Pickleball Depot

What Pickleball Depot does

Pickleball Depot is a Canadian multi-channel specialty retailer of pickleball equipment, founded in 2012 in Vernon, BC by Cara Arding as Canada's first dedicated online pickleball store. The company operates a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront (pickleballdepot.ca) shipping nationwide via Canada Post, Purolator, UPS, and FedEx, alongside two physical retail locations in Vernon (opened September 2017, Canada's first dedicated pickleball retail store) and Kelowna (opened early 2020, Spall Plaza). Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer retail augmented by a B2B wholesale channel serving hundreds of pickleball clubs and schools across Canada. The product portfolio spans its own private-label Apex Pickleball paddle brand (launched 2015, including Club 101, Club Ignite, and EDGE XL lines), a curated assortment of third-party paddle brands (JOOLA, Selkirk, CRBN, Six Zero, Franklin, Onix, HEAD, Luzz, Paddletek, Engage, GearBox), a proprietary Pickleball Depot portable net system, footwear (K-Swiss, Asics, Nike, Skechers, Mizuno), balls (indoor/outdoor), and accessories, with retail price points from approximately $12.95 to $449.95 plus bundled packages.

The business model combines transactional hardware sales across four channels — e-commerce retail, two brick-and-mortar stores with demo facilities, B2B wholesale to clubs/schools via purchase orders, and its own Apex manufacturing/sales — supported by volume pricing on bulk institutional purchases, price-matching against Canadian competitors, free shipping above $150, and a Pickle Points loyalty program returning 5% of spend as store credit. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct, with no third-party marketplace listings disclosed and geographic reach confined to Canada despite US brand sourcing that can carry a ~30% tariff/exchange premium. Customer segments span individual recreational and competitive players (primary), schools/Educational institutions, and registered/non-registered clubs, with secondary exposure to footwear specialists and community/donation-supported youth and senior groups. The company has received regional awards (2018 Innovator of the Year, 2018 Retailer of the Year, 2019 Top 40 Under 40 for the founder) and maintains a promotional partnership with Steve Deakin (Canada's #1 ranked player, Team HEAD) for boot camps and video analysis services.

Name

Pickleball Depot

Legal name

Pickleball Depot

Website

https://pickleballdepot.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pickleball Depot is Canada's largest multi-brand pickleball equipment retailer, operating Shopify e-commerce, two BC retail stores, an in-house Apex private-label paddle brand, and B2B wholesale to clubs and schools nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pickleball Equipment Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (459110), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42391)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Pickleball Equipment & Accessories Retail (CRAMAFAB)

Keywords

• Pickleball equipment retail
• Pickleball paddle sales
• Court footwear retail
• Sporting goods e-commerce
• Pickleball accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Vernon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Retail Sales: Online sales through pickleballdepot.ca, processing orders via Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Shop Pay, and Apple Pay. 99% of online orders processed and shipped within 24 hours.
2. Retail Store Sales: In-store purchases at two physical locations in Vernon and Kelowna, BC. Stores offer demo paddles and custom-built hitting walls for try-before-you-buy experience.
3. Wholesale to Clubs and Schools: B2B wholesale distribution to pickleball clubs, schools, and organizations across Canada, including volume pricing and bulk purchases of paddles and equipment.
4. Private Label Manufacturing (Apex): Manufacturing and sale of Apex brand paddles, including entry-level Club 101 model and various models ranging from beginner to advanced, sold through own retail and wholesale channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pickleball Depot is a multi-brand retailer and wholesaler of pickleball equipment operating through an e-commerce storefront (pickleballdepot.ca) and two British Columbia retail locations in Vernon and Kelowna. The company sells its own Apex private-label paddles alongside third-party brands including JOOLA, Selkirk, CRBN, Six Zero, Franklin, Onix, HEAD, Luzz, Paddletek, and Engage, covering paddles, balls, nets, footwear, accessories, and bundled packages for recreational and competitive players, schools, and clubs.

Product overview

Pickleball Depot is a multi-brand e-commerce and retail platform operating as Canada's largest pickleball equipment retailer since 2012. The platform offers a curated portfolio of pickleball products organized across several categories: (1) Paddles including their private-label Apex brand (Club Ignite, EDGE XL) and major third-party brands (JOOLA, Selkirk, CRBN, Six Zero, Franklin, Onix, HEAD, Luzz, Paddletek, Engage, GearBox, HONOLULU, Dunlop); (2) Balls for indoor and outdoor play; (3) Nets including their proprietary Pickleball Depot Portable Net System and Apex branded options; (4) Complete Packages bundling paddles and nets for beginners and clubs; (5) Footwear from K-Swiss, Asics, Nike, Skechers, and Mizuno; (6) Gear/Accessories including bags, court equipment, Kitchen Blockers eye protection, grips, hydration, training aids, and cleaning products; and (7) Professional services through partnerships with Canada's top player Steve Deakin (boot camps and video analysis). The company also operates a manufacturing division (Apex Pickleball, launched 2015) and serves both direct-to-consumer (online and two retail stores in Vernon and Kelowna BC) and B2B channels (clubs, schools, institutions via purchase orders).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Apex Pickleball: Private label paddle brand launched in 2015. Offers affordable, quality built paddles designed in Canada for clubs, schools and players. Includes models ranging from entry-level composites to advanced play graphites. Preferred paddle used in most schools that have adopted pickleball. Comes with 1-year warranty.

