Several stories in 2023 put Austin among the top 3 most popular places to play pickleball. With the explosion of pickleball facilities, Austin should comfortably find itself on top of those lists for a long time to come. In addition to East Side Paddle Club and Austin Pickle Ranch, a couple of pickleball venues we’re excited about are Other Racquet Social Club and the forthcoming Home Quart.
Other Racquet is a private members club in East Austin with plans to open to the public. It has court-side cabanas, a member’s clubhouse and a NADC Burger food truck permanently on-site! Owner Matt Wolski tells Austin Lifestyle, “As pickleball has taken the world by storm, I spent a lot of time researching the facilities available in Austin and beyond and trying to develop a concept that I thought could meet the needs not just presently but where the sport was headed over the next 5-10 years. After a lot of consideration, it seemed the sport was dying for more facilities built solely for pickleball instead of trying to retrofit existing spaces to work for the sport. Through that focus, we were able to create something unique to not just Austin but the pickleball market nationwide. Our courts have the space and consideration to allow for high-level play and our amenities and space design foster that nostalgic tennis club atmosphere but through the lens of pickleball. I am really excited to bring a pickleball facility to market that gives the players something the tennis community has enjoyed for decades, a true pickleball club experience.”
And on South Congress, you may have seen the barricade that has been hiding Home Quart, the pickleball courts from the founders of The Museum of Ice Cream slated to open this month! As you would expect, they’ll be full of character – and pickles! We chatted with Manish Vora, Co-CEO and Founder of Museum of Ice Cream and Home Quart and he said they were venturing into pickleball because “Pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport for the last two years. The lack of human connection is a global pandemic… movies, bars, watching sports fail to inspire a digital generation. Home Quart is the first ever social sporting experience combining play, programming and food & beverage.”
He's quick to add that “Home Quart is not solely about pickleball, but how we enable people to break the ice, or share the pickle, to meet new people through shared experiences. The architecture, design, and flow were all created to encourage engagement and connection. Home Quart is for people who are open to new experiences, whether that’s playing interactive board games and pickleball or throwing on a costume, taking part in a blind pickle tasting or getting dunked in a pickle dunk tank.”
Austin will be the first Home Quart location, with more locations to come – and yes, there will be pickle-flavored ice cream.
Other Racquet Social Club: 2717 Manor Road, Austin, Texas 78722
Home Quart: 510 S Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78704
“Pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport for the last two years."
ACCESSORIES:
Austin-based brand Recess launched in 2021 with paddles featuring fun designs. They’ve since expanded to also include apparel and other accessories. https://www.recesspickleball.com/
OGIO is the official bag of the Professional Pickleball Association and the OGIO pickleball collection includes a Duffel, a Backpack and a Sling. In each bag you’ll find a pocket for everything, from your pickleball paddles to your tennis shoes. https://www.ogio.com/pickleball
The Ranchers recently released their first-ever merchandise collection, including this navy blue long-sleeve “Ride Tall” shirt. You can find it in the merch shop at https://ranchers.com/.