inclusive community that Dill Dinkers has built.”
The Sports & Fitness Industry Association estimates more than 8.9 million people have started playing pickleball in the past few years, growing by 85.7 percent year-over-year in 2023.
Keith Loria can be reached at Kloria@commercialobserver.com.
