The Pickle Guild, a business that recently opened in Mesa with nine indoor climate-controlled pickleball courts, is a place for players of all levels and interest in the game.

It is for players of all ages and levels, from beginner to advanced. A youth program is to be launched in April with leagues, teams, clinics and summer camps.

Nyal Sewell and his business partners loved the sport from the first time they picked up a paddle about two years ago and love the community feel to the game, where players are generally welcoming to newcomers and help them to understand rules.

The business is part of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce and is establishing relationships with local businesses, including hosting a tournament with a donation made to the United Food Bank in Mesa to combat food insecurity.

Read more below about the business at 1135 N. Recker Road Suite No. 107 in Mesa.

Name: Nyal Sewell

Age: 32

Occupation: Pickleball enthusiast and commercial real estate broker

Hometown: Mesa

Family: Married with two kiddos, little boy and a little girl

When did you first decide to open The Pickle Guild and why? My business partners and I ran into the sport about two years ago and loved it from the first time we picked up a paddle. As we came to know more and more about the sport we really loved the community feel to the game – players are generally welcoming to newcomers, i.e. helping them to understand rules, understand how court rotation works in busy times and so forth. Competition is key to any sport and there is certainly a lot of that in the pickleball community, but the culture of this community of players is what sets this game apart and I believe one of the key reasons for it is rocketship growth.

We also realized the opportunity to build a business in the space – there are far more players than there are dedicated pickleball courts. Many players are playing on makeshift courts on adjusted tennis courts, basketball courts, you name it. Courts have tape on the floor for lines, nets are temporary, etc. The need for courts is off the charts. We have read many articles describing how many courts need to be built just to satisfy the current demand.

When we really dove in and learned about the market we recognized an opportunity was there to provide not only great courts but also build a club with a focus on culture where players of all levels can compete and be welcome.

What does The Pickle Guild offer? We offer nine indoor climate controlled courts. All of our courts are full size, not every indoor club can say that. We really wanted to get the courts right. We knew if they were great, nothing else would really matter. All of our courts are outdoor surface too which matters for players. It is the best of both worlds – outdoor surface, indoor comfort. All of them are individually fenced as well which players like.

You can join with a membership or be a guest when you come in. We don’t force you to have a membership but if you play a lot, it will save you money. We have single, double or family memberships. Double and family memberships must reside at the same address.

Our daily calendar features a lot of programming – open play, round robin, ladder challenge and some formats that are unique to us. Players who come here will find great variety every single day to participate in, at all levels. For open play, we offer around 11 hours each day – morning, mid-day, early afternoon and evening. It is a really popular format players like to jump in on. League play will also begin in April, divisions for every level.

We offer coaching and clinics for all levels. From beginner to advanced, players can find instruction and coaching they are looking for. We are also offering youth camps, clinics and academies starting in April. We are going to grow the youth game and are really excited about this offering.

We have a player lounge with drinks and snacks – from water to energy drinks to soda to protein drinks, we have whatever a player wants. We also have a pro shop which features a variety of pickleball paddle brands, including demo paddles to try before you buy. We want a player to be able to sample multiple brands, choose the one they prefer, and buy it on the spot.

We also have full locker rooms for the players if they want to use a locker, free of charge.

Where is The Pickle Guild? What are your hours? What is your website? We are located at 1135 N. Recker Road Suite No. 107 in Mesa. We are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Our website is thepickleguild.com – you can find all of our membership information and see our daily/weekly/monthly calendar there for programming as well.

What is something many people don’t know about you? Right now the biggest thing is most people don’t know we are here! We are the first indoor club in Mesa and when people around us find out they are pretty excited. They have had to travel a bit to get to indoor clubs which are not as close to home as we are for them. Once they know about us and try our courts they are pretty excited to know we are here.

What’s one thing you want people to know about you? The Pickle Guild is a place for players of all levels and interest in the game. We have already seen this taking place in the club. There have been multiple weeknights with competition going strong on our courts from players who are at the advanced level – we loved to see this. Equally important to us is growing the beginner game and giving the beginner player a space to grow not only their skills and technique in the sport but also their confidence as a player. We are a community built upon all levels having a space to play the game, get better at the game, and find community within the players of this game.

We are also developing and launching our youth program, launching in April. Kids play this game and are hooked immediately – we are going to give them leagues, teams, clinics, summer camps and so on. We are really excited about this programming. The program will have teams at multiple ages and ability levels – again, something for everyone to take part in.

How are you involved in the local community? We are part of the Mesa Chamber and are establishing relationships with local businesses in the area as we get to know everybody. Our first tournament in March will have a donation made to the United Food Bank here in Mesa to combat food insecurity. We want to be a place where the community comes together to enjoy a great time and also find ways to give back. This is just the start. We hope to host various groups and give them joy in this game – the elderly, special needs individuals, less fortunate, etc. We can do a lot of good when we come together for a common cause and we look forward to making that happen as we build connections.

What’s your favorite local restaurant, and what would you recommend off the menu?: Boca Taqueria. Not off-menu, but the beef chimichanga is phenomenal.

What is your most quirky talent?: Not sure if it is a talent, but trying to make off-kilter jokes is definitely a hobby.