Pickleplex Social Club has grown from its first location in Barrie to 12 clubs across Ontario, with plans to nearly double by year end.
In a market where retailers are pulling back, they’re signing leases and filling courts. In the past year or so:
- Named the official host venue for the 2026 Pickleball Canada National Championship (August 25 to 30)
- Returned to The Well in downtown Toronto for a second year with RioCan for their pop-up activation
- Launched a floating pickleball court on Toronto’s waterfront
- Members averaging 30 hours on court per month
In an email interview, Steven Fry, Co-Founder President and CEO of Pickleplex, and Justin Farbstein, Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer of Pickleplex, talk about the company’s plans.
While many Canadian retailers are slowing expansion, Pickleplex is accelerating—what’s driving your confidence to keep signing leases and scaling right now?
We’re seeing very strong, consistent demand for high-quality indoor and outdoor racquet sport experiences, and that demand is still underserved in most markets. Our model is built around recurring membership, which gives us good visibility into revenue and utilization early on. At the same time, landlords are actively looking for experiential tenants that drive traffic and community engagement, which aligns well with what we offer. Partnerships like Cadillac Fairview on the top level of the parkade at Shops at Don Mills is a good example of repurposing underutilized space into vibrant pickleball destinations shows how retail real estate is evolving, and we’re well positioned to be part of that shift.
You’ve grown from one location in Barrie to 14 across Ontario—what does your ideal location look like today, and how has your real estate strategy evolved?
Our ideal location has always started with a retail-first mindset—high-quality, high-traffic areas where people already spend their time. From day one, we prioritized visibility, accessibility, and being embedded in strong communities over simply finding the cheapest space.
As we’ve grown, our strategy has expanded to include a wider mix of formats—malls, select industrial spaces, outdoor builds, and more unique specialty locations. That evolution allows us to reach players in different ways while staying true to the core principle of meeting people where they live, work, and socialize.
Members are averaging 30 hours on court per month—what’s behind that level of engagement, and how does it translate into business performance?
Pickleball is inherently social and easy to pick up, which drives frequency, but we’ve built a structured programming model that keeps members engaged—leagues, clinics, ladders, and social play. Our clubs become part of people’s weekly routines. That level of usage translates directly into strong retention and ancillary revenue across lessons, events, and food and beverage where applicable. It also creates a strong community dynamic, which is a big driver of long-term value.
How important are experiential activations and partnerships—like your work with RioCan and The Well—in building the brand and driving traffic?
They’re a core part of our strategy. We’re not just building courts—we’re building destinations. Partnerships with groups like RioCan and activations at The Well have shown how pickleball can anchor a broader lifestyle experience. These types of activations drive meaningful foot traffic, introduce new players to the sport, and create a much stronger brand connection than a traditional facility alone. Our work with Cadillac Fairview at Shops at Don Mills is another step in that direction, bringing the sport into a highly curated retail environment.
What does hosting the 2026 Pickleball Canada National Championship mean for Pickleplex’s brand positioning and future growth?
Hosting the Pickleball Canada Nationals is a major milestone for us. It reinforces our position as a leading operator in the country and validates the quality of our facilities and programming. It also brings national visibility to the brand, both with players and with potential partners and landlords. Events like this help accelerate growth by building credibility, attracting new members, and opening doors to larger partnerships and future expansion opportunities.
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