The exploration of sustainable living through the innovative use of shipping containers serves as the focal point of our discussion today. We delve into the transformative journey of Andy Anderson, who has ingeniously integrated these containers into a unique pickleball facility known as Dinks and Dingers. This venture not only addresses the need for recreational space in Michigan's colder months but also embodies the principles of recycling and sustainability that are increasingly paramount in contemporary discourse. Throughout our dialogue, we will uncover the various design elements and operational strategies that underpin this remarkable establishment. Furthermore, we will reflect on the broader implications of such initiatives in promoting environmentally responsible practices within the construction and entertainment sectors. The exploration of humanity's quest for shelter is both timeless and profound, tracing a trajectory from primitive bamboo huts to modern concrete towers. Within this context, the podcast delves into a significant movement towards sustainability, urging listeners to consider a more eco-conscious lifestyle. This call to action is particularly pertinent in an era marked by environmental challenges, as we grapple with the pressing need to preserve our planet for future generations. The discussion subsequently transitions to a groundbreaking approach to housing—container home living. I, as the host, am privileged to introduce Andy Anderson, whose innovative vision has transformed the conventional notions of recreational spaces by integrating shipping containers into the very fabric of his pickleball facility. This venture not only exemplifies creativity in design but also underscores the importance of recycling and repurposing materials that would otherwise contribute to landfill waste. The conversation promises to unveil the multifaceted benefits of such an architectural choice, offering a fresh perspective on sustainable living and community engagement through sport. In the podcast, we delve deeper into the intersection of sustainability and recreational enjoyment as Andy Anderson shares his journey of establishing a pickleball facility that embodies both fun and innovation. Amidst the backdrop of a post-pandemic world, where families sought new avenues for connection, Andy's initiative arose as a beacon of hope. He details how his passion for pickleball blossomed during the lockdown, leading to a desire not just for a sports venue but for a communal space that fosters social interaction. The decision to utilize shipping containers as the core structure of his facility was not merely an aesthetic choice but a deliberate effort to promote sustainable practices. I engage with Andy as he recounts his experiences in navigating the complexities of construction, zoning regulations, and the unique challenges posed by Michigan's climate, particularly the necessity to adapt to seasonal changes. This segment highlights the significance of designing spaces that are not only functional but also conducive to year-round activity, thereby enriching the local community's recreational landscape. As the dialogue progresses, we examine the tangible impacts of Andy's project on the Kentwood community, revealing how Dinks and Dingers has become more than just a sports facility; it is a vibrant hub for social engagement and health promotion. We explore the marketing strategies that have propelled the venue to success, emphasizing the role of word-of-mouth and community involvement in fostering a loyal patron base. Andy shares insights into the operational dynamics of hosting corporate events and the importance of creating an inclusive environment that welcomes both seasoned players and newcomers alike. This segment serves as a compelling reminder of the power of community-driven initiatives in promoting active lifestyles and fostering connections. Ultimately, the podcast encapsulates the essence of innovation in design, the importance of sustainability, and the joy of sport, inviting listeners to reconsider their own lifestyles in light of these discussions.

Takeaways:

• The evolution of shelters, from simple bamboo huts to modern concrete towers, illustrates mankind's quest for protection against the elements.
• The recent trend towards sustainable living emphasizes the importance of recycling shipping containers for innovative housing solutions.
• Andy Anderson's journey highlights how personal passion and market research can lead to successful business ventures in niche markets like pickleball.
• Utilizing shipping containers for commercial facilities, such as pickleball courts, demonstrates a creative approach to design and functionality.
• The importance of community engagement is evident as Dinks and Dingers serves as both a recreational facility and a social hub for local residents.
• Incorporating elements like food and drink into recreational spaces enhances the overall experience, merging leisure with social interaction.

Links referenced in this episode:

• dinksanddingers.com
• idealhomeimprovementaz.com
• stardustbuilding.org
• https://mrelectric.com/phoenix-metro

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Boxcar Universe
• Container Home Living
• Dinks & Dingers
• Newco
• Ideal Home Improvement
• Legacy Custom Homes
• Stardust Building Supplies
• Mr. Electric

Since the dawn of time, mankind has searched for ways to shelter themselves from the elements.

Over the centuries, these shelters have evolved from bamboo huts to concrete towers.

The last few years, there's been a push to save the planet.

Are you ready to embark on a more sustainable lifestyle?

Look no further.

You're about to enter the adventures of Container home Living.

And now, contractor, radio and TV personality, and your host for Boxcar Universe, Steve Dubel.

Hi, this is Steve Dubell, host of Boxcar Universe.

And here's what's coming up on this week's edition of Boxcar Universe.

You know, we've talked about using shipping containers for different types of homes in different types of venues, commercial possibilities.

And a lot of people use them for storage and all kinds of other things, but the, the idea to actually use and recycle them in a lot of different ways is so very important, whereas before, all they did was go to a landfill.

Well, our guest today, Andy Anderson, had a vision to create more than just another pickleball facility.

And if you know anything about me, you know that that's one of my passions and loves is playing pickleball.

And he wanted to build an experience.

And rather than solely build it in traditional construction, he embraced shipping containers as a key part of the project's identity, design and functionality.

