Village Board Considers Pickle Haus Patio Proposal

ALGONQUIN, IL — An expansive pickle ball facility that plans to move into the vacant Dania Furniture building this fall is requesting permission from the village to construct an outdoor patio area.

The Algonquin Committee of the Whole will vote Tuesday on a major planned development amendment and special use permit for the 1,900-square-foot patio outside Pickle Haus at 1621 South Randall Road.

Pickle Haus, a sports-themed entertainment space that comparable to Top Golf, plans to open in November in the 40,000-square-foot building. The facility, which is expected to be the first of its kind built in the greater Chicago area, will feature 12 pickleball courts and a restaurant designed by Sheamus Feely, a former featured chef at the James Beard House

• Pickle Haus Is A 'True Win-Win' For Algonquin, Pickleball Lovers

The 1,900-square-foot patio area, if approved, would have tables, chairs, backyard game area, televisions, fire pits and turf grass. The space would be surrounded by a metal fence, according to village documents.

The planning and zoning commission approved the planned development amendment and a special use permit for the open-air dining and patio area at a July 10 meeting.

Pickle Haus is the brainchild of a collaborative effort between Hubbard Street Group and College Park Athletic Clubs, which has several suburban tennis clubs. Officials from the two groups wanted to create an entertainment destination that takes advantage of pickleball’s popularity and the ability to pair the game with good food and beverages.

Once completed, officials with the two groups said that they believe the Algonquin facility will become a "marquee location" in the pickleball and entertainment world.

In addition to the pickleball courts, the facility will also include three golf simulators, event space, and an outdoor patio. With so many entertainment options, the founders of Pickle Haus believe the space will help to create a new category that could soon spread across the greater Chicago area.

"Our vision for Pickle Haus is to provide a pickleball-focused entertainment experience that is unmatched in the industry," Graham Palmer, managing partner of Hubbard Street Group in Chicago said in a statement released when Pickle Haus’ Algonquin location was announced.

Palmer said the sports-themed entertainment space is the first of its kind to combine "best-in-class" pickleball courts with a top-tier food and beverage program. Guests will have the option to eat and drink courtside, at the bar, on the patio, or with grab-and-go convenience from the coffee bar.

A select number of the courts will include cabanas that will add to the allure of the entertainment space.

The Algonquin Committee of a Whole will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at village hall, 2200 Harnish Drive, where it will consider Pickle Haus's patio proposal.