Foundry Padel, an indoor padel club, is set to launch in Portland's Cathedral Park neighborhood. Owners Jake and Monica Killion plan a soft launch in March and a hard opening in early June. The facility will feature four courts and a social area to foster community through the fast-paced racquet sport.
Padel, a sport blending elements of tennis and squash, is gaining traction in the U.S., and Portland is poised to join the trend with the opening of Foundry Padel. Jake Killion, co-owner with his wife Monica, emphasizes the differences from pickleball: "Padel is much more fast-paced. You’re not using a whiffle ball and a cutting board." The club will occupy a 13,800-square-foot warehouse at 8613 N Crawford St., complete with a 40-foot ceiling to accommodate high lobs, a key aspect of the game.
The venue will include four indoor padel courts, surrounded by glass walls that allow the ball to bounce off them, intensifying play. To make it accessible, Killion aims for pricing at $60 per court per hour or $15 per player. Adjacent to the courts, a 5,000-square-foot two-story social area will offer Oregon wines and beers from local breweries. Guests can watch matches from the second-story glass railing and bring in outside food, with nearby food trucks just two minutes away.
Killion discovered padel three years ago while traveling in Spain, a global hub for the sport. He values its social benefits: "I’d play for an hour and a half and then have a beer with them afterwards." To build community in Portland, the club will use the Playtomic app, which matches players by skill level, enabling solo participants to join games easily. "You’re meeting people. You’re playing people with a similar skill set," Killion says. He envisions Foundry Padel as "a social hive of activity," introducing newcomers to the sport that leaves players notably winded after rallies.
The soft launch for friends and family is scheduled for March, ahead of the early June public opening.