PICKLES: THE highest quality pickleball facility there is.

In less than two years, Lisa DeMeritt went from wife and mother to business owner and the co-founder of a thriving private pickleball facility, Pickles, in Hanover, Massachusetts, which opened in 2020 and has since welcomed over 5,000 registered players. 

DeMeritt, a college athlete, began playing pickleball at a local recreation court a few years ago. With her children now in college, she realized there was a business opportunity in the sport that she had grown to love. “I asked [Lisa] what she was passionate about one night at dinner and her answer was simply pickleball,” said her husband, Dustin DeMeritt. “She said 'I don't want to be in the entertainment or the restaurant business, I want to be in the pickleball business. I want to build the highest quality pickleball facility there is.’" 

DeMeritt ran into hurdle after hurdle when looking for space. Despite rejections from property owners who didn’t know what pickleball was, she persisted to find someone who believed in her vision. In collaboration with her partner Wanda Melampy, they have built a thriving facility with six indoor tournament-sized courts, two indoor practice courts, and players’ lounge with eight full-time coaches. 

After initially assuming the facility would primarily serve existing pickleball players, DeMeritt and Melampy had to adjust her original business model. 

‘What they actually built was a place for people to come and learn a sport. Over half of the registered players at Pickles had never held a paddle before, so a major focus is teaching the sport of pickleball; demand for lessons, clinics and leagues has soared,” Dustin said. “Our mission is to connect people of all ages, shapes, backgrounds, beliefs and ability – so that they can elevate themselves, enrich the lives of others and find a sense of belonging anywhere. We’re just glad we can play a small part in that.”

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