Products and services

• Apex Pickleball Paddles (Private Label Brand) Pickleball Depot's own private-label paddle brand launched in 2015, including Club 101 (entry-level), Club Ignite (beginner), EDGE XL (intermediate), and other composite/graphite models designed in Canada for clubs, schools, and players. Comes with a 1-year warranty.
• JOOLA Paddles Premium pickleball paddles including Perseus Pro V (Ben Johns, Simone Jardim signatures), Hyperion Pro V, Scorpeus Pro V, Kosmos Pro V, and the Limited Edition Perseus Pro V Rally Rocket, featuring patent-pending KineticFrame technology and NFC authentication.
• Selkirk Paddles High-performance pickleball paddles including the Omni Elongated, PROJECT BOOMSTIK, CourtStrike Pro series, and related models representing top professional players in North America.
• CRBN Pickleball Paddles Advanced pickleball paddles featuring TruFoam floating core technology in multiple shapes (Elongated, Square, Hybrid, Aerocurve) with T700 Raw Carbon Fiber surfaces, including the Barrage Series.
• Six Zero Pickleball Paddles Australian-designed paddles including Quartz (entry-level), Ruby 16mm (control), Infinity Edgeless series (power and control variants), and Coral Pro.
• Franklin Pickleball Products Franklin Sports pickleball equipment including X-40 outdoor balls, C45° Parris Todd signature paddles with 45-degree carbon fiber texture, and related gear.
• Onix Pickleball Products Onix Sports equipment including Supercell paddles with Cloud Control Technology (22mm core), FUSE indoor balls, and other tournament-grade gear.
• HEAD Pickleball Products

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of online orders processed and shipped within 24 hours
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Steve DeakincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Deakin (Canada's #1 pickleball player, rated 5.5-6+) partners with Pickleball Depot for boot camps across Canadian cities. Deakin provides instruction at boot camps while promoting Pickleball Depot products. He is a card-carrying member of Team HEAD and plays competitively. The partnership includes personalized video match analysis packages.
• Taylored Pickleball AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Taylored Pickleball Academy, a pickleball instruction organization, for promotional and potentially instructional collaborations.
• The Nest SportsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Nest Sports is listed as a partner on Pickleball Depot's website. A new Pro Shop location at Tsawwassen Mills is planned for Spring 2026.
• Youth and Senior Pickleball GroupsminorOthersPickleball Depot supports youth and senior pickleball start-up groups by donating thousands of paddles to organizations across Canada.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• JustPaddles: Canadian pickleball specialty retailer based in British Columbia offering a multi-brand assortment of paddles, balls, footwear, and accessories online and through physical retail; the closest Canadian-headquartered competitor to Pickleball Depot.
• Pickleball Central: One of the largest dedicated multi-brand pickleball retailers in the United States, selling paddles, balls, nets, and footwear online with both consumer and institutional/wholesale channels — a near-direct functional mirror of Pickleball Depot's model but in the US market.
• The Pickleball Superstore: US pickleball specialty retailer carrying the major pro brands (Selkirk, JOOLA, CRBN, etc.), footwear, and accessories with both consumer and pro-shop channels; directly comparable in assortment depth and target customer to Pickleball Depot.

Broad incumbents

• DICK'S Sporting Goods: Major US sporting goods big-box retailer with a growing pickleball category across stores and online; competes indirectly by offering broader assortment, scale pricing, and household brand recognition, especially with US tariff-induced pricing.
• JOOLA: Established table-tennis-turned-pickleball paddle and equipment brand now operating direct-to-consumer e-commerce plus pro shop partnerships; competes with Pickleball Depot both as a third-party brand stocked on the platform and via its own DTC stores.
• Onix Sports (Escalade Sports): Pickleball and racquet sports equipment manufacturer owned by Escalade Sports with broad assortment including balls and paddles sold direct and through retailers; an incumbent that overlaps with Pickleball Depot's offering as both supplier and competitor.
• Decathlon: Global sporting goods mass retailer with own-brand equipment across racquet sports; relevant as a broad incumbent that competes on price for beginner and intermediate pickleball gear in the Canadian market.

Emerging players

• Six Zero Pickleball: Australian-designed paddle brand that Pickleball Depot carries and that also runs direct-to-consumer sales; comparable as both a brand partner and as a narrow-line competitor in the premium-paddle segment.
• Selkirk Sport: Paddle manufacturer that increasingly sells direct to consumers and operates dedicated pro-shop retail experiences; overlaps with Pickleball Depot's assortment as both a supplier and a competing channel for premium paddles.
• PaddleTek: Paddle manufacturer carried by Pickleball Depot that also sells directly through its own website; a peer through its own-brand strategy (similar to Apex) and through overlap in distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PickleballDepot
• Instagraminstagram.com/pickleballdepotca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pickleball Depot