Here it is. Another pickleball feature.
Over the past year, Vulcan Post Malaysia has featured a slew of pickleball businesses, each with its own little twist to help it stand out in this ever-expanding industry.
From in-house eateries to cold plunges, ‘Big Pickle’ seems to be dead set on having players spend their whole day at a court.
It seems to be working, with interest still rising, driving at least 26 courts to pop up in the Klang Valley alone, each dedicated to building its own pickler community.
And now they’re getting into our homes!
Enter Pocket Pickle
Founded by four professionals from various fields, Pocket Pickle started out during the midst of the group’s main venture, Sky Society, a rooftop space that “builds community and fosters creativity.”
“Building Sky Society came with plenty of delays and roadblocks. Rather than waiting, we explored the idea of portable pickleball courts,” said law graduate turned art sculptor, Hannah Bhatt, one of the founders behind the brand.
And so, with research and development going into coming up with the perfect flooring material that was the right mix of durability, bounce, and portability, Pocket Pickle began, aimed at capitalising on the pickleball hype while “generating funds to support Sky Society.”
“Court bookings are limited and fixed in location. So, we created our portable pickleball service.”
“With custom-designed mats and equipment, we bring the court to you, whether it’s a birthday, a mall, a corporate event, or even your backyard,” Hannah added.
With rental and installation packages starting from RM1,200, Pocket Pickle hopes to provide picklers with the chance to truly personalise their pickleball sesh, whether by incorporating it into their personal events or by hosting a private game day.
Check out their packages here:
| The Basics | The Social Set | The Office Breaker | The Ultimate Party Pack | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mat, 4 paddles and balls | / | / | / | / |
| Pocket Pong barrels | / | / | ||
| Additional inclusions | Scoreboard setups and refreshments for up to 10 pax. | Neon lights, photo backdrop, basic music setup | ||
| Price | RM1,200 | RM1,500 | RM2,000 | RM2,500 |
The main hustle
Although the founders are currently committed to Pocket Pickle and their pop-ups, their focus remains on their rooftop community hub, Sky Society, a vibrant space that includes an art gallery, F&B outlets, event areas, and of course, their pickleball component, Pickle in the Sky (PitS), set to feature five roofed outdoor courts.
“It’s designed to be a lifestyle hub where people come not just to play, but to gather, create, and belong,” said Hannah.
That said, due to the challenges that come with building a rooftop destination, be it navigating around red tape and licensing matters, the team hopes to launch Sky Society later in the final quarter of the year.
In the meantime, they took to building an audience.
Till June 9, 2025, PitS will be taking over The Starhill mall’s Main Atrium, transforming the ground into vibrant pink and blue courts for picklers to play, with mallgoers as their audience.
But not just that, PitS will also be hosting a slew of events throughout their takeover, from tournaments to workshops. A previous event was a singles meet over a weekend.
“It was truly one of our most heartwarming events yet. Unlike typical singles events in the city, this felt more like a meetup where everyone just happened to be single.”
Take that how you will.
Building a community
“Swipe Less (the event) was co-created with a partner we hope to keep working with for a long time. The format really worked. After the games ended, many of the attendees hung out and even went for lunch together at Hutong, one of our sponsors. That’s the kind of connection we want to cultivate—real, low-pressure, lasting.”
“We’re really grateful that many of our partners found us. That in itself told us there was a real gap in the market,” said Hannah.
As the group continues to focus on opening and growing the brand through more pop-ups and events, they hope to build a strong community leading up to the launch of Sky Society later this year.
“Our future permanent space is located in Wisma New Asia, right in the heart of KL. Our goal is to appeal to a diverse crowd: office workers, young families, expats, tourists, and anyone looking for a fun and welcoming environment.”
“We’re not just targeting athletes, we’re creating experiences for everyone: seasoned players, curious first-timers, and even people who just want to hang out while their friends play. We’re bringing something playful, inclusive, and a little disruptive to the pickleball space.”
Despite the brand’s youth, they’re already hoping to scale to other states, bringing the same experience to more people to grow their community into a diverse and inclusive one.
Featured Image Credit: Pickle in the Sky
