The unique family- and pet-friendly social hot spot and pickleball venue, Pickleball Social, offers seven indoor courts and six outdoor courts as well as a sports bar, food trucks, huge TV screens, Karaoke rooms and a pro shop with pickleball gear.
I had the opportunity to sit down with owners Juan Carlos Flores and Ivan Alvarez to get to know them and discover what Pickleball Social is all about.
LSQ: How did the two of you meet?
JUAN CARLOS: We met in San Antonio during college many moons ago (30 years ago) and we have been hanging out ever since.
IVAN: And now we live close by and our kids go to the same schools.
LSQ: What led to you opening Pickleball Social?
IVAN: We had talked about opening an entertainment place together for a few years, but didn't know what. We visited our friend, who is now our manager, at a pickleball club and we fell in love with the game.
JUAN CARLOS: A few weeks later we went skiing in Vail and on the way back a snow storm delayed our flight for five hours. That’s where we decided to open Pickleball Social.
IVAN: We were immediately drawn to the game. The five-hour flight delay was what gave us the perfect opportunity to solidify our decision.
LSQ: Share a little about what you offer at Pickleball Social?
JUAN CARLOS: Entertaining and spending quality time with friends and family has always been important to both of us. From the very beginning, our vision for Pickleball Social was to create a place where people could not only enjoy playing pickleball but also socialize and have a great time.
IVAN: Pickleball is such a naturally social sport, offering the perfect mix of friendly competition and interaction. We've aimed to create a family-friendly environment where everyone, regardless of their skill level, can enjoy a bit of competition along with good food and drinks, karaoke, and we always have sports playing on our screens.
LSQ: Do you offer classes for those who've never played Pickleball?
IVAN: Yes, we offer group and private classes as well as summer camps for kids.
LSQ: What can be expected in terms of community events and special offerings?
JUAN CARLOS: We offer specials for our armed forces, weekly specials on open play for players 55+, and from time to time we will have free live music.
LSQ: How many locations do you have?
IVAN: We opened our first location in 2023 on Conrad Sauer Drive. Cypress will be our second location and we have a third, San Antonio location (where we met), in the works in The Rim area.
LSQ: What would you say sets you apart from other Pickleball clubs or venues?
JUAN CARLOS: We are different from other Pickleball clubs where their main focus is pickleball and the players tend to be super competitive and want to be the best player. We are more of an entertainment facility where the main attraction is Pickleball, but our focus is on creating a fun experience for all levels of players.
IVAN: We believe Pickleball Social offers a different experience compared to other pickleball clubs. Our primary focus is on creating a fun and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of their skill level. Instead of a focus solely on elite performance, at Pickleball Social the social experience is just as important as the game itself.
"We've aimed to create a family-friendly environment where everyone, regardless of their skill level, can enjoy a bit of competition along with good food and drinks."