Pickle Haus Is A 'True Win-Win' For Algonquin, Pickleball Lovers

ALGONQUIN, IL — Algonquin-area pickleball enthusiasts may have already discovered a game that has swept the nation, but before long, they will have a first-of-its-kind facility that village officials are calling a win-win for the area.

Pickle Haus, a sports-themed entertainment space that is designed along the lines of Top Golf, will open in November in the space formerly occupied by Dania Furniture on Randall Road. The facility, which is expected to be the first of its kind built in the greater Chicago area, will feature 12 pickleball courts and a restaurant designed by Sheamus Feely, a former featured chef at the James Beard House

The 41,000-square-foot facility is the brainchild of a collaborative effort between Hubbard Street Group and College Park Athletic Clubs, which has several suburban tennis clubs. Officials from the two groups wanted to create an entertainment destination that takes advantage of pickleball’s popularity and the ability to pair the game with good food and beverages.

Once completed, officials with the two groups said that they believe the Algonquin facility will become a "marquee location" in the pickleball and entertainment world.

In addition to the pickleball courts, the facility will also include three golf simulators, event space, and an outdoor patio. With so many entertainment options, the founders of Pickle Haus believe the space will help to create a new category that could soon spread across the greater Chicago area.

"Our vision for Pickle Haus is to provide a pickleball-focused entertainment experience that is unmatched in the industry," Graham Palmer, managing partner of Hubbard Street Group in Chicago said in a statement released when Pickle Haus’ Algonquin location was announced.

Palmer said the sports-themed entertainment space is the first of its kind to combine "best-in-class" pickleball courts with a top-tier food and beverage program. Guests will have the option to eat and drink courtside, at the bar, on the patio, or with grab-and-go convenience from the coffee bar. A select number of the courts will include cabanas that will add to the allure of the entertainment space.

The Village of Algonquin recently added eight pickleball courts to its park system, providing local players with a place to play without leaving the village limits. But adding a state-of-the-art facility that will boast so much to offer is a “fantastic addition” to the community, village President Debby Sosine said.

The location also proved to be a key piece of the formula, she said.

“Discovering a purpose for the vacant Dania Furniture building is a true win-win situation for both Pickle Haus and Algonquin,” Sosine said in a statement provided to Patch.

Hubbard Street Group has owned the former furniture store space at 1621 S. Randall Road since 2018 and had planned to lease it to a fitness center chain. However, officials with the Chicago developer said that plans changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That opened the door to Pickle Haus with construction recently beginning at the Randall Road location. Pickleball, which originated in 1965, has been the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for the last three years with an estimated 36.5 million players in 2022, officials said.

In the U.S., the sport grew at an 85.7 percent rate between 2021 and 2022. Globally, based on equipment and apparel revenue alone, pickleball is projected to be a $2.4 billion sport and entertainment sector by 2028, representing a 10.4 percent compounded annual growth rate.

"We are very focused on Algonquin, but we are definitely interested in expanding,” Jeff VanDixhorn, the owner of College Park Athletic Clubs told Crain’s Chicago Business about the group's business plan. “I think the important thing for us is that it has to be the right type of building in the right area to do our concept.”

While VanDixhorn believes that pickleball's popularity will be the initial draw to the facility, he said the uniqueness of the business model will help it to expand across the region.

“We’ve carefully designed an experience and are creating a vibe that will make Pickle Haus a go-to entertainment destination for the entire area," he said.