Lisa and Dustin DeMeritt never set out to build a brand, start a club, or launch a company. They just followed a spark, what began as Lisa’s love for the game quickly became a shared calling. In 2020, they opened Pickles Indoor Pickleball Club in Hanover, Massachusetts, with a simple idea: create a welcoming space where people of all ages and backgrounds could come together, play, laugh, and feel like they belonged. 

Pickles grew into something more than they ever imagined, not because it was big or flashy, but because it became personal to so many. It was the morning ritual for new retirees, the weekly escape for young families, and the safe landing spot for those simply looking for connection. Along the way, Lisa and Dustin listened, learned, and built a community rooted in kindness, inclusion, and shared joy. 

After successfully transitioning Pickles into new hands, they turned their attention to something just as playful and purposeful: DinkyBalls; a lifestyle brand inspired by the characters they met on court and the spirit of the sport itself. With personalities like “Paddy the Ambassador,” “Joy the Cheerful Champ,” “Legend the Nostalgic Noble,” “Blaze the Sporty Inferno,” and “Swallz the Sweaty Swatter,” DinkyBalls celebrates the wonderfully diverse ways people show up to play, and to belong. Their mission is simple: to honor the unique character in everyone by connecting people of all ages, shapes, backgrounds, beliefs and abilities, so that they can elevate themselves, enrich the lives of others and find a sense of belonging anywhere. 

Today, Lisa and Dustin continue to support and uplift the game however they can through storytelling, creative collaborations, and just showing up at local courts for an impromptu game of pickleball. Their journey is about community, not credit. And if there’s one thing they’ve learned, it’s this: pickleball brings out the best in people. They’re just grateful to be a small part of it.