Coming attraction: Pickleball courts to take up residence in former movie theater
- Updated
If you live in the Elk River area, pickleball is coming to a former movie theater near you.
Matt and Julie Russo have signed a lease with Adam Price of Price Homes to open a tropical-themed destination this fall with seven pickleball courts, a pro shop, snack bar with smoothies, a lounge, flexible event space and a mezzanine with additional activities and viewing areas of the courts below at 570 Freeport Ave. in Elk River.
The indoor pickleball club will consume 21,750 of the existing 40,000-square-foot structure at that address.
The Russos, who have a Zimmerman mailing address but reside in Baldwin Township, got a conditional use permit approved at the June 16 Elk River City Council meeting. The parcel on which the business sits is 5.69 acres in size and is zoned mixed use. Commercial recreational facilities require a CUP.
The couple hasn’t played the sport all that many years, but they do play in a league in Princeton that runs inside an elementary school.
“It’s fun,” Julie told the Star News.
One of the things the pair likes about the sport is it is intergenerational. Players can be six years old, and they can be 80.
“We have seen all those ages,” Matt said. “It’s fun and it’s pretty social.”
Idea for business grew out of cabin fever
Like a lot of Minnesotans, Matt and Julie Russo reach a point in the wintertime when cabin fever sets in. One of their coping mechanisms the last half-dozen years has been dreaming about their futures and what life could look like after hanging up their corporate careers. They have given thoughts to opening a food truck business, a wine bar and others, but somehow these ideas always manage to lose momentum by spring or summer.
This past winter, when the Russos’ thoughts turned to the idea of opening a pickleball business, it stuck.
They started looking at other facilities across the metro, gathering ideas and dreaming of what their business could look like.
They looked at two facilities with space for lease, and one of them made immediate sense.
It was the property that Adam Price is developing. While working to create a showroom and headquarters for Price Homes, he began preparing spaces for potential tenants.
He first landed a chiropractic office, and foot traffic at the former box office continues to build.
The Russos considered the suites at first, but realized quickly the big open space opposite the showroom made the most sense.
“They (Price Homes) had already taken out all the seating, so it was down to the dirt floor,” Matt said, and Julie added “it was easy to conceptualize what it would look like (as pickleball courts).”
Regulation pickleball courts are 20 feet wide by 45 feet long, and the support beams didn’t stand in the way of placing seven courts.
“The former theater was perfect for many reasons,” Julie said. “It would be a great place for something to do here, and with all the parking (space) and everything that was there for the theater. It’s a prime location right here on the highway.
“Plus, all the feedback we have gotten seems very positive. Everyone seems excited for this to come to the area.”
There are outdoor courts in the Elk River area, and there are also indoor pickleball options at the Elk River YMCA and accommodations will be made this year at the Furniture and Things Community Event Center for use outside of the busy seasons in the fieldhouse there.
The Russos expect the fall to be a good time to open, but they also believe the facility will be a draw year-round.
“Let’s face it, and June has proven it already,” Matt said. “It can go from cold and rainy to 95 degrees in a day.
“From what I hear, a lot of people still want to play indoors, even during summers in Minnesota.”
Matt became aware of pickleball while a member at Lifetime Fitness in Coon Rapids. The Illinois native grew up playing racquetball, and continued well into adulthood. But its popularity began to dwindle in front of his eyes.
Back in about 2018 Lifetime transitioned one of its two racquetball courts to alternative uses. The fitness gym also picked up pickleball paddles and a movable net.
“We started goofing around with that stuff, while waiting (for the racquetball court) to open up,” Matt recalls.
Like a lot of others, he took to it. It grew in popularity there and around the country. Matt and Julie now both play. There are several reasons Matt and Julie like the idea of a pickleball business.
It has a pretty short learning curve, and it doesn’t demand the same level of skill for players who come at it from different ages and abilities.
“It’s kind of like playing ping pong on top of a ping pong table,” Matt said. “One of the things I think is really cool about it is you could have multi-generational people on the court and no one would be too overly matched.”
Julie grew up in Princeton, and spent a lot of time at the movie theater in Elk River and has fond memories of her experiences.
The Russos have chosen a tropical theme for their business. Think Miami Vice with hot pink and teal green colors, which is why they have chosen to keep carpeting from the former movie theater.
“It goes with our paradise theme,” Julie said.
The facility will be open to all ages to rent time by the hour or come for open play where people can drop in and get paired with others to create teams.
The Russos say Pickle Paradise will bring health, wellness and other benefits to the community, offering programs for leagues, youth, seniors and private groups. The Russos anticipate 700-900 visitors per week, with the hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week and limited closures on major holidays. The facility will be staffed by 2-3 people during regular business hours and up to six during peak hours or events.
The plan is also to have lessons and introductory specials to get beginners interested.
The Russos hope to do so well they can expand their business before the former theater facility fills up with other tenants.
