BRYAN WIGGINTON AND ALEXA GERVASI STAND IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE OF THEIR PICKLEBALL WAREHOUSE IN HOMEWOOD, WHICH COULD OPEN BY THE END OF JUNE. | PHOTO BY CHELSEY KELSO

Calling all pickleballers! The region’s largest indoor pickleball facility is expected to open soon in Homewood. 

Pickleball Warehouse is a product of Bryan Wigginton and Alexa Gervasi’s love for pickleball and desire to extend its reach in the Pittsburgh area. The married couple became business partners earlier this year when they decided to pursue their passion project and open a pickleball club in the former Wheel Mill, an indoor bike park at 6815 Hamilton Ave. that closed in March. 

Wigginton said the couple became enamored with the sport two years ago and find themselves on the court almost every day. But the temperamental, rainy Pittsburgh weather makes playing outdoors sometimes difficult. 

Related: Want to Learn How to Play Pickleball? Here’s the Ultimate Guide to Playing in Pittsburgh

“We saw a gap in the market, we figured we’d fill it and we started our journey,” says Wigginton, a former handyman and a grade-school teacher in local public schools for 10 years. For the last three years at Pittsburgh Montessori, he taught kindergarten and physical education, where he learned about pickleball.

Gervasi splits her time between the pickleball court and the court of law as a civil rights attorney. 

The 80,000-square-foot space is expected to offer 15 courts, a pro shop, rental booth and opportunities to join the pickleball community. Players can buy monthly or yearly memberships, or drop in for a few games at an hourly rate.  

The location of Pickleball Warehouse dives deep into Pittsburgh’s historic roots. Wigginton has slowly gathered information about the history of the former Wheel Mill. He said the space is a collection of several smaller warehouses on Hamilton Avenue that have been connected since their construction more than 100 years ago. 

Originally, one of the warehouses housed a steel factory, another contained a steel ladder manufacturer and the remaining served as a storage and engineering facility for medical devices. Several years later, the warehouses were owned by the city and used as industrial storage. The Wheel Mill operated for nearly 11 years but closed due to rising costs because of the pandemic and longer stretches of warm weather that had most cyclists wanting to bike outdoors.

Renovations on the space began in early May and are slated to be completed by late June. With no assumed budget for the project, the couple is funding renovations from their own pockets. Wigginton calls the project a labor of love. 

Once Pickleball Warehouse opens, Wigginton said he’s not too worried about attracting players. He said the pickleball community is strong, especially in Pittsburgh. Through Facebook groups, social media accounts, their website and word of mouth, the couple is slowly spreading the word before their grand opening. 

“The wonderful thing about pickleball is it’s so inclusive, and it’s so accessible,” Wigginton says.

In recent years, pickleball has swept the nation with skyrocketing popularity across several demographics. The sport was invented in 1965, but pickleball really gained momentum in 2020 during the pandemic as a socially distant way to stay active. The sport’s low barrier to entry, minimal equipment and ability to be played almost anywhere has advanced its popularity.  

The couple has expressed gratitude for the positive response they’ve received online about their plans. 

“I am so looking forward to coming to your new place. This is such an inspiration for growing the sport. How you took over a building that needed new life,” said one commenter on Pickleball Warehouse’s Instagram account. 

Wigginton says he hopes to bring a new level of competition to Pittsburgh and eventually attract professional tournaments and players to the club. Gamma Sports has sponsored the Pickleball Classic Tournament for seven years in Pittsburgh and this year will hold its event Sept. 12-15 at the city’s relatively new 10 outdoor pickleball courts on Washington’s Landing. The tournament draws players from all over the world.

Keep an eye on Pickleball Warehouse’s social media for its coming opening date.