A pickleball center in Long Island City is offering a discount to Queens residents for midweek games and lessons.
CityPickle, which opened at 9-03 44th Rd. last September, is offering 20% discounts for court reservations and clinics before 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It also offers discounts for “open plays,” allowing people to play drop-in matches with fellow pickleball enthusiasts and meet new friends.
“Not everyone has a group of people who wants to play pickleball or who can play pickleball at the same time as them,” CityPickle CEO Erica Desai said. “Open play is a very popular way to play pickleball because it’s a very social sport. It’s a great way to meet other people who are interested in playing at the same level as you are.”
Desai co-founded CityPickle with her friend Mary Cannon in August 2021 and operated several pop-up locations around the city before acquiring a 10,000-square-foot space in Long Island City that boasts four pickleball courts and a full restaurant.
Pickleball, a racket sport that appears similar to tennis, is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. Desai said it is accessible to people of all ages, abilities and fitness.
Desai said it has been a “fantastic” experience to open CityPickle’s first permanent location in Long Island City. She said the local community has “warmly welcomed” the company. She added that the midweek discount for Long Island City residents is an acknowledgment of that warm welcome.
“It’s so important for us to get to know the neighborhood and we really want to build a great community around Pickleball,” Desai said. “CityPickle’s goal is to share the joy and community of pickleball with as many people as possible.
“We think that getting to know people in Long Island City and the surrounding areas who are interested in playing pickleball is a really big part of what we want to do. We want to build that community around pickleball so people can come and share that experience with each other.”
Desai described pickleball as a very social sport, adding that many players often stay for food or drinks in CityPickle’s bar and restaurant.
She said CityPickle’s Long Island City location offers happy hour specials from 4-6 p.m. every day, with cocktails available for $10.
“A pretty great thing to do would be to play pickleball and then stay and take advantage of some of our specials after you play,” Desai said.
Looking ahead to the summer, Desai said CityPickle will be running children’s summer camps starting in July.
She added that the camp will run from 9 a.m. until noon every day of the week and will be available for kids aged 8-13.
However, she emphasized that pickleball is equally popular among adults and children, stating that it is suitable for anyone aged 8-88.
Desai said CityPickle hosts several adult birthday parties each week and can accommodate parties of up to 80 people.
“It’s kind of a perfect setting for a birthday party,” Desai said. “And because pickleball is for all ages, it could be a 10-year-old’s birthday party, or it could be a 40-year-old’s, and it’s still really fun.”
She added that CityPickle regularly hosts corporate teambuilding events, with colleagues taking to the courts before enjoying a drink or two in the CityPickle bar.
Desai said that socializing is at the heart of pickleball, stating that she has seen many pickleball players amass entirely new friend groups since taking up the sport.
“I can’t tell you how many people I know who now have an entire group of friends that they refer to as their pickleball friends. It’s really a great way to meet new people and it’s one of the special things about pickleball.”
