Three-minute read

• Nicol New Jersey, a new racket sports club, is opening in Oceanport at the RiverWalk Center.
• The facility features courts for padel, squash and pickleball, along with a cafe and bar.
• Co-founded by top-ranked squash player Peter Nicol and his wife Jess, the club aims to foster a community atmosphere and grow racket sports participation.

OCEANPORT — Nicol New Jersey, a racket sports club that offers padel, squash and pickleball under one roof, is just about ready to welcome its first players.

The 20,000-square-foot racket facility, located at the new RiverWalk Center at 850 Oceanport Ave., is expected to have its soft opening this week.

Co-founded by husband and wife team Peter and Jess Nicol, Nicol New Jersey has four indoor pickleball courts, three squash courts and two indoor padel courts. Outdoor pickleball and padel courts are planned as well.

“I grew up playing a number of racket sports,” said Peter Nicol, formerly ranked as the No. 1 squash player in the world. “I played squash and tennis in the same place and it was affordable. It was accessible. It wasn’t a country club.”

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The Nicols, who also own Nicol New York City, a squash club in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, are poised to showcase padel at the Jersey Shore, and give racket sports enthusiasts a place to play squash and indoor pickleball too.

“I love this environment,” said Nicol, who says it reminds him of his upbringing in Scotland. “The whole community went to this place to socialize, to maybe eat a little bit, and to play sports. Kids would come play sports and do their homework and parents would be playing on another court while they hung around.”

Padel, the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, originated in Mexico and uses a solid racket. It’s played in doubles. “It’s the perfect combination between squash and tennis,” said Rodrigo Magalhaes, director of rackets.

There are not many padel courts open to the public. In the Jersey Shore area, they are in private hands, Nicol said.

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Besides the racket courts, the facility will have a cafe and bar serving beer, wine, cider and smoothies. Customers can either buy a membership or come and pay to play.

“We want to make it like a community,” Peter Nicol said.

There’s also a Spear clinic inside. Spear, a physical therapy provider, has 55 locations, mostly in New York City and four in New Jersey.

Nicol is the first business to open at RiverWalk Center, the new retail plaza under construction along Oceanport Avenue.

Developer Michael Abboud and his development partner, Chris Ilvento, owner of Ilvento Builders & Developers, are building the $25 million project on 12 acres at Parker’s Creek on the Oceanport side of Fort Monmouth.

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“There is such a vibe of strong community here,” Jess Nicol said. “I am so lucky to be here.”

There’s a demand for a place like Nicol New Jersey, Peter Nicol said. The Jersey Shore area has a “huge demographic of racket sports players.”

“There’s tennis clubs and tennis courts everywhere,” he said. “There’s that community who wants to play racket sports.”

Jess Nicol said they are connecting with area schools, including the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, that are interested in using Nicol’s squash courts for their racket programs. They also plan to offer summer programs and camps for young players at all skill levels. Coaching also will play a major role at Nicol New Jersey, Peter Nicol said.

“A big part of our business is our junior program,” Jess Nicol said. “Our ultimate mission is to get more people playing racket sports, but it starts with kids and that is our history, that is really how we built our business.”

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business, retail, real estate and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for 27 years. He writes APP.com’s What’s Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Please sign up for his weekly newsletter and join his What’s Going There page on Facebook for updates.