And if you ever wondered whether shipping containers can be used for more than homes, you're in for a big surprise.

You're going to enjoy this conversation as I welcome Andy Anderson to Boxcar Univers.

Andy, thank you so much for being on the show today.

Hey, thanks, Dave.

Did you bring a paddle?

No, no, paddle's in my car.

But no, actually, you know, it's such a great.

You know, when I heard about what you had done in the facility and I spoke to the good people over at Newco, they, I said, you know, I, I want to get Andy on the show and, and talk to him a little bit about, you know, why he decided to build this facility.

And obviously, you know, it, it, it's a business, so, you know, there's got to be, there's got to be, you know, a market for it, because I see it all over Phoenix.

People are flocking to go, you know, have, you know, to go get court time and different facilities are, are doing different things, you know, but we can get into some of that later.

You know, we talk about some of the things that you have in your facility, but tell our listener little bit about how you got started and how this vision came about.

Yeah, sure.

So it goes back to Covid Back during COVID our state government restricted us to be only hanging out with our family members.

And so it forced my family to start doing stuff together.

And we picked up pickleball.

Um, so we went to the outdoor courts, start playing, and all four of us, I have two boys and my wife, we all really enjoyed it.

Then once the.

The restrictions kind of let let loose, I just continued playing.

I would play at one park on Monday night, and then a different park on Tuesday morning, a different park on Wednesday.

I just slowly became addicted to it.

It was something that was easy to pick up and easy to play and easy to learn, and I just kind of, you know, grew a passion for playing pickleball.

And then about three and a half, four years ago, I. I get this pickleball magazine, and I see all these restaurants that have pickleball courts down kind of near you in.

In Texas and Oklahoma, mainly in the Southwest, where they're incorporating a restaurant with pickleball courts.

And I'm like, that would be amazing to have up here in Michigan, and we don't have anything like that.

So I decided to write a business plan and get my wife behind it.

And here we are today with Dinkson Dingers restaurant and pickleball courts.

Yeah.

How now.

How long's it.

How long has it been open?

In July?

It'll be one year.

It'll be one year.

So coming up on that anniversary.

Yes, definitely.

No, you know, and I could see that too, because, you know, thinking about, you know, a lot of different aspects from a.

From a business point of view that, I mean, out here in the Southwest, you know, we've got a lot of.

Lot better, longer climate, you know, good climate than.

Than in Michigan.

I know, because some of my relatives live over in Grand Haven right off the lake, and, you know, they send me pictures every year.

You know, the snow.

Oh, my God, it's like, you know, I lived in Chicago for six years on the other side of the lake, so it's like, I know what they're going.

What you guys go through, but to have something like that, to be able to have indoors, especially when the weather is that, like, that has got to be really a big draw for the city.

Yeah.

Yeah, it is.

And, you know, it's kind of the opposite of our golf courses up here, where golf.

Everyone's golfing in the summer, and in the summer, all the parks are open.

And that's kind of our.

Our slow season this summer, because everyone can go to the park for free, you know.

Sure.

You don't have to pay for a court.

But in the winter, you know, starting in October through probably April, that's our busy season.

Just because all of our courts are, are indoors and, and people can go out and do something physical and social and communal during the winter months.

Yeah.

I mean out here, when I first, very first.

I'm trying to remember the very first pickleball court I went to, I was always into playing racquetball.

So, you know, pickleball was easy for me to pick up probably much like you, you had.

But then we turned around and you know, I'd like to, I always like to throw some humor into the conversations when you start talking about big people, you know, like getting used to learning about the rackets and you know, and, or the paddles and in, in there.

It just, it's unbelievable how many, you know, different companies have, you know, the, the best paddle in the world for you to win.

It's just the same thing like golf.

You know, I see this stuff all the time.

Different golf companies, they, they try and oh yeah, this, this club can straighten your slice out, guaranteed.

And I don't think so.

I don't think so.

If you're bad, you're bad.

And this club is not going to fix your problem.

You're going to have to have this instructor and some practice.

But you know, seriously, the, the, the rules are, you know, are really simple.

Like you say it's easy to pick up.

But when you decided that you wanted to build something like this, how did.

I mean, I'm sure the low.

Where is the location of, of.

Of Kentwood?

So Kenwood is a.

Just a suburb of Grand Rapids.

Greater Grand Rapids area.

It's, it's less than a mile from our airport.

Grand Rep. Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

And I'm surrounded by industrial buildings.

So if I ever wanted to build outdoor courts, it would be no problem because nobody can hear the.

Did you have any issues with being so close to the airport when you built?

Actually, we had to get.

We had to contact the FAA because we had a 50 foot crane that had to put up the steel structure.

And so we needed to wait about four to five weeks before they approved our crane because our building is right in the, the landing zone of one of the runways.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, well, okay.

I can understand that.

Sure.

I remember that.

Yeah.

When they were getting ready to many years ago, it must have been like 20, 20 years ago, maybe more when they were deciding that they wanted to build a new stadium for the Arizona Cardinals.

Everybody wanted to a lot of People wanted to keep it in Tempe because that's where the facility was before.

