Who Are the Surprising New Occupants of Empty Big-Box Stores?

Pickleball seems to be everywhere these days. All across the country, America’s fastest-growing sport is attracting players of all ages. Yet pickleball is having some growing pains – most notably noise complaints and a lack of space to play. Such is the popularity of this paddle sport that public parks, recreation areas, and tennis courts are limiting the use of their facilities by pickleball players so that others have the chance to enjoy them, too.

With nearly nine million Americans looking for somewhere to play their new favorite sport, an unlikely solution has begun to emerge. Just as pickleball is growing in popularity, an increasing number of stores in shopping malls are sitting empty and unused as more shoppers move online. From Missouri to New Jersey, empty storefronts that once housed large retailers such as Old Navy, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Burlington Coat Factory are increasingly finding new lives as homes for pickleball clubs.

Pickleball, anyone?