National pickleball chain to open second Long Island club, in former Best Buy space in East Northport

The largest indoor-pickleball chain in the nation has scored a second Long Island location, as the fastest-growing sport draws more local players.

The Picklr will open in a 47,800-square-foot space at 3124 Jericho Tpke. in East Northport next year, said Tom Neale, majority owner of the franchise company that will own the pickleball club.

It's "a great building in a great location we're thrilled about securing," Neale said. "We think that's best-in-class space, which will translate to [a] best-in-class pickleball club." Neale said he anticipates a fall 2026 opening.

The venue is being planned as pickleball undergoes an unprecedented surge in participation nationwide. 

That growth is due to several factors, including the access that the sport offers, Alex Kerman, senior director and head of research at the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, said in an email.

"The sport is incredibly accessible — you can play in a driveway, on a street, at a park, or in a gym — which lowers the barrier of finding a court. Its social nature also played a major role, especially as people soug h t opportunities to reconnect with friends and family after the [COVID-19] pandemic," he said. 

The Picklr's East Northport franchise, called The Picklr Commack, will have 15 courts, as well as a member lounge, full pro shop, grab-and-go cafe, locker room and private event space, Neale said.

He is the founder of Pickleball Long Island, the franchisee with The Picklr rights on Long Island.

The franchisee will own The Picklr opening in East Northport, as well as one opening in Centereach this fall, which Newsday reported in March.

The Picklr’s East Northport space was occupied for 23 years by a Best Buy store, which closed in March 2024. The location has an East Northport mailing address, but it is actually in Elwood.

The Picklr planned for Centereach, with 11 pickleball courts in a 33,900-square-foot space, will open around Thanksgiving, Neale said. The space, at 231 Centereach Mall, was vacated by a Big Lots store in summer 2024.

Neale also opened a Picklr in Manahawkin, New Jersey, in March and will open another in New Jersey, in East Brunswick, in 2026, he said.

Arete Sports Group, Neale’s advisory and investment company, will manage and operate the clubs.

Neale’s Picklr locations each will employ 30 to 35 full- and part-time workers, including instructors, he said.

More players, more clubs

Pickleball is a sport played with a paddle and small plastic ball that has similarities to badminton, tennis and table tennis.

Pickleball was the fastest-growing sport in the United States in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year, according to a report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, which is based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Last year, 19.8 million Americans participated in pickleball, a 45.8% increase from 2023, the report said.

Participation in the sport will continue to grow, but not at the unprecedented rate seen in the past several years, Kerman said. 

"Prior to this surge, pickleball infrastructure was extremely limited, so the recent wave of investment [in new facilities] was essential to meet the rising demand," he said. 

The pickleball boom on Long Island has led to more indoor courts opening, and some towns upgrading existing outdoor courts or building new ones.

Venues that have opened in the last year include TopSpin Pickleball, which opened in Hauppauge this month; Sportime Pickleball Westbury, which opened in March; and Box Pickleball Container Bar & Kitchen, an indoor pickleball facility and eatery that opened in Riverhead in December.

A Pickleball Xpress opened in Islip in May 2024.

Pickleball Smash-It opened in Samanea New York Mall in Westbury in 2023.

Neale isn’t worried about an oversaturation of the pickleball market hurting The Picklr’s profitability because the chain offers not only walk-in play, but also monthly and yearly memberships that include unlimited play and participation in the club's leagues and tournaments, he said.

This is “not just another club on Long Island," Neale said. "This is a brand-new model. ... And that proof of concept has been delivered for us with our Jersey location.”

The New Jersey location's revenue has exceeded expectations, he said. 

The introductory cost for new members at The Picklr in Centereach is $149 per month or $1,499 for the year, according to the website. The prices for the East Northport location have not been published yet, but they will not be less than the prices for Centereach, Neale said.

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Kaysville, Utah, The Picklr is the largest chain of indoor pickleball courts in the United States, excluding gyms that have pickleball courts.

The chain has 54 clubs open across the country and eight more that will open by the end of the year, Kathryn Bullough, chief marketing officer, wrote in an email to Newsday.

Additionally, there are 27 leases signed for openings in the first half of 2026, she said.

“Also, we have sold more than 500 [franchise] locations globally, in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. — all of which will be open by the end of 2028,” she said.

By Tory N. Parrish

tory.parrish@newsday.comToryParrish1

Tory N. Parrish covers retail and small business for Newsday. She has worked at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Observer-Dispatch in Utica, N.Y.