And it was right in the flight path of Sky Harbor Airport.

And they were talking about trying.

They're trying to do everything in the world.

They were going to dig.

They were going to dig down and bury it partly underground to get it to have the clearance that it would have, so it wouldn't be, you know, a target, so to speak.

So.

But.

But they never, they never did it.

It was just.

It just was too costly.

Sure, but how did you.

How did you.

What made you decide to go and seek out using shipping containers?

So I was.

My wife and I, we.

We did our market research.

We traveled around the country visiting other facilities that were similar to what we were looking at building.

We went to Boston, we went to New York, we went to Dallas, Oklahoma City, Florida.

And then there was one in Chicago actually, where between the courts, they had these cabanas.

And the cabanas were mainly a couch, some chairs, a table, a mini fridge.

And I'm like, cabanas between the courts, I think is really cool.

However, I don't like the couch aspect because it, you know, gets dirty.

You know, you got to clean it.

And it just so happened that my general contractor had this other business called Blocks.

You know, Nuco, the owner of Nuco owns a company called Blacks and they do shipping containers.

And then he's like, well, what if we use shipping containers?

And then it was like, it's perfect because we're in an industrial area.

My building is very, you know, industrial looking and it just matches the whole motif of dinks and dingers.

Yeah, well, that, that makes sense.

And then tell.

Tell us a little bit about it.

So, so obviously they started working on designing it.

Now how is it, how is it set up in relationship to the courts?

Sure.

So we have.

It goes court, cabana, I. E. Shipping container.

I call them cabanas.

Sorry, sorry.

It's just in my vernacular right now, okay, so it's a court and then the shipping container, then another court.

So the shipping containers are in between two courts.

Oh, okay.

You know, and then there's total of six quarts.

So then each.

Between each of the six quarts there's a shipping container.

And in one of the shipping containers, I have a booth style setting, kind of like a fine diner.

And then the.

The other two, I actually did a double shipping container, one on top of another with overhang.

So we can have seating on the bottom as well as seating up on top of.

Okay.

And then obviously they sit on top.

They can oversee and take a look and watch people play.

Yeah, exactly.

It's.

People love sitting up there.

You just watch people play and, and have dinner, so.

Oh, yeah, no, it's.

It's fabulous.

I mean, I know out here they, they did something similar where they have, they have this one big.

Almost like.

One big metal structure with just the roof on.

I mean, it's huge.

And then they have.

Underneath they have outdoor courts, then they have indoor courts.

But then they also, like you say they have a special area for.

They have a bar, they have interior seating, so you could basically have, you know, almost like a, a small restaurant and bar area.

And then they have obviously outdoor seating so you could sit outside and watch people play, which it's pretty cool.

And they, they, they host a lot of different venues out there.

Like I started being it.

I've got a lot of history in the music.

Back in the day when I did a lot of DJing and my friend is a, is a singer in a group, we tried to see if they wanted to have some live entertainment.

So that would be, that would be really a good draw.

Depending on if you have some good local tribute bands, I think.

Yeah, really would really make a good draw because I know out here it is tribute bands in every weekend they've got somebody else, not just in different venues, but some of the resorts, they have them too.

So I think, I think it's, it's a good draw.

It's a good idea, obviously, that they were able to do that.

And having a professional design and be able to have those containers engineered properly is something that it's.

It takes a skill.

However, a lot of people don't realize that using shipping containers is important in the way that you need an engineer.

It has to be signed off.

When they do special cuts and they do doors and windows and you just can't.

You know, some of the people I see online, they just, they decide they're just going to hack up a container.

I'll put a door here, I'll put this here.

But you know, it has to structurally be sound, especially if it's, if it's a commercial building or something, like what you having where you, you have people coming in and it has to be safe.

So it's just like any regular building that needs to be signed off in the way it's constructed.

Yeah, exactly.

One of the, the funny things, if you ever to come up here, Stephen, I'll give you a tour.

But one of the funny things is the.

Yeah, you mentioned Safety.

Each of my shipping containers.

So the ceiling of my building is 25 foot high because it's a pickleball facility.

And you know, you lob people and you need room for the ball to travel up.

But.

And so you see these pipes coming down from the ceiling, and it's actually the sprinkler system.

Because we have sprinkler system in each of the containers.

Oh, okay.

Yeah.

Some that I didn't think that we needed, but obviously we did.

Well.

Well, you know, and that's, that's important because I know city of Scottsdale out here, when we do any kind of new builds or major remodeling, they require you to put sprinklers in the facility to be safe.

But it's the only city around Phoenix that actually has that as a mandatory code rule that you need to have sprinklers in the building.

And that's not usually.

That's not a cheap venture.

And especially in a commercial building like yours and you've got the public going in there out.

It has to be safe.

It has to be safe.

Not just structurally, but, you know, you never know.

You never know what.

What could happen, you know.

Yeah, but that's.

But that's important.

But.

So how did long did the.

You know, when you.

After you spoke with Newco, how long did it take to.

To build the structure and then get it, get it ready to be open?

So we broke ground in August and it was.

We.

We had our grand opening in July, so just, just around 11 months.

Okay.

That's just the building.

The.

