Meet the owners of True Pickleball in Latham
I recently sat down with Mike Bibbo and Jon Foshee, the developers behind the pickleball club coming to a vacant Kmart in Latham called True Pickleball. They are both business owners and recreational pickleball players who live in Guilderland. They met and became friends because their kids go to the same schools.
Bibbo and his wife Amy own The Bibbo Group and Foshee owns Concord Pools in Latham and Saratoga Springs.
When they were brainstorming what to name the club, they said “True Pickleball” at the same time.
“True” captures their mission to build courts up to the standard set by USA Pickleball, they said.
“Being first to the market and setting the tone is important to us,” Foshee said.
This week the Times Union wrote about True Pickleball: Purpose-built pickleball club is coming to Latham .
The location nestled in a vacant Kmart between Vent Fitness and the Scarlet Knife, a restaurant, two miles east of the Latham traffic circle. When they were searching for locations, the parking lot was full at 7 a.m. in the morning because of people working out at Vent fitness. The early morning traffic was very appealing, they said.
Bibbo and Foshee said they expect court time to cost between $40 and $50 per hour, which is in line with their research at other venues they visited in Boston, Philadelphia and New Jersey. It is also in the same ballpark that Legacy Pickleball Club in Saratoga County plans to charge. Legacy is an indoor pickleball facility being built in Malta.
True Pickleball will use Court Reserve software to manage court reservations. The facility is slated to open April 1. The 20,000 square foot space will have six full courts – including a tournament court – a smaller practice court, a lounge, cabanas, a tournament court and pro shop.
“We want you to come in and say ‘Wow,’ ” Bibbo said.
They will be offering tiered memberships that have different amenities including how far out courts can be reserved. The club will also have open play and drop-in rates.
Bibbo and Foshee are also thinking about opening another location and Guilderland is high on the list.
