‘We've been doing really, really well’: New Vernon Hills pickleball club off to a fast start
The end of a free 30-day membership promotion is nearing but given the reception, owners of Ace Pickleball Club of Vernon Hills are confident the early attention will carry over.
“We had a fantastic response to that,” said Ira Krassan, franchise owner of the new facility that opened Dec. 20 in the former Toys R Us big box at 555 Townline Road (Route 60) in the Townline Commons retail center.
“We've been doing really, really well,” Krassan added.
Free membership was available prior to opening, but a $39 deal for the first month continues. Membership at the 16-court facility after that is a flat $129 per month, according to promotional materials.
Benefits include reserved courts, use of the “Titan” robotic ball trainer and access to round robin tournaments and mixers. Drop-in open play is allowed all day when courts are available, with balls and an assortment of demo paddles supplied.
Seven of the 16 courts are wider and longer for championship play and more skilled players, said Krassan, adding that the surface is another selling point.
“Our pickleball courts are the best in the industry,” he said. “We have eight layers of cushioned material. It’s unbelievably gentle on the joints.”
Interest in the hot sport continues with no sign of waning with indoor facilities opening or planned across the suburbs by several entities. That includes The Picklr, a national chain that recently opened its largest location — 14 courts — in Mount Prospect and has facilities in Villa Park, Mundelein and Wheaton.
Ace Pickleball Club also is a national franchise with a flagship location in Roswell, Georgia, and facilities in several states.
A different franchisee opened the first Ace in Illinois Nov. 25 in the former Walmart Neighborhood Market space in Des Plaines with 13 courts. Vernon Hills is the second.
Krassan, said he also owns an Ace Pickleball near his home in Voorhees, New Jersey, and is a partner in other business ventures.
“I don't think we’ve begun to hit the tip of the iceberg yet,” Krassan said of interest in the sport. “It has an over 20-year time horizon, which is why we decided to get involved.”
Ace wasn't the first to pitch the idea for the former Toys R Us in Vernon Hills.
In the fall of 2023, a Texas-based company received village approvals to convert the big-box store for an indoor pickleball facility but dropped out after determining it couldn’t scale up to the Chicago area, the building owner said then. Ace emerged as Plan B in March 2024, but it isn’t the only indoor facility in town.
LifeSport Tennis & Athletic Clubs had 14 courts in Libertyville and Lincolnshire lined atop existing tennis courts. It expanded to Vernon Hills, opening five courts in August in a portion of a building in a business park at 450 Bunker Court.
LifeSport members have access to 19 indoor courts, but nonmembers can reserve courts if available, according to vice president Matt Gordon.
“Pickleball players are absolutely aware of what’s opening up so they can continue their play year round,” he said. “I think there’s still a lot of growth potential for pickleball. It's such a fun game.”