Prior to that, all the approvals, this was industrial land, like I had mentioned before.

But once you add a restaurant into the building and a sports facility.

We needed to change the zoning of the land to be commercial now.

And, and that took about a good nine months.

So that was a.

A small ordeal I wasn't planning on.

Yeah.

But city of Kenwood, I, I got to know the planning commission really well and the city commissioners and everyone approved it eventually.

But you have to change not only the zoning, but also the master plan.

So that, that just took a while.

Yeah.

Yeah.

This.

Working with the city is.

It's like working with a.

You all.

It is working like with the government.

It's hurry up and wait.

Yes.

The same thing that we do with, you know, permits for buildings and stuff out here.

You know, it's just they're.

They're overwhelmed and understaffed and a lot of the people that are.

That are still there sometimes when they get into like these new type New build types like using shipping containers years ago when it first hit the market and people were wanting to do that and put that on their property or build something with a shipping container.

And they had plans made the city people did not know how to handle it because they weren't up to speed on that type of way of building.

So when they looked at it, they had nothing to compare it again.

So what's the first thing they did?

Denied.

I mean, it's like, okay, well, you know, it's not going away.

It's not going.

In fact, you know, the movement towards different types of sustainable housing finally got the, the, excuse me, got the government's attention and all the politicians to be able to go back and say, okay, let's pass an ordinance now that you can have a secondary dwelling on your personal property.

That's when people started saying, okay, so now I can either have like a, an adu or we'll call it a casita on my property.

So I could either have my, you know, some of my elderly family live there or you could either use it out for, you know, a vacation rental or some type of VRBO out, you know, facility so you can rent it out that way.

And I know people that have done it.

So the sustainability factor I think is, is so very important.

But we're going to take a short break.

When we come back, we're going to talk a little more with Andy.

We're going to talk a little bit about, you know, the use of those containers and how else it played into, you know, the design in business.

And if maybe you, if you're interested in, you know, obviously pickleball court and stuff like that, you could build it with shipping containers and talk to Andy about it because he's got some great, great ideas and some of the things that he's done.

So I want everybody to hang tight.

Don't go away.

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On radio and TV.

Ideal home improvement and legacy custom homes.

AZ does it all from repairs, remodeling and restorations to new builds, container homes and container pools.

Plus cutting edge solar systems to help homeowners save money on their utility bills.

Hi, I'm Steve Dubell.

Let us help you design and build your dream home with the expertise that comes from decades of experience in the business.

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All right, we are back and you are listening to Boxcar Uncle Universe.

And we are here today talking with Andy Anderson, and he is the gentleman who is in West Michigan who has actually built a pickleball center using shipping containers.

And we covered a lot of ground in the first segment, but we want.

To talk a little bit more, Andy,.

A little bit about, you know, the design and branding.

When you, you decided that you wanted to use shipping containers, did that have any bearing on any type of marketing that you wanted to do in that way?

Because the building was going to be a unique kind of structure.

Yeah, I think it helped with the branding.

Like I said earlier, we're in a very industrial area, you know, by the airport.

We're on one of, one of the major thoroughfare fairs we get.

We have 10,000 cars passing by every day.

So definitely not like a residential area or definitely not a country club motif.

So I think the branding goes along with the, the neighborhood or the, the part of town that we are in.

It's very industrial and that's why the shipping containers work perfectly well.

Yeah, I can imagine how that it must blend in.

But it's like as long as you've got good traffic flow like you said, and it's important that it has to be a good location.

But when you decided to use them and create them, so you used some of the other.

When you traveled around the country looking at these other facilities, I, I can imagine that you've taken a little bit of everybody's facility and created what you created and put all the best aspects of them together to be able to create and put forth your facility.

Yeah, that's right.

Yeah.

I went to my wife and I probably attended or traveled to 8 to 12 different locations looking at how they built their courts, what the motif, you know, what the brand look like.

And so we, we got a lot of good ideas.

And, and so that's how we kind of designed Dinks and Dingers.

With that in mind, we took the best parts of everyone else's ideas.

Okay, so tell me how, how did you come up with the name Dinks and Dingers?

All right, so if you're a pickleball player.

You know what a dink is?

A dink is a small shot that just clears the net and it lands in the kitchen.

The kitchen is the non valley zone of the court.

So that's a dick.

Then the dinger.

If you're a baseball fan, you know what a dinger is?

It's a home run.

And within our building, not only do we have six indoor pickleball courts, but we also have an indoor wiffle ball field.

So we have wiff ball and pickleball.

So therefore it's dinks and dingers.

Dinks and makes sense.

Absolutely.

Right now my, my son is a baseball player.

He's actually just graduated high school and we'll be playing college ball next year.

But one night I was, when I was working on the business plan, I walked by the family room and he's watching Major League Wiffle Ball on YouTube, you know, on our TV, but you know, you can stream YouTube up on it and I'm like, major League Wiffle ball.

So then I sat down with them and was watching it.

It was so interesting how you can make this little plastic wiffle ball curve and, and do all sorts of things.

And it was, it was fun to watch.

And I'm like, we gotta, we gotta have that, right?

Major league Wiffle ball.

