Houston's oldest and largest farmer’s market is on the verge of offering the country's fastest-growing sport as an amenity to help draw more foot traffic.
MLB Capital Partners, which owns and operates the Houston Farmers Market, is putting the final touches on an 11,000-square-foot indoor pickleball arena with a 3,500-square-foot outdoor patio on the property with six courts. It will be adjacent to the 18-acre market that's been selling fruits and veggies from local farmers for more than 80 years.
Pickleball has been popping up in apartment complexes and hotels across the country and recently started finding its way into malls, which are increasingly seeking out new kinds of tenants to occupy vacant department store space. This new use shows just how popular pickleball has become: MLB Capital Partners, based in Houston, anticipates opening the indoor courts in July, one of the hottest months of the year in the Bayou City.
"There are very limited options for indoor pickleball courts in Houston, and with hot summer weather already on the horizon" MLB Capital Partners wanted to add an entertainment experience that would drive additional traffic to the farmers market, according to Todd Mason, principal with MLB Capital Partners.
Houston Farmers Market at 2520 Airline Drive is in The Heights neighborhood, about five miles north of downtown Houston. MLB Capital Partners acquired Houston Farmers Market in 2017 and spent millions of dollars revamping it to be on par with other well-known open-air marketplaces, such as Pike Place in Seattle or Borough Market in London.
Houston Farmers Market previously operated as a cooperative of farmers before being bought by the commercial real estate investment firm. MLB Capital has added about 100,000 square feet of new retail space since the acquisition, including dining destinations such as Wild Oats, a restaurant serving Texas cuisine and operated by Underbelly Hospitality. Two other restaurants are on-site: Underbelly Burger and Crawfish & Noodles, a restaurant concept created by chef Trong Nguyen.
For the new pickleball arena, a firm called Drop Shots plans to offer bar service, initially out of a container space adjacent to the indoor arena. MLB Capital Partners plans to find a permanent space for bar service.
MLB Capital Partners' portfolio also includes Houston Design Center, a 280,000-square-foot office building and furniture showroom space, and McCreless Market, a 27-acre shopping center in San Antonio.