Dill Dinkers, the Maryland-founded indoor pickleball company, has announced a change in ownership for three of its original locations, including clubs in Rockville and North Bethesda, along with plans for additional expansion across the state.
According to a November 5 announcement, John and Condit Lyon have acquired the company’s Columbia, North Bethesda, and Rockville clubs, transitioning all three from corporate ownership to locally operated franchise locations. The couple will operate the clubs through their company, The Flying Lyon.
As part of the agreement, the Lyons have also secured development rights for the remaining available Dill Dinkers territory in Maryland, covering a population of more than one million people. The agreement creates the potential for up to seven additional Dill Dinkers locations across the state over the next decade, although specific locations and opening timelines have not been announced.
Dill Dinkers was founded by Will and Denise Richards, who opened the company’s first location in Columbia in November 2022. The Rockville and North Bethesda clubs followed as early company-owned locations, helping establish the business model that eventually led to the company’s expansion into a national franchise system.
“Columbia is where Dill Dinkers came to life, so this is much more personal to us than simply transferring ownership of three clubs,” said Will Richards, co-founder and CEO of Dill Dinkers. “These clubs helped us learn what worked, build an incredible community and ultimately create the model we believed could grow beyond Maryland.”
The ownership change is not expected to affect the clubs’ branding or core operations. All three locations will continue operating under the Dill Dinkers name, with their existing programming and community relationships remaining in place.
The Lyons plan to invest in facility improvements, technology, staff development, programming, and the overall player experience at each location.
John and Condit Lyon were already involved with Dill Dinkers before the acquisition. Their relationship with the company began with an interest in becoming franchise owners and eventually expanded to regional development, investment, and leadership roles within the organization.
“We initially approached Dill Dinkers looking to become franchisees, but as we learned more about the company, our confidence continued to grow,” said John Lyon, co-owner of The Flying Lyon.
For Dill Dinkers, the sale represents a shift toward a franchise-focused business model. By transferring its original corporate-owned Maryland clubs to franchise operators, the company says its leadership team will be able to focus more heavily on supporting existing franchisees and expanding into additional markets.
While the announcement opens the door for as many as seven additional Maryland clubs, the company has not identified which communities could receive new locations or whether any of those future clubs will be in Montgomery County.
