A Philadelphia family turned decades of property and business experience into a $4.5 million indoor pickleball club built on all-inclusive membership and a family-run customer experience.
There’s a certain advantage to building a business on a piece of property that your family has already spent decades developing.
Pine Valley Pickleball is the latest chapter in a much longer family story. The eight-and-a-half-acre property in Philadelphia has housed several businesses over the years, from landscaping and snow removal to the self-storage operation that ultimately helped make the club possible. When the family decided to put $4.5 million into a new indoor pickleball facility, they were applying what they already knew in business to a new industry.
“It was right around when pickleball blew up and got crazy a little bit after the pandemic,” said Jason Supowitz, one of the directors of operation and part-owner. “Everybody and anybody was getting involved in pickleball and facilities started popping up everywhere.”
For Supowitz, building a club on the family property made sense. With a background in exercise science and as a former soccer player who had always enjoyed racquet sports, he saw a natural connection between his experience and a sport that was rapidly gaining players. But Pine Valley wasn’t going to be a side project for one member of the family. It became a family operation.
Supowitz’s sister, Aubrey Andersen, eventually joined the business as a director of operation and part owner after 17 years as a teacher. After getting married and having a child, she was ready for a change and the family business gave her one.
The family structure has become one of Pine Valley’s most important differentiators, shaping how the facility is staffed and how customers are treated.
“We really pride ourselves in that it’s family run and operated,” said Andersen. “We were very particular in hiring our front desk staff and we really try to create that Pine Valley Pickleball family. We really do try to know everyone’s name that walks in here and build those relationships.”
Designing the Physical Space
A similarly deliberate approach shaped the physical facility. The $4.5 million price tag is significant, but Pine Valley’s strategy wasn’t to outspend competing facilities. Financing took more than two and a half years to secure, given zoning, permits and variances, and once construction could move forward, the family focused on details that might not show up on a business plan but matter considerably to players.
The courts were built around the full playing environment rather than maximizing the number of courts that could fit inside the building, following the recommended 30-by-60-foot footprint around each. High ceilings, positioned lighting and black backdrops improve visibility, while attention to acoustics addresses one of the most common complaints in indoor pickleball, and the courts feature seven-layer cushioned surfaces from SportMaster.
“We wanted to provide everyone with that ultimate experience when you walk in through the door,” said Andersen.
Before opening, Supowitz visited roughly 20 different pickleball facilities, playing at them, asking questions and talking to members — treating each one as a case study.
“I just tried to be a part of the community so I could see what it’s like as a customer,” said Supowitz. “I looked at what I liked and what I didn’t like and molded it into what was going to fit best here.”
The research shows up throughout the operations, which offers a pro shop, vending machines, a private event room and a mezzanine overlooking six of the back courts, plus a padel court and Supowitz’s fitness workshop, where he runs injury-prevention programming with TRX trainers, foam rollers and mats. Rather than one open warehouse, the family separated the space, cutting noise while giving customers reasons to stay beyond a single reservation.
Removing Friction for Members
Even so, the family hasn’t confused more amenities with a better business. In fact, its most important offering, according to Supowitz, is its simplicity. Pine Valley’ standard membership is all-inclusive, covering open play, private court reservations, leagues and tournaments, pro shop discounts and guest passes, with balls and loaner paddles available courtside and booking handled online.
“I loved playing pickleball, but going in and paying a fee, then paying a paddle fee if I didn’t have a paddle, a ball fee if I didn’t have a ball, and all these other fees weren’t great,” said Supowitz. “We want it to be as seamless as possible at Pine Valley.”
The same instinct to remove friction shows up in programming. Pine Valley’s open-play structure targets one of pickleball’s most persistent barriers for newer players: not having anyone to play with. Members can register for beginner, intermediate or advanced sessions without already having a group waiting for them, and staff direct them toward similar-level players — turning the club into a matchmaking mechanism as much as a court provider.
“We have people that just started with us and we’re getting to know them,” said Andersen. “They know no one and then a couple weeks later they have an entire friend group and are hanging out outside our facility.”
That’s the kind of growth Pine Valley is most interested in — creating a facility people want to return to and bring others into.
It’s also why the family isn’t treating the current operation as finished.
Growth with Limits
Pine Valley opened May 2, 2026, and its early months provided a relatively forgiving environment for working through operational issues before the busier fall and winter seasons arrive. Court utilization, foot traffic, memberships and private events have all been increasing, according to the siblings, who are already considering whether to cap membership.
If membership becomes so large that members can’t access courts, the very product Pine Valley is selling begins to lose value. The family would rather have a full membership with available court access than maximize membership numbers just because it can.
“We don’t want to oversaturate ourselves to the point where people can’t even utilize the perks of the membership,” said Andersen.
What Comes Next
The early boom of the industry rewarded facilities that could open their doors and attract players. As it matures, the next phase is likely to reward operators who understand why customers stay.
For Pine Valley, the answer combines substantial physical investment, an all-inclusive approach and a family ownership model the shapes how the business interacts with its customers.
Andersen and Supowitz also aren’t pretending they have everything figured out. They maintain a suggestion box at the facility and review the feedback regularly — paddle racks, ball carriers, a ball machine and other improvements all came from customer requests.
“Really just listen because those are your people coming in, giving you business,” advised Andersen.
In an industry where facilities can look similar from the outside, the family is competing on what’s harder to replicate — knowing its customers, responding to them and creating an experience that feels intentionally built rather than mass-produced.
“We still have a long way to go,” said Supowitz. “But we’re, I think, trending in the right direction and constantly growing.”
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Jordan Meek is a staff writer for Pickleball Innovators, where she covers the rapidly evolving business of pickleball — from facility growth and technology to player experience and industry strategy. A graduate of Denison University with a degree in Journalism, she joined Peake Media in 2025 and brings a passion for storytelling and curiosity to every piece. Jordan is driven to spotlight the leaders shaping the sport and uncover insights that help operators thrive in the fastest-growing game in America. Reach her at jordan@peakemedia.com.
