Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits in Kentwood is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its two brand new indoor pickleball courts on January 20th. These courts add a fun dynamic to the already well-loved brewery & restaurant in Kentwood, Michigan. With the opening of the courts, Broad Leaf becomes the first indoor Pickleball complex in Michigan to pair pickleball and a restaurant & bar together. The result is a huge addition to recreational pickleball in the region as this trend grows nationally.
Grand Rapids was recently named the third most “pickleball obsessed” city in the US by Offers.bet which analyzed google searches and found Grand Rapids area zip codes as having some of the highest amounts of inquiries.
“That makes sense from what I have seen,” says Lee DeHaan, Head Chef and Chief Pickleball enthusiast at Broad Leaf. “This city loves pickleball and now we are able to invite them in for an entire experience. I have loved seeing people playing hard with friends & family then sticking around to enjoy something off our menu and kicking back with a beer, cocktail or craft soda afterwards,” he adds.
The pickleball courts are open to everyone but players must first sign up for a free membership via courtreserve.com where they complete a waiver and can then reserve a court. This can be done ahead of time by going to the brewery’s website or scanning the QR code in the brewery. Court rentals are $30/ hr for two to four players.
“During our soft opening people have been really loving the recreational pickleball we offer,” says Jared Rader, Broad Leaf General Manager. “We find most people are playing in foursomes so it is only $7.50 per person, which is pretty inexpensive fun. We also offer paddle rentals for people that don’t have equipment,” he adds. “Our partnership with Kiwi Labs allows us to offer high-quality paddles that people can trial and our new custom print paddles should be arriving soon. The design is amazing and it is great to work with another locally owned company.”
“The new courts have been a pretty complementary addition to the other video games and activities we have been providing already,” says CEO & owner Jason Spaulding. “We are evolving into an entertainment complex that offers family fun along with something for everyone. We are still a brewery at heart, but also offer mixed drinks, lo-cal seltzers and lots of N/A options,” he comments.
“I am also really excited to debut Kickpin this weekend. It is a game where you kick a futsal soccer ball at bowling pins and is so much fun whether you are a soccer player or not,” Jason adds. “I did a lot of research and have not found any other place in the country doing this. This weekend is going to be the world debut of Kickpin. Our local soccer community is going to love it and it complements Pickleball so well,” he concludes.
With the large and open format of the space, guests can watch the games unfold from tables and chairs situated courtside, creating an inviting space for socializing, enjoying snacks and drinks, and cheering on friends. Whether your group is playing or not, the interactive space adds to the fun.
“We are getting a lot of requests for parties and private groups. It turns out this is the perfect group outing where you can have a bunch of people rotate playing and enjoying what our pub has to offer,” adds Jared Rader. “We have room to grow with more courts within the building and possibly outside so we are excited to see where this kick-off weekend takes us.”
The grand opening celebration is all weekend with special activities planned for Sunday January 20. The Broad Leaf team has prepared a special menu and pickleball themed drinks to welcome in the community.
Special activities listed in the original press release for Sunday, January 21 have been rescheduled to take place on Saturday, January 20 from noon until 1pm due to the Detroit Lions game on Sunday.
Pickleball, originating in the Pacific Northwest in the 1960s, combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Played on a badminton-sized court with a net, using a perforated plastic ball and solid paddles, pickleball has become widely popular for its simplicity, versatility, and appeal to players of all ages and skill levels.
Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits invites the community to join in the grand opening festivities, marking the beginning of new and innovative taproom experiences in the craft beverage scene.
Who we are
Brewery Vivant is the world’s first LEED® certified commercial microbrewery and a Certified B Corporation. We brew beer in the European tradition with the addition of American ingenuity. At our pub we strive to elevate the enjoyment of beer & food and the sense of community in everything we do. Brewery Vivant prides itself on being a destination brewery in the “Beer City” of Grand Rapids. Vivant brands are distributed throughout the State of Michigan.
Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits is a certified B Corp that focuses on flavor exploration. We stay on the cutting edge with ongoing experimentation to explore new flavors, styles & techniques. There is a constant curiosity to try new things, find new ingredients to push boundaries in beer, spirits, food & beyond.
Kickpin™ is privately a trademarked game
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