Pick up the paddles. There’s a new place to dink—and soon to dine and drink—in Baton Rouge. Electric Pickle debuted six outdoor courts at Electric Depot and has plans to open an adjacent restaurant and bar by mid-November.
Electric Pickle aims to make pickleball more accessible to players in the Capital Region while also fostering both social and competitive aspects of the sport. Now, the courts host open play on Saturdays for a small fee.
In the future, Electric Pickle will offer memberships, lessons, clinics, tournaments and more. The restaurant and bar will offer a space for players to socialize post-match. Electric Pickle owner Mikayla Richard says she hopes to have the spaces fully operating or at least ready to host a big event in time for this year’s White Light Night on Nov. 22.
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“We have heard really positive feedback about the coming of Electric Pickle in this neighborhood,” Richard says. “I think this area is growing a lot, and a lot of Baton Rouge residents definitely are noticing it. Also the demand for (a place) where people can be social and active at the same time, I think was huge in this area. It’ll be a fun place where you can come be around the sport and your friends, even if you might be taking the day off from playing.”
Richard and her partner Macabe Rappold launched their first pickleball passion project, Gulf Coast Pickleball, about a year and a half ago. The group hosted tournaments and events on the Northshore for players in the region. The duo is now taking what they learned from operating Gulf Coast Pickleball and focusing on Electric Pickle in Baton Rouge.
The team will build out a restaurant and bar behind its courts for players who work up an appetite or those who want to chill while others play. Richard says the food offerings are still in the works, but shared the space will be about 1,600 square feet with additional covered seating outside. The plan is to either have an original restaurant or lease out the space. Plans for the bar are also underway.
“We both have beach volleyball backgrounds,” Richard says. “If you’ve ever played beach volleyball, it’s a very social sport. A lot of the places where you play pickleball are just parks, and there’s not really much area to hang out outside of that.”
Electric Pickle was first previewed during this year’s Hot Art Cool Nights in May. The expo reeled in seasoned players and curious first-timers and helped gauge the interest of residents. Richard says the open plays have already had a great turnout, which she anticipates will ramp up once outdoor lights are installed in a few weeks to illuminate the courts for nighttime play.
“A lot of the feedback has been from residents in the area just being really excited about having a place to play pickleball (that’s) close,” Richard says.
Electric Pickle will also offer memberships for players who want plenty of court time, according to Richard. She says they want to offer two memberships: one that offers unlimited play and one that covers a few open plays a week. For those who want to play but aren’t looking for a membership, low drop-in rates will also be available.
Richard says the recent popularity of pickleball can be attributed to how easy it is to pick up. Because of this, Electric Pickle is open to all skill levels. Richard and Rappold serve as Pickleball Pros at the courts, meaning they’ll be available to teach clinics and lessons for those interested in learning more.
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Richard adds that she has already been contacted by local high schools who want to start pickleball leagues, too. She hopes the addition of Electric Pickle gets more young players involved in the sport. The space is also available for corporate rentals for businesses looking to host employee events or team bonding.
“We want a place for people to be able to hang out and make pickleball a very close-knit community of players,” Richard says.
Electric Pickle is only open on Saturdays for open play hours at this time. Richard hopes to add more evening open plays soon. Open play is $5, and all levels are welcome. Follow its Instagram to find open play dates and links to sign up. Electric Pickle is at 1509 Government St. inside Electric Depot.