Pickleball fans in Montgomery County will soon have more courts to choose from when a Dill Dinkers franchisor moves into the area, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Dill Dinkers, which is based in Columbia, Maryland, recently signed a regional developer for southeastern Pennsylvania.

Andy Wakefield and his son Andrew plan on opening 14 pickleball complexes across Montgomery and Chester counties.

As a regional developer, they have exclusive rights to the territory and will be able to sell franchises. The total cost to open a Dill Dinkers is between $325,000 and $765,000. The initial franchise fee is $50,000.

The Wakefields plan on opening their own Dill Dinkers location and then building a network of franchises in the region.

Dill Dinkers’ approach to pickleball is to keep things simple and fun.

“We’re not looking to create a country club experience,” Andrew Wakefield said.

The father and son are both military veterans. Andrew Wakefield is the founder of a logistics company in Baltimore. His father is a senior executive in the lighting industry.

Read more about the Wakefields and their plan to open several Dill Dinkers franchises in Montgomery and Chester counties in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

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