That's, that's new to me.

Gabe.

Did you ever hear anything Gabe?

No, no.

I mean wiffle ball.

I just going to Walmart and getting a wiffle ball.

That was it.

That's amazing.

So you incorporated that into the, into the, the facility, which is really good.

So this way.

Yeah, I could see that.

How did your wife react to all this?

Was she on board?

Like at the beginning she said, let's do this.

Because I know, you know, it's got to be a united frontier.

I know I've been married, I know how it feels.

Yeah, it took a little prodding, but she's been on board pretty much since the beginning.

You know, just a little background.

I was, I was an engineer in sales for about 15 years.

And my wife is a rock star at her profession.

And we decided that I would retire early and take care of the, the boys.

And so I was a stay at home dad for about eight to 10 years.

But I didn't want to be known as a stay at home dad.

So I went back to school.

When they went to school, I went back to school.

I got two master's degrees.

And then after I finished those master's degrees, I was about to get a job as a social worker in the hospital.

And that's when my wife found out she had cancer.

Oh, no.

I'm so sorry.

I, I put my career, my, my second career on hold to take care of her.

And then while I was taking care of her is when I wrote my business plan and, and, and got her on board.

So.

Yeah, she, I would say that she's been on board since the beginning and wouldn't, wouldn't have been able to do it without her.

That's great.

How is she, how she now, health wise?

Yeah, she's cancer free.

Breast cancer is a cancer that has a very low mortality rate.

So thank God for that.

Yeah, she's cancer free and she's still a rock star at her profession and doing great.

Oh, that's great.

That's great.

I'm glad to hear that.

Yeah, my, I lost my stepdaughter to fourth stage colorectal cancer a few years ago and she beat it once, but it came back and the second time it got her.

Yeah.

So it, I, I know some of the things and the feelings that you've, you probably went through it and, but you know, you know, to, to your credit and hers, that it was, she was good that you were there for her.

So.

Yeah, it's so very important because I know my, my, my stepson, he, he refused the first diagnosis that they got.

The doctor turned around and you know, sometimes doctors don't have such a great bedside manner where they turn around and they said that, you know.

Yeah, well, you probably only have like 5 months to live and that's something.

I'm sorry, you don't tell, you don't tell somebody who's dying of cancer or who has cancer that they're going to die in five months.

But my, my, my son in law, he refused to believe that and he said, let's go get another opinion.

They found somebody else.

And yeah, the other doctor said, I don't know how he ever came up with that, nor would he have ever said that.

And she had two operations and she beat it for a year.

Nice.

Oh, wow.

So, yeah, so she, she beat it.

But yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's a horrible thing that I hope eventually that we can cure.

Yeah, I totally agree.

And I, I agree with the second opinion.

We, my wife and I, we also got a second opinion and the second opinion was you don't need, you can choose or not choose radiation, but you don't need chemo.

So had we gone with the first Opinion, she would have had two years of.

One year of radiation, followed by two years of chemo.

But the second opinion, we didn't need that.

And that, you know, that accounted for a lot, you know, especially for a woman and her, her body and her looks.

So.

Yeah.

Wow, that's really.

Well, I'm glad she's.

I'm glad she's healthy now.

This is really good.

And yes, and I'm sure she could be a. Inspiration to other.

Other women that have.

That had breast cancer for sure, so.

Yep.

But getting back to, you know, the shipping containers and stuff, when you went back and start speaking with Nuco and they started designing everything for you, did you run into any different types of engineering, construction obstacles that you had to overcome?

Yeah, there was a few, Steve.

So we, we broke ground in, you know, August, and we wanted to get the building up, the steel structure before.

Sorry, before the ground froze.

Because up here in Michigan, once the ground freezes, you can't do anything.

So we got it up and then they started working on the inside.

And then come spring, by the time it was, we were ready to lay the concrete, found the inside concrete, where the quartz would be, the ground was still frozen.

And so we had to bring in these big heaters to unfreeze the ground.

So that set us back probably a month.

We weren't expecting that.

And probably for our next build out, our next location will make sure that the inside of the building is heated all winter long.

Yeah, no, I can understand that.

Yeah.

I remember.

I remember when I lived in Chicago and just going out playing golf in the springtime, it's like, you know, people, the ground is really hard.

I mean, I remember some of the guys we were playing, you know, you'd hit the ball and it would hit the, Hit the ground and it would just take off.

It's like, like you're hitting it off concrete when they bounce.

So they called it Concrete Acres.

But I understand what you're saying.

Yeah, you got to be able to low the ground.

It's.

You got to have it.

Have some kind of heat to it, you know, otherwise it probably would have set you back, you know, a few more months.

Just try, wait till it warmed up.

Right, right.

Then there's another, Another slight issue was we had the building constructed and then we, we had to figure out how to get the steel containers inside of it.

Oh, well, that's.

Yeah, that's important.

So we added a, A garage.

And then by the time we were adding the steel containers inside the building, it was spring.

So Everything.

It was thawing, and so it was really muddy trying to get those steel containers in there with the construction equipment that they were using.

So that was not a big deal, but just another slight issue.

Yeah.

Did you set.

Did you set the containers on piers or like a slab?

