Husband and wife team of Denise and Will Richards, established first facility in Howard County last year, and recently opened new Pickleball venue in Carroll County
(Building photo credit: CoStar Group)
Dill Dinkers, a Pickleball venue which opened its first facility in Howard County in fall 2022 and established a new 12-court facility in Carroll County last month, has announced its expansion into the Montgomery County marketplace with the signing of a 28,552 lease at 4942 Boiling Brook Parkway within the Randolph Hills Complex. Founded by the husband-and-wife team of Denise and Will Richards, Dill Dinkers recently announced plans to expand its first facility at 9179 Red Branch Road in Columbia from six to 12 courts and, upon its expected opening in North Bethesda this summer with 11 courts, will control 35 pickleball courts throughout the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Bill Harrison, Senior Vice President; Ned Brady, Principal; and Eric Skogmo, Associate of Lee & Associates | Maryland represented the tenant. Randolph Buildings Limited Partnership is the landlord and owner of the building.
“Pickleball became popular during the pandemic when people looked for a way to entertain themselves and stay healthy, while still socially distancing. They started playing on makeshift indoor and outdoor courts,” explained Will Richards. “As they became more serious players, they started looking for high-quality venues in which they could play year-round, while also connecting with other people who shared their love for the sport. We truly believe the popularity of Pickleball is still in its infancy and Dill Dinkers is committed to remain ahead of the growth by identifying and securing strategic locations. Our team intends to remain steadfast and we envision establishing venues throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.”
Will and Denise Richards only recently caught the Pickleball bug themselves. A few years ago, while playing Pickleball in a Pennsylvania barn that lacked heat and proper restrooms during the middle of the winter, they noticed that, despite these deficiencies, “the place was packed with participants.” Soon thereafter, the couple started searching for a building suitable for an indoor facility in central Maryland.
The couple opened its first Dill Dinkers in Howard County in late 2022 and, several months ago, signed a lease to add 15,000 square feet of space to double the facility from six to 12 courts. The six new courts are expected to be functional in August. According to Richards, “the demand for Pickleball court time at our Columbia facility made it clear that we needed to expand. As soon as we had the opportunity, we jumped on it, and look forward to offering 12 courts in a few months.
“We have been overwhelmed by our reception from both businesses and consumers throughout Anne Arundel and Howard Counties and immediately began searching for new locations to build the Dill Dinkers brand,” Richards added. “We are aware that closed Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy stores in malls are being transformed into Pickleball venues. It seems there is a near insatiable demand for courts and all available spaces are being considered. We prefer flex and industrial/warehouse buildings because they can easily accommodate our layout and free parking is always readily available.”
North Bethesda location convenient to business and residential communities
4942 Boiling Brook Parkway is two-story building featuring 22-foot ceiling heights and more than 220,000 square feet of space. Located less than one mile from MD Route 355 (Rockville Pike), one and one-half mile from MD Route 586 (Viers Mill Road) and four miles from the Interstate 270, the site is within proximity to numerous business and residential communities and less than one mile from the proposed redevelopment of White Flint II. Several restaurants and supporting retail are within walking distance. More than 52,000 vehicles pass the site at the nearby intersection of Rockville Pike and Nicholson Lane.
“We have learned from our Columbia location that employees enjoy playing pickleball during their lunch break or immediately after work, so we are benefitted by the nearby office buildings and business communities,” Richards added. “So, when looking for the ideal Montgomery County site, that was an important consideration. Of course, proximity to densely-populated neighborhoods also played a role in our decision in order to draw both evening and weekend consumers, and this site will pull from the communities of Randolph Hills, Garrett Park Estates and more.”
Dill Dinkers will offer drop-in play, leagues and tournaments on its indoor courts and private lessons will be available from a team of certified professionals. Two “skinny courts,” measuring 15-feet wide, half the width of a standard Pickleball court, will be dedicated for singles play. The facility will also be equipped with black lights for glow-in-the dark pickleball events and parties. All activities are separated into men’s, women’s, co-ed, and youth categories at different skill levels. In lieu of an onsite restaurant amenity, a rotation of local food trucks will provide freshly-prepared meals in an array of different cuisines approximately once per month.
With the recent expansion, Dill Dinkers has added Monica Paolicelli, as the group’s Director of Pickleball to oversee all programming and operations. A McLean, Virginia resident and former soccer player at James Madison University, she was an original player on the DC Pickleball Team under the Major League Pickleball umbrella and is well-known on the pro circuit.
“Monica brings infectious energy to everything she is involved with and represents the perfect professional to guide our programming,” Richards said.
Dill Dinkers owners consider themselves “ambassadors for the sport of Pickleball”
Last month, the Dill Dinkers ownership group revealed plans to open an indoor pickleball facility at the former Carroll Tennis Center in the Finksburg section of Carroll County. “We consider ourselves ambassadors for the sport and we intend to continually market and promote the sport, in addition to providing training and education opportunities for people with every skillset,” Richards added.
“The pace of the sport allows people of all ages and skillsets to quickly embrace it and once you start playing, people from all different ages and demographics are instantly hooked. Upon walking off the court, people literally start thinking about when they will play next, instantly. I have never witnessed a Pickleball game in which the participants are not laughing, while also encouraging the competition. There is just something about this sport that immediately builds friendships and camaraderie.”
The sport dates to 1965 when two families in Washington State were searching for a fun activity to entertain their children. The group began gathering equipment laying around in a garage (old ping-pong paddles and a wiffle ball) and took advantage of a nearby badminton courts. Its ubiquitous name mirrors the collection of items used to invent the sport with a nod to “the pickle boat” in which oarsmen chosen for the crew are “leftovers of other boats.”
“Denise and Will Richard have created a highly-successful and popular concept from day one and are now looking to replicate this formula both locally and regionally,” explained Bill Harrison of Lee & Associates | Maryland. “The relative tightness of the light industrial and warehouse market will require creativity and diligence to uncover suitable locations to support this growth, but we are also encouraged by the vacant retail boxes in neighborhood strip centers and shopping malls that are being converted to this use. The Richards’passion for pickleball and commitment to grow the sport is inspiring and I believe you will continue to see other Dill Dinkers concepts popping up.”
Lee & Associates is a commercial real estate brokerage, management, and appraisal services firm. Established in 1979, Lee & Associates has grown its service platform to include offices in the United States and Canada. Lee & Associates provides superior market intelligence in office, industrial, retail, investment and appraisal to meet the specialized needs of our clients. Visit https://www.lee-associates.com/offices/office/?id=1591
