All you Picklers out there listen up, because I have some good news: a massive warehouse in Four Corners is going to look very different in just a few months with an all-new pickleball court coming your way.

Watch the story here:

“It’s one of the few sports that a 20-year-old woman can compete and have fun against a 65-year-old man and enjoy it,” Andrew Brief tells me.

Andrew Brief and his wife Kelly are the proud owners of what’s to be The Picklr. But let's go back for a second to learn how the Briefs got into this niche sport. Andrew and Kelly are from upstate New York, and they played competitive tennis. But when they moved west in 2019?

“Started playing pickleball for the first time when I came out here and heard my cousin was playing, who—we’re a very competitive family. And I was frustrated that he could be better at me in a racket sport. He was always a soccer player,” says Andrew.

Which is what opened Andrew’s eyes to the world of Pickleball.

“Anybody can play, anybody can have fun, anybody can compete," he says.

So, the Briefs started thinking bigger. Much bigger. As in a massive warehouse near Four Corners off Laura Louise Lane. And after partnering with a franchise Pickleball company called The Pickler that has 450 different locations? Their dream is becoming a reality.

“We signed the franchise agreement for all of Montana. Five locations in Montana. So, this is the first location,” Andrew explains.

The Briefs hope to expand into Missoula, Billings, and Whitefish in the future. But for now, they’re hoping to make their mark right here in Bozeman. And this empty warehouse might not look like much now, but in a few months?

“We’re going to have 13 courts. Four championship-size courts, 700-square-foot gym, and locker-room showers. And we’re going to really make this someplace special and a place for the community to hang out,” says Andrew.

Along with community rooms, mezzanine viewing, and AI technology for training, monthly memberships will start at $119 per month for access to everything. But if you’re not feeling a membership, you can also reserve courts and pay hourly rates.

I asked Andrew why he feels the Bozeman area even needs this Pickleball extravaganza.

“There’s plenty of demand, but that supply is lacking. And it creates this chaotic scene in the parks, and makes it intimidating for new players to want to get out there and play,” explains Andrew.

Which is why the Briefs are excited to offer year-round Pickleball access to players of all skill levels.

“I think people are more active here than the general population. They like to get out and do things. But they also like to be together and have community, and that’s what Pickleball does,” Andrew says.

The Picklr is set to soft launch at the end of June.