The distinctive “pop” of pickleball play was ever present at the June 10 grand opening of Pickle City Fort Worth.
No surprise, since the 16-court pickleball club was full. Despite the official opening ceremonies, the 35,000-square-foot sports complex has been open since January when planned opening festivities were called off because of ice.
Now, the pickleball-focused athletic facility at 8600 N. City Drive has about 350 members playing on the club’s 16 courts (10 indoor and six outdoor). The facility is not just about the nation’s fastest-growing sport, it also includes a full gym, wellness spaces, a sports bar and a pro shop.
Pickle City is from Steve McKeever, who is also developing North City, the 148-acre urban village at U.S. Highway 287 and Interstate 35W in far north Fort Worth. Other major entertainment and retail in the area include the nearby 100,000-square-foot Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, a home furnishing showroom from Living Spaces and a Carvana car vending site.
Pickle City, though, is a family venture. McKeever’s daughter, Hannah, is the director of sales, and other family members are also involved, she said.
And why is that?
“Basically my dad loves pickleball,” she said at the grand opening. “He has a way of finding a trend and figuring out how to make good investments.”
In this case, pickleball. The sport now has about 20 million players in the U.S. and has an 11.3% forecasted compound annual growth rate through 2028, according to a 2025 report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
“He wanted to create a community for pickleball players and create more of a social club where people can play and stay and drink and work out and kind of just have everything they need in the same place,” she said.
That is certainly the case with Don Clesson, who has been a member almost from day one.
“We were playing somewhere, but it wasn’t focused on pickleball, so when I heard about this I had to check it out,” he said. “This place just has a great vibe and that’s what I’m after. That, and the competition is very high.”
Pickle City was first announced as City Pickle, but the name changed when a New York club said the Big Apple had dibs on the name.
“It was friendly,” Hannah said. “Pickle City is a great name.”
Pickleball has attracted a variety of investors looking to find profit in the fast-growing market. In 2023, former BNSF Railway chairman Matt Rose opened Chicken N Pickle, an indoor/outdoor entertainment complex that offers pickleball and other games along with a restaurant and bar.
Magnolia property sold
The landmark mixed-use property located at 1109-1121 W. Magnolia Ave. has officially sold, marking a notable transaction in the heart of Fort Worth’s Near Southside.
One of Magnolia’s most recognizable properties, the building formerly housed Heim Barbecue and is the current location of Cherry Coffee. There are apartments on the second floor of the building.
Tarrant Appraisal District records show Jun Crown Properties LLC, sold the building at 1109 W. Magnolia Ave. to Jeanette Randolph on May 18 for an undisclosed price. The market value of the property is $2.25 million, according to Tarrant Appraisal District records.
The 8,388-square-foot property attracted strong investor interest due to its premier location, established tenant mix and proven history as a destination property, according to LanCarte Commercial, whose Brittany Doyle and Sarah LanCarte represented the seller in the transaction. Whit Kelly, Trevor Brown and Gibson Duwe of Transwestern Fort Worth represented the buyer.
“Magnolia Avenue has become one of the defining districts in Fort Worth, and properties like this have played a major role in that transformation,” Doyle said in a news release. “This building has housed businesses that people genuinely connect with. It’s a place where residents gather, meet friends, and experience some of the best local concepts in Fort Worth.”
The new ownership plans to maintain the property’s existing mix of retail, restaurant and residential uses while preserving the character that has made it a neighborhood landmark, according to LanCarte.
Other Near Southside news
The Near Southside will lose two longtime small businesses. Leaves Bakery & Books, 1251 W. Magnolia Ave., announced it will close in mid-August. Also, JuJu Knits, at 552 Lipscomb St., announced it was closing after nearly seven years.
Also in the Near Southside and looking to change ownership is Hotel Revel, 1165 Eighth Ave. The four-story, modern independent boutique hotel opened in 2020. Real estate firm CBRE is marketing the property.
Capital investment
Valor, a Fort Worth-based specialty asset management company that provides mineral management solutions and oil and gas outsourcing, has closed its Series B investment round.
Ladd Wilks, the Moncrief family and the Lamb family of Midland led the raise. Funding will advance Valor’s continued development of artificial intelligence across its software and services platform and accelerate growth through a strategic focus on acquisitions within the industry.
Do you have something for the Bob on Business column? Email Bob Francis, business editor for the Fort Worth Report, at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.
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