David Eckstein is a writer based in Los Angeles. He has written for The Daily Beast, Wired, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Uproxx and other outlets.
Deep in the heart of Van Nuys, nestled between an electric and lighting wholesaler and an HVAC supplier, sits a cavernous warehouse space that once housed Calvert Studios. The 50,000-square-foot facility was home to programs including CBS’ Jericho, Lifetime’s The Client List and Showtime’s Twin Peaks return. Calvert’s stages got their start in 1989, when Aaron Spelling shot Beverly Hills, 90210 there, and they also housed The CW’s late-aughts Melrose Place reboot.
But like the rest of Hollywood, Calvert has felt the pain of declining production. Bill Reider, the owner for the past 15 years, had to make a tough decision in 2023 about what to do with the facility’s six stages and its carpentry shop, which had gone unused since December 2022. At that point he traded the call of “Action!” for a distinctive new sound.
Thwap. Thwap. Thwap.
Nearly four decades after opening its doors in November 2023, Calvert Studios became Wolf + Bear Indoor Pickleball — its name inspired by Reider’s nicknames for his kids. That thwapping noise comes from the 12 courts that stand where major networks once shot some of their biggest series.
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