Pickleball and cornhole have both found namesake homes in Richmond.
With the recent ribbon-cuttings of NES Cornhole Lounge at 2443 Old Brick Road at West Broad Village and Performance Pickleball RVA at 8641 Quioccasin Road at Regency mall, these approachable recreational sports offer new outlets for Richmonders to toss some bags and swing some rackets.
Photo courtesy NES Cornhole Lounge
Owner and U.S. Army veteran Catina Downey, along with retired firefighter Trent Carpenter, spearheaded NES, the only cornhole-dedicated venue in the Richmond area. NES held its grand opening in October 2023, although Downey says licensing and additional renovations meant NES fully opened at the end of the year.
“I’ve always wanted a wedding venue, a place that would allow families, food and fun in a nice, relaxed location,” she says. “When I introduced the idea of cornhole to see what people thought of that, they absolutely loved it, so I incorporated it into the overall event venue.”
The lounge offers opportunities for corporate parties and family get-togethers, as well as weekly events including tournaments and leagues. NES hosts a “Paint, Sip and Toss” event that features a Brush Hour With Ny, at 6 p.m. on Fridays, where attendees can add cornhole to the painting fun before or after. A Winter Cornhole League and a 55+ Senior/Retiree Cornhole League launched in early January and continue until mid-March. Leagues culminate with elimination tournaments to determine champions.
The kitchen serves snacks, but NES partners with catering services for larger events. Day passes are offered alongside monthly, VIP and family-household memberships for a monthly fee.
“Our members pay a flat monthly fee,” Downey says. “They can come in when they get off work or whenever they want, play for a little while and not pay every time they come in,” Downey says. “People can rent out the entire facility, just the party suite or the VIP courts in the front of the building.”
Performance Pickleball RVA is in the former Macy’s space in Regency mall. Former Virginia Tech sports and Flying Squirrels broadcaster Jon Laaser is among the investors and co-founders of the facility, which touts itself as the largest pickleball venue in the commonwealth.
Photo courtesy Performance Pickleball RVA
“My wife and I started our nonprofit when we moved back to Richmond — Laaser’s Ladybug Society — and we wanted to fundraise for mental health through athletic events,” Laaser says. “We see pickleball exploding in popularity and all kinds of money coming into it, and we thought we could make it successful, and we hope we’re right.”
Twelve indoor courts have been completed, and there are plans for six more to be added outdoors, as well as a second, smaller, bar and picnic area. Performance Pickleball offers six membership tiers and the opportunity for nonmembers to take to the courts. The venue also hosts events and offers leagues with doubles and fixed-partner options for men and women, as well as coed beginners.
“The beauty of the facility is that it’s so versatile,” Laaser says. “The way we set it up, there’s really nothing we can’t do. Being indoor and having the 12 competition courts makes it ideal for tournaments. We feel like we’ve created a model where there’s something for everybody.”
Another pickleball facility opened in July 2023 in Chesterfield County. Bangers and Dinks, at 1516 Koger Center Blvd. in Bon Air, features eight climate-controlled indoor pickleball courts open to members and nonmembers. In addition to food and drinks, a lounge, and pro shop, the venue offers classes, events and leagues.
Other recreational opportunities abound around metro Richmond.
For those on the hunt for a sharper diversion, ax throwing can be found in Richmond at Shield N Sheath at 1511 Altamont Ave. or Stumpy’s Hatchet House at 9200 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 189. If taking to the mini greenway is more your speed, Midlothian’s Putt-Putt Fun Center at 7901 Midlothian Turnpike offers go-karts and bumper boats alongside three mini golf courses, while Hanover Sports Park at 11000 Washington Highway features batting cages and a driving range in addition to a challenging 18-hole course that winds through greenery and water features. Topgolf, whose boundary netting towers can be seen along Interstate 195, offers several levels of driving range bays and a mini golf course at 2308 Westwood Ave.
For bowling fun, there’s River City Roll at 939 Myers St., offering boutique bowling, music and elevated cuisine. At The Park RVA at 1407 Cummings Drive, enjoy duckpin bowling along one of 18 lanes or check out the Wonderball indoor mini golf course. It also offers virtual golf, live music and events. Slingshot Social Game Club in Scott’s Addition kicks it up a notch with “extreme duckpin” bowling at its 3301 W. Clay St. location along with bocce ball and Skee-Ball.
