New Location Opens in Maryland

As the game of pickleball continues to further embed itself in the social fabric of sports culture, facility names are becoming more and more creative. And often with a pickle-related moniker taking center stage.

Such is the case with Dill Dinkers, a concept developed in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, with its newest location opened in White Marsh, Maryland, in December 2024.

“Our CEO, Will Richards, tried many potential names, none of which his wife and co-founder, Denise Richards, was fond of using for the business,” says Eric Simmons, owner and director of operations and sales at the Dill Dinkers in White Marsh. “Their daughter was home from college and Will asked her what she would name this new pickleball business. She had never played the game, but almost immediately said, ‘I would name it Dill Dinkers.’ Will and Denise both loved it, and our business had a name.”

With an eye on expanding the company’s footprint in their home state of Maryland as well as across the United States, the White Marsh area was always of great interest to the ownership group. “The area has an abundance of housing and other amenities for its residents to enjoy. We look forward to being the place for area pickleball players to play,” added Simmons.

While many new pickleball clubs and facilities sprout up across the country, all have a common theme—they want to be unique and stand out from the typical edifice. Dill Dinkers is no different.

“Our clubs have courts separated by fencing, with dedicated entrances so that players are not walking across other courts interrupting play,” explains Simmons. “Dill Dinkers eliminates the common challenges of pickleball by making it a year-round sport. The clubs feature 6–12 indoor, climate-controlled courts, event spaces, a ball machine and a state-of-the-art reservation system.

“The location at White Marsh will feature 10 courts and provide a fun, welcoming atmosphere, with programming to appeal to all players, from beginners to advanced/semi-professional players. In fact, the D.C. Pickleball Team of Major League Pickleball has practiced at several of our clubs over the past two years.”

Overall plans were to have 32 Dill Dinkers locations up and running by the end of January 2025, with a total of 50 facilities open by the end of the year.

Dill Dinkers’ programming is structured to match players with similar skill sets and rankings to ensure an appropriate level of competition. It will stage a variety of events, open plays, leagues, and king and queen tournaments, always welcoming players who may just be setting their feet on a pickleball court for the very first time.

Dill Dinkers has also enlisted the services of one of the sport’s most recognizable names—Collin Johns—as one of its brand ambassadors. Along with Martina Kochli, Johns is helping the owners promote their business. Simmons noted, “Both Collin and Martina have held coaching sessions at many of our clubs. We will have them here at White Marsh sometime in 2025. Stay tuned!”  •