Photo courtesy of Dill Dinkers | Visalia/Facebook
Dill Dinkers staff and contractors tour the future Visalia facility during a site visit. The location, a former American Pickleball Center under development, is being converted into the company’s first California club.

Dill Dinkers, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pickleball club franchises, plans to open its first California location in Visalia this summer.

The Maryland-based Dill Dinkers was founded in 2022 by Denise and Will Richards after the couple discovered the challenges of playing pickleball outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. After struggling with weather conditions, court availability and inconsistent playing experience, they saw an opportunity to create a more organized indoor pickleball environment.

“We actually have COVID to thank,” said Denise Richards, co-founder and chief operations officer. “We started feeling the pain of playing outdoors. There were a lot of challenges.”

Leveling up the court

The idea developed after they visited an indoor pickleball facility in Pennsylvania that didn’t have necessary amenities like heating and restrooms, but still had strong demand.

The Pennsylvania experience helped shape Dill Dinkers’ model of providing climate-controlled facilities with a focus on community events.

“For a business, if you’re addressing a need, you know you have a good chance of your business succeeding,” said Will Richards, founder and CEO.

The Visalia location is expected to open in July or early August and will be the company’s first club in California. Plans for a Fresno location collapsed shortly before construction was set to begin, company officials said.

Fresno plans collapse

Dill Dinkers regional developer Bill Revilla said the project had progressed through much of the planning process, including legal review, financing approval and preparation for construction before it fell apart. The landlord chose not to enter a lease agreement.

“It was disappointing at first,” Revilla said. “It takes a lot of energy and resources to get to that point.”

Shortly after the Fresno setback, Revilla was connected with the former American Pickleball Center project in Visalia, which had stalled despite major investment into preparing the facility for pickleball. The opportunity eventually became the new home for Dill Dinkers.

Revilla said Fresno remains a priority because of its large population, growing demand for pickleball and his ties to the region.

“Fresno is definitely still close to our heart,” Revilla said. “This is where we live in Fresno.”

Ten-location deal

Bill and wife Georgia Revilla moved to Fresno in 2007. Georgia is a licensed dentist and Bill is a hospital administrator and global finance leader.

The couple also manages a successful real estate portfolio and share a passion for hospitality and recreation.
Their regional development deal with Dill Dinkers includes at least 10 clubs from Madera to Visalia.

Will and Denise Richards said the Central Valley is a strong fit because of the region’s growing communities and hot climate, which can make outdoor pickleball difficult during warmer months.

Dill Dinkers focuses on building community around the sport, not just providing courts. The company organizes games by skill levels, limits event sizes and creates programming designed to help players get more time on the court.

“One of the biggest complaints about public courts is people sometimes have to wait 45 minutes to play,” Denise Richards said. “We control the number of people playing at each court and organize it by skill level.”

Growth plan
As Dill Dinkers expands nationally, company leaders said preserving the club’s community-focused culture remains a priority. The franchise currently has hundreds of U.S. locations committed through development agreements and relies on support teams to help maintain standards.

The Central Valley expansion plan could include locations all over the region, including Bakersfield and Modesto.

“We’re not about just putting pins on a map,” Will Richards said. “We’re about having healthy franchisees that are going to be in business for a long time.”