It's on a slab.

It's a slab.

Okay, good.

Yeah, well, it's good.

Yeah.

Because.

Yeah.

And then obviously the.

The other infrastructure that needed to be done for, you know, the way that you described how each.

Each one was as.

I'm sure you have restrooms there right within the containers.

So you have to.

You had to deal with infrastructure for water, for sewer and.

And all that other kind of stuff.

But the one thing that I know that people have said to me about.

Well, I say, well, how.

How do you live in a container?

I said, well, if you ever.

Have you ever been in one?

And they said, most times, they say, no.

I'm like, it's just like if you were in your home, it's just set up differently.

I mean, you've got.

People say, well, how could you live in a container in Arizona because it's so hot?

I said, well, have you ever heard of insulation?

And they're like, what?

Oh, yeah, the light bulb goes on, you know, and it's.

It's amazing.

But you could.

You could.

You can make it very livable and very nice.

It's just the way it's made.

And you could do the exterior.

You could leave, like, I'm sure, you know, you've got, you.

You've got the exterior of a container because you're in an industrial mode.

A lot of restaurants out here in Arizona, you know, they've.

They don't even have, you know, unless it's some really upscale facility.

A lot of them, they don't even, you know, they'll paint the whole underside of all the.

The.

The steel structure and everything in the beams, and they'll.

They won't even put a drop ceiling in anymore, you know, that rustic look.

But then they started trying to make it a little elegant so you could do.

You'd actually do a lot with the designing, for sure.

And I'm sure you had.

You had help with the design aspect.

Yeah, well, my wife.

We wanted something that looked.

Had crisp, clean lines, a very modern look that was the motif.

And the.

The.

The containers just fit right into that.

You know, they're square, crisp lines with some paint.

They look awesome.

We also use steel containers throughout the building.

Our bar is made out of a storage container as well as our Our host, host stand and smoothie bar is made out of a storage container.

Very cool.

Yeah, very cool.

Yeah, yeah, you could, you could, you can get very creative with, with the way those looks.

I know I.

We had some of the home shows that we've had out here when they've had container homes and tiny homes.

One gentleman came in, he had a 20 foot container that was a bar and they had it set up outside in that area where they constructed it, where the whole side of the 20 foot container just folded down and became, became the area where you could put tables and chairs and stuff like that.

So you had, I mean it was, everything was self contained.

It was really done well.

You could do it, like I said, you could do a lot with it.

And when you're done, you just fold it back up, lock it up, hook it up to your truck and just haul it away, go to the next stop.

But yeah, designing that and having that kind of motif is gotta, it's gotta be able to play into how you market it.

And then.

Did you get any media exposure when, when you opened?

We had quite a bit of media exposure here in Grand Rapids.

It's, it was the first eater, I call them eatertainment venues.

Like the original entertainment venue was the bowling alley.

Now we think of Topgolf, you know, a place where you can play and eat in the same facility.

So this is the first pickleball entertainment venue in the state of Michigan.

There was another one opened a few weeks after mine over in Detroit, but that's the other side of the state.

Oh yeah, don't worry about them.

Yeah, that's, that's, it's pretty amazing.

But we're going to take a short break.

When we come back, we're going to, you know, wrap some things up with Andy and we're just getting a little bit of idea of some of the impact that he has made in Kentwood and looking forward and ahead to what he's got in store in Michigan.

As I, I think he's in the business plan, he's got the ideas that he's just gonna go, you know, invade the Midwest with his brand of indoor pickleball container facilities.

So I think it's all gonna be good, but I want everybody to hang tight.

But you will be right back.

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All right, and we are back and you're listening to Boxcar Universe and we are here with Andy Anderson from Dinks and Dingers.

Now I know now if anybody didn't know what a dink and a dinger is, you've been thoroughly enlightened today.

And but again, you know, that's one thing that we will not be doing.

Any dinks or dingers out in Phoenix today, being that it's 108 degrees.

So we're not going to be doing that today.

Maybe inside.

We'll come inside.

We'll come inside, Andy.

We'll do some stuff inside.

You want to work outside today.

And for all our listeners around the country, you know, and if you missed it earlier, you know, Andy said it's what, in the low 80s?

Yeah, low 80s.

I mean, you know, that would be.

That's almost like the people on Saturday Night Live always say it's almost sweater weather.

But anyway, so let's talk a little bit.

So the business gets started and, you know, you've got this new business plan, and obviously it's something that hasn't been in the, you know, in your area.

You know, when it first opened and you did get some media attention, how, how, how was it received?

Did you find a lot of people that maybe they were, you know, pickleball closet, you know, players there.

They just had nowhere to go or.

Where did all these players come from if there was no facilities before?

Yeah.

So Grand Rapids is.

Has been one of the top pickleball destinations, at least in the north, because we have one of a.

One of the largest amateur tournaments here.

In the summer, however, in the winter, you know, you have to play somewhere.

So I, I provided the avenue for them to continue playing throughout the winter.

Also in, in Grand Rapids, because of the, you know, the chirping in the news and everywhere else about pickleball.

Pickleball, pickleball.

A lot of people are interested and want to learn why everyone's talking about pickleball.

