The Picklr Bankruptcy: New Risk in Club Pickleball Growth

The Picklr bankruptcy began when the parent company, Picklr Inc., filed for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Founder and CEO Jorge Barragan told Sports Business Journal: “We signed, unfortunately, too many corporate guarantees that landed on the holding company, and that’s on us. I own it.” Fox Business reported the quote.

The Picklr Bankruptcy Traces Back to Corporate Lease Guarantees

The Dink reported more than 70 U.S. locations in 29 states, plus clubs abroad. About 40 locations, according to Barragan, have leases backed by corporate guarantees. A lease guarantee means the parent pays the landlord if a location cannot, so the rent risk sits on the holding company’s balance sheet.

Sports Business Journal reported a $4.4 million net loss on $10.3 million in 2025 revenue. It also reported about $19 million in total liabilities at the end of March. Yet a balance sheet dated August 31, attached to the petition, lists about $2.39 million in liabilities. It also lists seven disputed guaranty claims totaling about $783,000, per the IAPPF review Fox cited. We could not reconcile the two from the sources we reviewed, so we report both.

The financing figures differ as well. The Dink reported a $4.5 million debtor-in-possession commitment from an investor group led by franchisee Tom Neale, subject to court approval. Sports Business Journal, however, reported $4.8 million. We found no source that explains the gap.

The filing, however, covers only the parent. Its franchising and club-operating subsidiaries are not in it, and franchisees keep control of their locations. The company says no clubs are closing as a direct result, although Barragan expects some contraction over the next 18 to 24 months.

That distinction matters because Barragan points to the guarantees, not to demand for the sport. Yet The Picklr bankruptcy shows how obligations signed during fast growth can outlast the growth.

Chicago Hotel Workers Remain on Strike as Contract Dispute Continues

Hundreds of workers at six downtown Chicago hotels have been on strike since October 9, days before the Chicago Marathon. WTTW News reported on October 12 that the hotels include the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, Waldorf Astoria and Palmer House. UNITE HERE Local 1 seeks wages that keep pace with inflation, health care and pensions, while it says contracts for about 7,000 workers expired in August. A Marriott spokesperson told Axios the company remains available to meet with the union. WTTW, however, reported no scheduled talks and no direct effect on the race.

Walmart’s Heart-Rate Cart Is a 2018 Patent Application, Not a Rollout

Claims that Walmart carts track shoppers’ heart rates trace to a 2018 patent application, Retail Dive reported on October 1 of that year. It describes cart handles that could sense heart rate, body temperature and stress, then alert a store associate. Walmart said, though, that it would not tie the data to a customer’s identity. However, an application is not a granted patent, and Retail Dive noted Walmart had published 1,419 since 2009. Because we found no report that this cart is in use, we treat it as a concept.

Starbucks Says It Is Not Buying Chipotle After a Report It Explored a Bid

A Starbucks spokesperson told FOX Business on October 12 that the company is not buying Chipotle. The statement followed a Financial Times report, citing people familiar with the matter, that Starbucks had explored a takeover. The spokesperson said, however, that the team is “laser focused on executing our Back to Starbucks strategy.” Chipotle shares rose more than 7% after the report but fell about 4% after the denial, Reuters reported. Fox Business could not reach Chipotle, and the coverage we reviewed does not say how far any exploration went.