Growing up, there was one place everyone I knew wanted to go as often as they could to just wander aimlessly, socialize, see, and be seen: our local shopping mall. And now, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, U.S. malls again look to be a promising social epicenter thanks in part to all the padel courts and clubs that are being built in, on, or around them.
Here are just a few of the big and exciting new shopping-mall padel projects that are currently on our radar — and should probably be on yours, too:
Padel Up, Westfield Century City Mall, Los Angeles, CA
As we reported in a recent article, in the span of just one week, two different padel clubs opened in the greater Los Angeles area — on the rooftops of Westfield shopping malls, no less.
The first, Padel Up, features two outdoor MejorSet courts on the Westfield Skydeck, which sits on the top floor of the Westfield Century City mall between the AMC theater and Nordstrom (with the entrance around the corner by the Nordstrom, above Guess).
The club also offers a bar and lounge area with plenty of space to relax, socialize, and take in all the padel action with the stunning backdrop of the LA skyline. Two coaches, Abraham Alvarez and Jacob Bicknell, are on staff for more serious players or those who are looking to improve their games.
According to the Padel Up website, a second location will be coming to Culver City, CA later this year.
Pura Padel, Westfield Fashion Square, Sherman Oaks, CA
About 10 miles north of Padel Up, you’ll find the LA-area’s other brand new rooftop padel club, Pura Padel — whose three pop-up outdoor courts sit on the rooftop of the Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Pura Padel also features a dedicated workout and recovery area that includes rowing machines, weights, and a cold plunge, along with a lounge that serves snacks and beverages that can be enjoyed before or after matches.
On the coaching front, Pura Padel’s Head Coach, Emanuel Enrique, is a former top 100 player in the world, who will be hosting and coordinating a variety of clinics and events designed to foster a vibrant community.
Of Pura Padel’s first pop-up location, co-founder and CEO Alessandro Bennett has said, “Padel is more than just a sport; it’s a lifestyle that perfectly aligns with the diverse, health-conscious, community-driven, and sports-passionate culture of Los Angeles.”
A second permanent Pura Padel location is anticipated to open in the Miami suburb of Doral, FL, sometime next year.
Casas Padel Club, Aventura Mall, Aventura, FL
About 17 miles north of downtown Miami, you’ll find Aventura Mall, a luxury-focused shopping center that will soon be home to Casas Padel Club along with ultra-posh retail brands like Hermès, Balenciaga, Gucci, BVLGARI, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier.
While Casas Padel itself has generally been known as a padel retailer via both its online and brick-and-mortar offerings, they are now opening an actual club that will feature four outdoor courts from Dixson and coaching from Jesus Bandres, a former professional tennis player who now competes in the Pro Padel League.
According to the Casas Padel Club homepage, “whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the sport, we offer a vibrant environment where you can enjoy padel from 7 am to sunset every day.” And not surprisingly, they’ll also have a full padel store on site.
Epic Athletic Club, Sawgrass Mills Mall, Sunrise, FL
Thus far, the biggest of all U.S. shopping-mall-based padel clubs is the soon-to-open Epic Athletic Club at Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, FL (due west from Fort Lauderdale).
In fact, when it opens this month, Epic will feature a whopping seven indoor padel courts and 10 pickleball courts (with 24-foot-high ceilings), along with wellness amenities including a steam room, sauna, and cold plunge.
For now, Epic’s Chief Padel Officer Mariano Gombi says he’s squarely focused on getting their first padel club up and running, but once they are open, we plan to sit down for a longer discussion both about Epic Athletic Club’s initial Sawgrass Mills location as well as planned future openings in Charlotte, Chicago, Staten Island, and beyond. So, please stay tuned!
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