So we, we actually have quite a few people that come in that just want to play or learn to play, play with their family, go on a date and play pickleball.

Like, they don't play normally, but they'll come and rent a court and, you know, for an hour or two and play and have drinks and eat and it's.

It's fun and social.

Yeah, absolutely.

It's a, It's a great way to, to get up and do something while you're having eating and social.

It's.

It's different.

It's different, you know, and I think one of the things that I was involved with, I was telling you a little bit earlier at the facility over in Mesa here in Arizona, Dink and Dine, they had a gentleman came in and did a fundraiser for, I think it was one of the four, 401c3 companies that.

Or I should say entities that were working with cancer.

So I think that was it was an awareness type of event into where people can come, and they got media involved.

And the one thing that they were doing didn't work out so well, unfortunately, but maybe they'll try it again next time is they were streaming the event and they had speakers and other people there.

Plus they showcased they had some pickleball local.

Local tournaments here.

So it was.

It was.

It was a fun event, you know, and it incorporate all those things that you had said.

People can come out and it's something different to do.

And I think they could add it to their.

You know, just like somebody would go out and grab some friends and say, hey, let's go bowling.

Well, let's just go play pickleball.

And I think the cardio for pickleball is much better than bowling.

And I like both.

Yeah, I totally agree.

But, hey, I have a joke for you, Steve.

All right, let's hear it.

What do you call a woman standing in the middle of a pickleball court?

Oh, my God, am I gonna get in trouble if I answer?

I don't know.

What do you call a woman in standing in the middle of a pickleball court?

Annette.

Annette.

Oh, okay,.

One more, one more.

Okay, one more, one more.

Okay.

What do you call a shipping container filled with snails?

I don't know.

What escargot.

Did you get that from?

New Coke.

That's funny.

That's funny.

Yeah, you know, you.

Yeah, you.

You could.

You know, until you.

That first one, you could get in trouble with it.

But when you say Annette, it's like, oh, that's really.

That's nice.

That makes sense.

Oh, my God.

That's too cool.

Well, you know, say, you know, this.

You always talk about boxcar universe.

You know, your.

Your home for sustainable lifestyle living.

Now you're home for pickleball and shipping container jokes.

So.

Courtesy of Andy Anderson.

But.

But, you know, looking ahead, you know, like you said, you know, thinking about the future and where this could go and in the marketing, just getting the word out, everything.

Where do you.

Where mostly do you advertise?

I mean, is it social media?

Do you get any.

Any other news, press?

Where do you find that you're getting most.

Most of your, you know, new clients that want to come in and play?

Yeah, no, that's a great question.

So prior to opening up dinks and dingers, I. I've never owned a business or ran a business.

I was in technology, sales and in social work.

So I didn't plan on the mark.

I didn't do a.

A marketing plan.

Right off the bat, I just thought once I open the doors, you know, you build it and they'll come.

Which for the most part they have.

But I've used.

Initially I started using just different marketing firms, but the, the dollars just kind of racked up.

And so in the winter, one of my hosts, she was a marketing student and one of the local universities, so I started having her do some of the marketing.

And then one of my pickleball pros, we have five pickleball pros that work at Dinks and Dingers, that give lessons and whatnot.

Um, I found out he also has a marketing degree.

So I use those two individuals and pulled in all the marketing inside, you know, internally and not hiring outside since it's pretty expensive.

And they've been doing a great job.

Yeah, they, they do funny reels, videos, posts, flyers on, you know, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok.

That's mainly what we've been doing.

And then we slowly gotten into Google Ads and Facebook ads, but also the word of mouth.

We do, I don't know, 15 to 20 corporate events a month at Dinks and Dingers.

Right.

That brings in, you know, one event can bring in 50 to 100 people.

And so the, the more people that come inside and see Dinks and Dingers, what we're all about, have fun playing pickleball, enjoy eating in the storage containers.

It just spreads the word, you know, drastically.

So.

Yeah, well, that's.

Yeah, that's.

That's good.

Yeah.

Experience tells a lot people.

Will people share another.

Another good thing is I don't know if you've have it there or not, but I just, I just thought of it is being it.

You know, when I started my business back in 91 and doing remodeling and construction and stuff like that, I was big on networking.

How about networking pickleball events where you could have a monthly.

I know a monthly event there, you know, where you could.

It could be maybe an hour, an hour of networking and an hour of pickleball and enjoyment.

So you could be able to do it like that.

Because I know out here they'll do that type of thing in different kind of restaurants and bars and stuff like that.

But the pickleball aspect might be an interesting, interesting thing.

You could start a Facebook group, you know, networking pickleballers.

No, that's a great idea.

I actually just.

I'm head of business development for Dinksinger, so I joined four different chamber of commerces.

So I do go to all these events.

But if we had a pickleball event.

I think that's a great idea.

Thanks for the.

Thanks for the idea, Steve.

Hey, no problem.

I'm just here, you know, brainstorming.

But no, I mean, I'm all about everybody succeeding, especially somebody who is.

Has decided that they, you know, you started with something you got, you, you liked it a lot, and then all of a sudden you decided to make it your passion.

And I think that's so very important.

