Picklemall in Tempe, Arizona, has had its lease terminated and is moving operations. Steve Kuhn was the lead financier of Picklemall, which was hoping to expand to 50 locations nationwide within two years. This ended up being its sole location.
Simon Property Group, owner of Arizona Mills, notified Picklemall the lease would not be renewed in May of 2024.
Picklemall was announced in May of 2023, and PicklePod co-hosts Zane Navratil and Thomas Shields even discussed it at the time.
Picklemall officially opened August 5 of last year and one year later, the company was told to have all of its belongings out by the end of the month.
At inception, the company, led by then CEO West Shaw, said, "the concept is primed for rapid expansion to 50 nationwide locations in 24 months."
The Tempe location was the only Picklemall to exist. In January of 2024, Shaw was hired by JOOLA to become the COO of Johns Design and Consulting, a pickleball facility consulting company led by Ben and Collin Johns.
Important Note: The Dink Minor League Pickleball event originally scheduled at the Picklemall in August has been moved to The Pickleball Guild.
In a statement made on the company’s website, GM of Picklemall Ben Worley had this to say:
To Our Cherished Picklemall Family,
It is with profound sadness that we share the news of Picklemall's unexpected closure due to the termination of our lease by Arizona Mills. Despite our best efforts to find a new home in time, we have not been successful, and our last day of play will be on Monday, July 22nd.
Your unwavering support and vibrant energy have made Picklemall a special place, and it pains us deeply to say goodbye to our beloved community. However, this isn't the end, but rather the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
We are thrilled to announce that all of our cherished programs and events will be moving to Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa. Initially, this beautiful facility will feature 41 outdoor pickleball courts, with plans to add covered, cooled courts and indoor spaces to enhance your playing experience.
Our vision is to create a more dynamic and enriching environment, complete with expanded food, beverage, and entertainment options. This move will allow us to foster an even stronger, more connected pickleball community in the greater east valley.
We warmly invite you to join us at Arizona Athletic Grounds, where we will continue to grow and thrive together.
For any specific inquiries, please contact Ben at ben@thepicklemall.com. We will be providing more information as needed, and we welcome you to visit us before July 23rd with any questions.
Serving this community has been our greatest joy, and we hope to see you all at our new location, ready to create more wonderful memories together.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
The Phoenix area still has a lot of good indoor pickleball options available, including The Pickle Guild (2), The Pickleball Space, Center Court (3), The Picklr (2), Pickleball Kingdom, Chicken N Pickle, and more.
