A racket, a wiffle ball, a half-sized tennis court and a love for the game—pickleball is the rapidly growing sport sweeping the nation.
Beginner-friendly and intuitive, pickleball has something for all—from competitive athletes to players seeking a low-impact workout, to those wanting to connect with friends.
Welcoming players of all ages and skill levels, Robbinsville Pickle House is the largest pickleball facility in the Northeast. A 60,000-square-foot facility with 19 indoor courts and a full kitchen and tap, Pickle House aims to fill the gap between competitive play and social entertainment, bringing a Topgolf-like atmosphere to the world of pickleball.
“Pickleball is an incredible sport for not only the recreational player but the competitive player as well,” says Taylor Hartman, pickleball enthusiast from Yardville and general manager of Pickle House. “It’s an easy learning curve, and you can kind of make what you want of it.”
Invented in 1965 by two dads on Bainbridge Island, Washington, pickleball began as a creative solution to a mundane afternoon. With a badminton court, no equipment, and only ping pong paddles on hand, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell combined elements of tennis, ping pong and badminton to create their own makeshift family game.
By 1976, Tennis magazine dubbed pickleball “America’s newest racquet sport.” In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed, later rebranded as USA Pickleball in 2005. By 1990, pickleball courts were popping up all over the country.
Today, pickleball stands out as one of the nation’s most approachable sports for people of all ages and athletic abilities.
Played on a badminton-sized court with a net just two inches lower than a tennis net, pickleball uses ping-pong-like paddles and a durable wiffle ball. The game can be played as doubles or singles, offering a fun alternative to more complex racket sports.
Pickle House offers a plethora of amenities in addition to its facilities. The club features a full kitchen with an extensive menu of American bar food, including burgers, wraps, salads and shareable items.
Hartman says she considers a standout feature to be the self-serve tap wall, which offers a variety of drinks such as beer, wine, cocktails, Gatorade and cold-brew coffee.
The facility is the brainchild of entrepreneur Christopher Vernon, founder of Mercer Management, a Hamilton-based development, property management and hospitality company.
In addition to its numerous courts, Pickle House also features an in-house restaurant, state-of-the-art sports lighting and temperature control with air conditioning and radiant heat.
“The social aspect really brings a lot of people together, and it’s just so fun meeting tons of new people in the sport that are enjoying the same thing you are,” Hartman says.
The general manager brings a strong background in Pickleball, having played for more than two years. Before joining Pickle House, she was a full-time coach at Lifetime Fitness in Plainsboro.
“It’s more of a destination than just a pickleball club,” Hartman says. “Our goal is to just continue to spread the word about being the largest in the area and the amenities that we offer in such a great location and hometown to ownership.”
Pickle House also offers diverse programming for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. New players can participate in introductory sessions, while intermediate and advanced players can join local pro matches, weekend socials, member mixers, and in-house tournaments. The club also hosts larger events, including events hosted by national brands.
“We have some local pros playing at the club which is really fun and exciting,” Hartman says. “We do tons of different things–weekend socials, member mixers, in-house tournaments, tournaments that come in, UTR is a big partner of ours, they host golden ticket events at the club, so just really having the opportunity and the space to host really large things is great.”
Pickle House has leveraged a partnership with USA Pickleball to connect with the wider pickleball community. The organization’s large network of local ambassadors has helped promote the facility and its events to players far and wide. The collaboration has played a key role in promoting tournaments to visitors within New Jersey and those interested in visiting.
Says Hartmann: “To have USA pickleball connected through the club is another way that people can find out about the facility if they’re looking for things to do or if they are traveling to New Jersey and want to find pickleball, USA Pickleball is just a good middle-man for that. So collaborating with them in regards to just getting the word out about the facility is kind of why we did that.”
Pickle House also offers family memberships, and plans to launch a junior’s program in the near-future. The program will cater to kids ages 8 to 15, offering clinics and camps, aiming to become the best in the area for youth pickleball development.
Pickle House is located on West Manor Way in the space formerly occupied by the Bob Smith Soccer Academy. The facility is situated in a complex with The Robbinsville Hampton Inn and Suites, where competitors and out-of-state visitors can stay during events.
“Being in Robbinsville, you’re in a very centralized location, you’re close to 95, you’re close to the turnpike, it’s just a really good opportunity just for people from all over the northeast to come and visit,” Hartman says.
She describes the facility as “community-focused, innovative, and energetic,” emphasizing the club’s goal of fostering a welcoming spirit. “We want to have a family feel when you walk through the door. We want to know everybody’s name, we want to laugh and smile with our members and just really bringing the sense of family and culture is the goal of the Pickle House and I would say if we’re not fully there yet we’re very close,” Hartman says.
Pickle House will hold a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 15 , from 6-9 p.m. For more details on upcoming events, tournaments, and membership options, visit robbinsvillepicklehouse.com or contact info@robbinsvillepicklehouse.com.
