For those who think the sport of pickleball is just another passing recreational fad like jai alai and racquetball, think again. The statistics tell a different story. According to a report by the Association of Pickleball Professionals, over 36 million people played pickleball between 2021 and 2022, likening its popularity among amateur sports enthusiasts to golf and tennis.
A cousin of racquetball, pickleball combines tennis, table tennis, and badminton played as either singles or doubles on a court similar to tennis rather than on a table like ping pong. The game has already taken off in Atlanta, with courts now open all over the city and surrounding suburbs.
Justin Amick and William Stallworth are betting on those staggering stats and pickleball’s immense popularity when they open their next gaming endeavor together, Painted Pickle, at Armour Yards in December. It joins SweetWater Brewing Co., Capella Cheese, East Pole Coffee, and Fox Bros Que-Osk at Armour Yards.
Like Amick and Stallworth’s other recreational restaurant ventures, the Painted Pin and the Painted Duck, Painted Pickle will go beyond just gameplay. Expect snacks like fried pickles, charcuterie boards, bowls and salads, and panini, along with classic cocktails, local beer on draft, and wines by the glass and bottle. There’s even a small sushi bar planned.
But don’t call Painted Pickle another “eatertainment” venue — a broad categorical term defining a restaurant or bar offering a variety of games. Amick defines Painted Pickle as something else entirely.
“In short, a ‘compeatery’ is a place to compete, eat, drink and be social,” Amick says. “We look forward to putting our stamp on pickleball — the fastest growing sport in the nation —with Painted Pickle.”
At 32,500 square feet, Painted Pickle will feature eight indoor pickleball courts and one outdoor court, a clubhouse with a pro shop, and an elevated central seating area overlooking the center court at…
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