Have You Seen The Aesthetic Pickleball Setup At The Starhill? Here Is The Story Behind It
Pickle In The Sky co-founder Leon Lee told SAYS that the idea for a 'portable' pickleball court came about after delays with their main venue.
Cover image via SAYSIf you've been on social media lately, chances are you've seen photos or videos of vibrant pickleball courts popping up inside a mall
Decked out with beach chairs, chic sun umbrellas, and a retro-inspired photo booth, the pastel green and pink pickleball courts have turned heads both in person and online.
The eye-catching setup is not just a marketing gimmick; it is part of a creative initiative called Pocket Pickle by Pickle In The Sky at The Starhill, Kuala Lumpur.
Intrigued by the concept, we spoke to co-founder Leon Lee, 33, and played a few rounds ourselves to learn more about how Pocket Pickle came to life.
Image via SAYS
Image via SAYS
Lee explained that the idea was born after the team hit a roadblock while preparing to launch of their permanent pickleball venue at Wisma New Asia on Jalan Raja Chulan
While waiting on approvals and sorting out the paperwork for their project, Lee and his three co-founders knew they had to pivot, so they came up with a temporary rollout to keep the momentum going.
That was when the idea of a 'portable' pickleball court struck, leading to the creation of Pocket Pickle, a sub-brand under their main venture that installs pickleball mats at event spaces, indoors or out.
"The Starhill caught wind of the idea and they said, 'Why don't we put pickleball courts here in the mall? Attract some crowds?' In exchange, we get to put our mats in the most prestigious mall in KL," Lee shared.
Image via SAYS
The courts at The Starhill are not intended as full-scale training grounds for pro athletes.
According to Lee, they deliver about 80% of the bounce you would get on a standard court, making them more suited for casual games and social play.
He shared that the entire setup at the mall was put together by the four co-founders themselves, with no help from event teams.
Each court is made up of four large mat strips, each weighing 85kg. The team completed the entire transformation in under two days, a feat they were proud to pull off with such efficiency.
When asked about the response so far, Lee said the courts went viral on the very day they opened to the public on 13 May.
"On our first day, we went viral on social media platforms. With all that attention came the criticism.
"Some of the criticism was like, 'The spacing was not enough', 'The lighting was too dark', 'Why put a pickleball court in such a prestigious mall'," Lee recalled.
Despite receiving some negative feedback, the team took it in stride and made several improvements.
Since then, Pocket Pickle has continued to receive positive reception, prompting The Starhill to extend its tenancy at the main atrium by an additional five weeks until 15 July.
Some hotel guests staying above the mall have also been intrigued by the unique setup, booking courts out of curiosity to try the sport for themselves.
Image via SAYS
Pocket Pickle's success has sparked interest beyond Malaysia, receiving inquiries from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia
Lee said the team has received requests from other malls and corporations for them to run events.
"We are also collaborating with some big names in the tech and beauty industries. They will be using our courts in The Starhill to advertise their launches," Lee shared.
He added that the team did not launch the mall activation with profitability in mind, but rather to build awareness.
This was reflected in their pricing, RM40 during non-peak hours and RM50 during peak hours, which he said is well below market rates.
From left to right: Pickle In The Sky co-founders Ashley Chong, Hannah Bhatt, Samuel Chew, and Leon Lee.
Image via @pickleinthesky.my (Instagram)
