National pickleball venue Chicken N Pickle to open first Colorado location this month

Chicken N Pickle, a national chain pickleball entertainment venues, is opening its first Colorado location in Thornton this month.

Covering more than 3 acres and over 45,000 square feet, the venue will offer eight pickleball courts, including six indoor and two covered outdoor courts.

“We’re thrilled to bring Chicken N Pickle to Thornton, a community that reflects our desire to offer a space where families, friends and colleagues can create memories and connect through playful experiences,” said Chicken N Pickle CEO Brad Clarke.

“Colorado’s active, outdoorsy spirit and Thornton’s strong sense of community make it the ideal place for our next venue.”

The indoor courts will feature an open-air design, with garage doors throughout the space that open halfway to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces. It will be the first Chicken N Pickle to include windows overlooking the indoor courts.

However, the venue will offer more than just pickleball. It will include a fast-casual restaurant specializing in wood-fired rotisserie chicken, lawn games such as cornhole, ping pong, Jenga and life-sized Battleship, as well as rooftop seating featuring three event spaces.

Additional reservable areas include The Roost and The Boardwalk on the main dining floor, plus two beer gardens and a game yard. The Thornton venue will also have a breakfast menu, an offering not available at all Chicken N Pickle locations.

Located in The Grove shopping center southeast of the Interstate 25 and 144th Avenue interchange, the entertainment complex will open on June 24 and will offer free open play on two of its eight pickleball courts throughout the day. Themed events and giveaways will be held throughout the week.

“We’re thrilled to be part of the Thornton community and believe that thriving in business goes hand-in-hand with giving back to the community that supports us,” said president of Chicken N Pickle Kelli Alldredge.

Every Chicken N Pickle location employs a full-time community impact coordinator to further support their  philanthropic and service-focused efforts.

Since its opening, Chicken N Pickle has contributed more than $5 million to local nonprofits.

In 2024, Chicken N Pickle supported nearly 9,000 charitable organizations, hosted more than 8,890 fundraisers and gave over $1.1 million to local communities through in-kind donations, property give-backs and community cup campaigns, according to a news release.