Pickleball Depot new Vernon location is nearly ready (submitted photo/Facebook)

By Kevin Rothwell

Pickleball Depot

Pickleball business nearly ready for retail

Jun 10, 2023 | 9:00 AM

One of the original Canadian online pickleball suppliers is adding additional retail spaces to its game.

Signage has gone up and interior renovations are being completed on a new Vernon location at 5107 25 Ave.

Pickleball Depot was founded in 2012 by a self-proclaimed pickleball fanatic, Bryan Banerd, who had an uncanny ability of merging his personal passion withs with business ventures.

Cara Arding, Banerd’s daughter, took over the Pickleball Depot operations in 2014, and continues to run the business.

The love of pickleball turned into Canada’s first dedicated online pickleball store based out of Vernon. Pickleball Depot soon grew from this small passion project to become the largest multi-brand retailer and wholesaler of pickleball equipment in Canada.

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In 2015 Pickleball Depot launched the manufacturing division, Apex Pickleball, with the goal of creating affordable, quality built paddles designed in Canada for clubs, schools and players looking to get into the sport at a reasonable cost.

The journey began with the Club 101 model, becoming a huge success and leading to the launch of many more models ranging from entry and intermediate level composites to advanced play graphites.

Thousands of paddles later, Apex is going strong with a wide range of models and is the preferred paddle used in most schools that have adopted the sport.

Pickleball Depot and its founder are also no strangers to the awards platform.

Winning 2018 Innovator of the Year from the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce, 2019 Top 40 Under 40 award for business owner Cara Arding and the 2018 Retailer of the Year at the Business Excellence Awards for the Thompson Okanagan.

The sport has exploded in the Okanagan and especially Vernon, with outstanding facilities and over 700 members in the Vernon Pickleball Association which was formed in 2014 and quickly grew.

The provincial championships were recently held at the Okanagan Wealth Advisors Pickleball complex at Marshall Fields with over 600 competitors taking part from ages 13 to 80.

Pickleball Depot also has a location in the Spall Plaza at 550-1950 Harvey Avenue in Kelowna.

For more information about the business click here.