And you, and you share your passion just by, you know, putting on having a great venue for people to come and experience everything that just happens to be one of the crazies going throughout the country.

Pickleball.

You know, I just did the one thing that I still am befuddled about.

You know, how, you know, you could go to Walmart and buy a $9 paddle, but you could go online and spend $150 per paddle because it's built out of this super secret, you know, material that will give you all those best shots, you know, like we were talking about earlier.

But, you know, whether it doesn't make a difference, whatever you do, if you're a professional or if you're just somebody that wants to go out and enjoy themselves and play, I mean, it's, it's not anything that's going to break the bank to be able to go buy, you know, really, really expensive equipment.

And then what do.

What, what do you charge for an hour worth of court time?

During the afternoon, it's $25 an hour.

Okay.

And then in the evening, it's 40.

Okay.

Yeah, well, that's, that's, that's similar to what is here.

Usually they charge 40.

They do have a, one of the facilities that I mentioned earlier, chicken pickle, they have.

In the morning, I think they have like, an early bird special.

I think it's from like eight to 11.

I think it is.

They charge five bucks a court, so you could have three or four.

Three.

No, no, five bucks a player.

Excuse me.

And instead of 40 between that time, because they want to drive some, some business there, because then the, the people, the, the food places will make money while they're there, too.

So it just kind of gets people in the door a little bit earlier.

But, you know, but those were, you know, $40 is pretty much standard out here for an hour worth of regular time during the day or evening.

Yeah.

If you split it up, it's $10 per person.

So it's not.

Yeah, you know.

Yeah, absolutely.

No, that's, that's, that's good.

So it's, it's it's pretty similar around, around the country.

So I think for all of our listeners out there that want to be able to go out and, and do something, and you never know.

You know, if you, if you, you know, you see companies springing up all the time, hey, we'll build your pickleball court in your, in your yard.

I actually read an article the other day about on Facebook where the, the.

The wife was so into pickleball court and she lived in a climate where it was.

It was probably not as hot as Phoenix, but I don't think it was cold as Michigan.

But she decided that they wanted to do something so that they can play and not always go to a court somewhere.

They had.

There's a company out there that they hired who actually transformed their driveway into a pickleball court to be able to, to play.

Play on in their driveway.

Now I'm sure.

I don't know if they could still drive over it.

You know, I don't know.

But they showed a picture of it with the guy standing there.

But, you know, people, you know, if there's a will, there's a way, you know, so if, you know, I personally, if you have, if you have a big enough lot, I would have a professional pickleball court made and put it in your backyard.

I mean, if you've got, if you could have a putting green in your backyard, which is one of the things on my bucket list at my next house, I want a putting green.

You know, pickleball court wouldn't be bad either.

That'd be pretty cool.

Have both.

Have both, you know, and maybe even, maybe even a, a net around the corner of the property so I could hit Wiffle balls.

That'd be pretty cool.

Andy, tell our listeners a little bit how they could touch base with you.

Yeah.

If anybody has any questions or wants to see the facility, you can search Dinks and Dingers in our Facebook or Instagram will come up.

Our website is www.dinksanddingers.com.

It's spelled out a N D on.

On the web.

And then if anybody wants to reach out to me myself, you can email me [email protected] all right, that's.

That's really great to know to be able to get.

Reach you and get.

And kind of pick your brain a little bit and learn more about.

About that.

If any of our listeners are out there who are thinking that they might want to build something in their neighborhood like that, I'm sure there are.

Newco could actually help Them with some of their needs, plus some of the other container companies around the country.

I know some of the people that I deal with out here, they not only built homes, but they build container.

It's not container communities, but also they where they'll match up containers together to be able to build, you know, offices and stuff from a commercial standpoint.

One of the things that Andy, I want to let you know and my listeners all know, because I've spoken to it about a while, that one of the things on my bucket list is that I want to be able to build a container home community for homeless veterans.

Nice.

And that's one of the things that I'm always looking for investors and people that are interested in coming on board and not just, I mean, I may just build one here in Phoenix, but that's just the first one.

So I'm going to, you know, be able to do that all over the country to be able to help our veterans.

So that's important.

So anybody that's involved in containers or investors who want to help out,.

You.

Could always contact me for that.

But we want to thank all our listeners for listening to Boxcar Universe today.

We hope, we hope we helped, you know, your pickleball lessons and stuff like that in your dinks and dingers.

But if you're in, in the Grand Rapids area and want to be able to go and experience Andy's facility, make sure that you reach out, look him up online.

And don't forget, we are your source for cutting edge information for container homes, luxury design homes and luxury container pools.

Make sure you check that out because, you know, summertime's here and I always love to say, you know, what's the benefit of having a container pool over a traditional pool?

Well, if you decide to move, you could take the container pool with you.

It's not in the ground forever.

You don't have to sell it.

Not only that, you could build a great deck around it.

We could do some really cool things with a container pool.

So we can help you with that.

But if you have any questions at all, make sure you could always email me [email protected] and Boxcar, Boxcar Universe can be heard weekly on any podcast player.

And always remember, let us containerize your lifestyle.

Have a great week.

You're a great American.

I love you.

It.