The Picklr opens West Allis club, expanding indoor pickleball in Wisconsin

Ten indoor courts now occupy the former Dunham’s Sports space in West Allis, giving Milwaukee-area players a climate-controlled place to play from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. The Picklr’s new club at 2550 S. 108th St. also includes three championship-sized courts, a pro shop, private event space, locker rooms and showers, turning the site into more than a drop-in gym and more like a year-round pickleball hub.

The opening matters because it lands in a market where indoor reliability has real value. Milwaukee Magazine reported in 2025 that the city had only two official public free-to-use pickleball courts at that time, a gap that helps explain why a membership-based club in West Allis can make an immediate case for itself. For Midwest players trying to line up weekend play without worrying about rain, snow or wind, the attraction is simple: the courts are indoors, the hours are long, and the club is built for repeat visits.

The Picklr used its grand opening on April 11 to push that message hard. The celebration ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and included free open play, skills challenges, court-technology demonstrations, raffles and prizes. The club’s programming list goes well beyond casual play, with Pickleball 101, junior academy sessions, breakfast ball socials, networking events, tournaments, leagues and drop-in play all part of the mix. Membership options on the West Allis site include limited, family unlimited, nationwide unlimited and an AI add-on, signaling that the company is aiming for both local regulars and players who want access across a broader network.

That network is expanding fast. The Picklr describes itself as North America’s largest indoor pickleball franchise, and West Allis is its third Wisconsin location after Green Bay and Menomonee Falls. The brand’s Wisconsin page shows multiple clubs across the state, making the West Allis opening part of a larger regional buildout rather than a one-off experiment. Club manager Marko Grgic is listed on the West Allis page, along with instructors Jasper Schaadt, Kelly Whalen and James Hass.

The timing also fits the broader pickleball boom. USA Pickleball said Pickleheads added more than 2,300 new places to play in 2025, bringing the nationwide total to 18,258, while the Sports & Fitness Industry Association reported that about 24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025. Against that backdrop, West Allis is not just adding court space. It is strengthening Milwaukee’s pitch as a short-stay pickleball destination, especially for players who want dependable indoor access, organized programming and enough court volume to justify a weekend around the sport.