North Bethesda location to include retail store and pickleball studio
Table tennis and pickleball manufacturer JOOLA announced Monday that it will relocate its Rockville headquarters to Pike & Rose in North Bethesda in late 2024.
JOOLA will join the headquarters of Sodexo and Choice Hotels at 915 Meeting St., Federal Realty’s newly built 16-story office building, according to a Federal Realty press release. The pickleball and table tennis company will occupy approximately 35,407 square feet of office space and open its first retail store on the building’s ground floor.
“Pike & Rose gives us the perfect balance of city and suburban locale, a great amount of amenities within walking distance, and a wide array of commuter options,” JOOLA CEO Richard Lee said in the release.
He said the company has outgrown its current location at 2101 Gaither Road in Rockville. “This new headquarters gives us the flexibility to continue to expand our team while also opening our first concept retail location,” he said.
Pickleball has surged in popularity in Montgomery County in recent years. In March, the Bethesda area was recognized as the top spot for pickleball playing in the state. According to Bethesda Magazine’s Ms. MoCo, taking up pickleball is one of the best ways to make new friends in the Bethesda area. Also, in Bethesda and Rockville is Dill Dinkers Pickleball, which Bethesda Magazine named as the “Best Indoor Pickleball Courts.”
Robin Riley, director of Montgomery County Recreation, noted in March that pickleball lessons and leagues are “among the most popular offerings the department has” and there has been interest in the sport across all age groups.
In addition to the new headquarters, JOOLA will open its first retail space on the building’s ground floor, between Bouboulina, an American steakhouse with Greek influence set to open in mid-2024, and One Medical, the release said. The retail store also will have a pickleball studio.
Pickleball is a relatively new venture for JOOLA, according to the release. The company was established In Germany in 1952 as a table tennis equipment manufacturer. In 2019, Sport Squad Inc., a U.S.-based distributor, announced its acquisition of JOOLA and moved its headquarters to Rockville. In 2022, JOOLA entered the pickleball world and sponsored Montgomery County native and professional pickleball player Ben Johns.
According to Major League pickleball, Johns is considered to be the greatest pickleball player of all time with a 108-match winning streak in singles and is No. 1 in the men’s doubles, mixed doubles and singles divisions. He also helped develop carbon fiber pickleball paddles with JOOLA.
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JOOLA has offices in Germany, Australia, Canada, China, Brazil, Taiwan, Japan and India and distributes to more than 200 countries worldwide, the release said.
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