I never would have expected to move back to my hometown, but when I found out that the tennis club I grew up playing at was for sale, my heart hurt a little bit. It had been closed, waiting for a buyer, for over two years. This was a disruption not just for the community, but for the local high school as well. Our high school does not have its own tennis courts and used this private tennis club for practices and matches. During this time, student-athletes had to share courts with another high school and play all away matches.
During the time that I played at the tennis club, members were only allowed on the courts or in the pro shop so I never had the chance to explore the almost 6,000 square feet of the home. As I walked through it for the first time, I saw so much opportunity and quickly started laying out a business plan in my head. Before the end of my week’s stay at home, I put an offer in for the house.
Then, I got that business plan on paper (well, online), worked with the township to ensure that I would be able to re-open the tennis club, reached out to the high school, and most importantly – my former coach at the club to gain any knowledge he could pass onto me.
Fast-forward four months, I purchased the tennis club and renamed it the Valley Royale LLC. While renovating the inside of the home to create a true tennis lounge, I’m also building a tennis program with the help of local instructors. My goal with the Valley Royale is to build a community space for people to play, relax, and bond. We’re opening in the summer of 2020!
Jennifer Everett 