Interview with David friedman - founder of pklyn
Ray and I first met David about two years ago at the Pier 2 Handball courts - back when every court in NYC was a DIY job of tape, chalk, or spray paint, and dedicated courts were merely a pipe dream. It was our first time at the pier. We had seen the activity on the team reach for several months and watched that community grow, but we mostly played in Manhattan or drilled in Queens. Knowing that it was going to be drizzling, we decided to make the trek to Brooklyn Heights to seek refuge beneath the covered pier.
When David and the Brooklyn crew arrived to see us drilling, it felt a little like we were caught in someone else’s backyard. But that feeling quickly disappeared when David and Jackie came over and asked to play a few games, and then a few more. When our parking meter ran out, David offered to cover the next round. And when we ran out of water, they offered theirs (although given we were just past COVID, we politely declined).
From that day on, our communities were linked - they were a part of ours as we were a part of theirs. So when David shared the news of pursuing opening a dedicated facility, we couldn’t have been more thrilled to see the initiative coming from someone within - one of us.
A few weeks after the announcement of PKLYN to the pickleball community, we sat down with David to chat about everything it took to get to this moment. We dive deep into the real estate process, his motivations, and the many ups and downs he’s experienced over the past two years. Most importantly, we talk about the vision for PKLYN and what it will bring to Gowanus, and the greater NYC pickleball community.
-Eric
