Picklebarn opens to rave reviews from players

Nov. 13—After being open for six weeks, owners Mitchell and Sidney Elofson are working on keeping everything running smoothly at their new Picklebarn on the east edge of Mankato.

"There's always some little things, but no major issues," Mitchell said. "It's going well. Every day we get new faces coming in, which is nice to see."

Sidney said it was a long road to get their business open. Construction started in October of last year.

"We're very glad the doors are open."

The St. Peter natives went to Gustavus and then got masters degrees in the sports/recreation field at Minnesota State University.

They played tennis but got hooked on pickleball when they played it in Florida.

"We always had a dream of owning our own facility," Sidney said. "We were thinking of a tennis facility but we like that this is so family oriented."

Jeff Pederson, who's played pickleball for about 6 years, said he enjoys the exercise and camaraderie and the fact he can play after having both hips and a shoulder replaced.

"I'm very thankful I can do this."

Pederson plays about four times a week, but doesn't play in league games as some of his friends do.

He is impressed with the Picklebarn. "There are people coming here from all over, Chaska, Belle Plaine, Winstad."

Two of his playing partners, Gary Eichmeyer and Julian McFarlane, have played at several other indoor facilities over the years and gave high marks to the Picklebarn.

"This is one of the best in the country," Eichmeyer said.

McFarlane said having a facility dedicated to pickleball, rather than playing on a gym floor, is nice. "Some places there's posts in the way and all different lines on the floor."

He appreciates touches the Elofsons made, including angling the lights so they don't glare in players' eyes and putting smaller windows up high on only the north and south walls, meaning the sun doesn't stream through the windows onto the court and into players' eyes.

"They did their homework," McFarlane said.

Sheila Opsal and Sandy Hasse were part of a four-member "moms group" who were playing doubles on another court.

"I just learned to play this summer," Opsal said. "We're not very competitive. We just like the social aspect."

She's been coming to the Picklebarn with her friends once a week and comes once a week with her husband and son. "It's a nice family thing to do."

Sandy Hasse, who recently retired from teaching middle school phy ed, said it took her a while to transition from playing tennis to pickleball. "The rules are a lot different. It's kind of humbling to learn it."

Opsal said it's nice that either two people can play against each other — full- or half-court — or four people can play doubles.

While players can go as hard or light as they want, Opsal said the game is rewarding. "It tests your agility and reflexes."

Finishing touches

Mitchell said they currently host three different pickleball leagues throughout the week. "They're all booked up and we have wait lists for leagues. We hope to add more leagues soon." The leagues run for about seven weeks.

"Our mornings and evenings are very busy. We're getting a lot of people coming from out of town, which is exciting," he said.

During the day the Picklebarn has drop-in hours where people can come in pairs or groups or come alone and find someone to play against.

The Elofsons are working on offering food on the mezzanine level, but aren't sure yet what they will serve. The Picklebarn also has a license to sell light alcohol beverages.

The large mezzanine allows for people to watch pickleballers in action, and it will include a lounge with a ping pong table or two, a fireplace, a sofa and a kitchen area.

There's also a fitness room and locker rooms as well as a conference room that can be used for, among other things, corporate team-building and leadership retreats that incorporate pickleball.

In the spring, once the grass fills in around the building, they will add outdoor features, including cornhole games.