A longtime local retailer for tennis and pickleball goods is getting settled into its first brick-and-mortar space in Courthouse.
Capital Tennis & Pickleball is selling tennis rackets, pickleball paddles and shoes at 2200 Wilson Blvd, on a lease at the former Young’s Tailors dry cleaner.
The store opened this past fall and is now hosting a raffle to celebrate its first spring in the new space, which is around 400 square feet. Interested participants can enter for the chance to win a free racket or pair of shoes by signing up for the business’ free rewards program.
The shop also offers stringing services and a tennis ball recycling drop-off and a demo program where customers can take home rackets and paddles to test out before purchasing them.
“You can take between one and three rackets, go to the court, hit with a friend, or schedule it when you have a lesson with your regular group or your pro, and then let us know what you think,” co-owner and Lyon Village resident Steven Krieger told ARLnow.
Krieger and co-owner Pete Poggioli previously spent the past decade operating the business virtually and building a regional customer base. Together, the duo have a combined 60 years of tennis experience and 50 years of stringing expertise.
Poggioli is a United States Racquet Stringers Association-certified racket technician, while Krieger is a certified tennis instructor with the Racquet Sports Professionals Association.
“He and I started this business together long, long ago,” Krieger told ARLnow. “We’re both huge tennis players, and when I first moved to D.C. from Detroit, I found him because I was trying to find folks to play with and someone connected us. We just formed a friendship starting way back in 2002.”
Krieger later left D.C. to attend law school. Upon his return to the area, he noticed that his go-to tennis shop in Ballston had closed, leaving a “big gaping hole” for tennis and pickleball players in the area. That’s when he teamed up with his longtime playing partner to start the business.
“We’ve probably restrung our own rackets hundreds of times over the years and finally decided to grow our love for tennis and pickleball into a business,” their website says. “As regular players, we understand the needs of the tennis and pickleball community.”
