From Car Dealerships to Pickleball Courts: How Jack Salzman Built The Serve in Lake Norman
The Lake Norman area just got a massive upgrade in entertainment and dining options—and it all started with a "crazy idea" during retirement.
When Jack Salzman sold Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in 2022 after 20 years of building it into a top-10 dealership in the country, he thought retirement was finally within reach. His wife was enjoying the slower pace. Jack? Not so much.
Then came the conversation that changed everything.
"My wife was playing pickleball with a friend and she said we need, you know, there's no place to play indoors," Jack recalls. "And I'm like, that's the craziest idea. How can anybody ever make money on that?"
Fast forward to October 15, 2024, and The Serve Pickleball & Kitchen opened its doors in Cornelius, North Carolina—a stunning 50,000 square foot indoor entertainment facility that's already drawing crowds of over 600 people on weekend days.
The Journey from Automotive to Athletics
Jack's path to pickleball entrepreneurship wasn't exactly conventional. After serving as a vice president for AutoNation overseeing 30+ dealerships, Jack and his wife Karen made a spontaneous decision that would change their lives.
"We just drove up here one Chamber of Commerce weekend. It was March, 75 degrees. It was already 100 degrees in Florida where we lived at the time," Jack remembers. They fell in love with the Lake Norman area immediately and bought the dealership.
For two decades, the Salzmans built their business through what Karen championed: grassroots marketing and deep community involvement. The result? A dealership so well-known in the Lake Norman community that customers would buy 2, 3, 4, 5, even 6 cars from them—and tell everyone they knew.
When the opportunity came to sell in 2022, Jack had 30 acres of land in Cornelius that he'd always planned to develop. Retirement seemed like the perfect time to figure out what to do with it.
Except Jack discovered something about himself: "I'm definitely a retirement failure."
Designing The Serve: Learning from the Best
Once Jack committed to the pickleball concept, he didn't just jump in blindly. He traveled across the country studying the best facilities, and along the way, he connected with Dave Johnson, founder of Chicken and Pickle, a chain with 12 locations nationwide.
"Super nice guy. They guided us through this," Jack says. "I mean, they were super nice to us and can't thank the team at Chicken and Pickle enough. They shared with us what went right and what went wrong and how to avoid what went wrong."
Jack's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? "If you can go talk to somebody that's a little bit ahead of you and shortcut your failures, it's the best thing you can do."
The result is a facility that Jack designed himself—a 50,000 square foot entertainment complex located right off Exit 28 on I-77 at Char Town Road in Cornelius.
More Than Just Pickleball: A Complete Entertainment Experience
Here's what makes The Serve unique in the Lake Norman area:
10 Indoor Pickleball Courts
With soundproof glass and over one mile of sound baffling designed to look like wave-action art (staying true to Lake Norman's aesthetic), you can enjoy a meal in the restaurant without even knowing hundreds of people are playing pickleball nearby.
The facility offers:
Court reservations for private play
Open play sessions in the morning
Competitive open play at night
Lessons with on-staff coaches
Eight-week leagues starting in January
Programs managed by dedicated program manager Chloe
Four Topgolf Swing Suites
These aren't just for golf. Each bay features 30+ games including:
Golf on world-renowned courses
Hockey
High heat pitching
Football field goals and passing
Carnival games
Zombie dodgeball
Target practice and driving range
"It's turned out to be a huge family affair," Jack notes. "Everybody loves it."
Restaurant & Bar with Seriously Good Food
Chef Carlos has created a menu that's getting rave reviews on Google, with food photography that speaks for itself.
Breakfast highlights (served from 7am):
Short rib hash
Red velvet waffles
Lunch/Dinner favorites:
Short rib grilled cheese (one of the top two most-ordered items)
Various entrees that go well beyond typical "bar food"
The restaurant seats about 120 people, with a lounge for another 30-40. The bar features windows that open up, creating an indoor-outdoor experience when the weather is nice. And here's the best part for breakfast lovers: unlike many popular Lake Norman breakfast spots, there's no wait yet.
"The weekends, the restaurant's busy, but during the week, it's not slammed," Jack shares. "So people can get in. It's kind of this secret that's just slowly getting out."
Cafe with House-Made Desserts
Forget Starbucks or Water Bean. The Serve has a full cafe where people come to work during the day, enjoying specialty coffees, great iced tea, and desserts that are all baked in-house by the chef's wife.
Private Event Room
The 64-person event room has already hosted over 50 events between opening and the end of 2024, including:
Corporate events and team building
Birthday parties
Baby showers
Sweet 16 celebrations
Company recognition dinners
Recently, Alan Tate Realtors brought their top 64 performers for a complete experience—pickleball tournament, swing suite competitions, and a sit-down dinner with filets.
"There's no other place in Lake Norman that you really can have a nice event like this," Jack points out. "It was so well received. Their folks loved it."
Six Outdoor Courts
For those perfect Lake Norman weather days, The Serve also features outdoor pickleball courts with covered seating areas and an outdoor bar.
The Pickleball Phenomenon: Why It's Taking Over Lake Norman
If you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you might be wondering: what's the big deal about pickleball?
"I think, honestly, it's a combination of tennis and badminton," Jack explains. "It's just an inclusive sport. Anybody can play. You can be old, you can be young, you can be athletic, you can be a little slower."
The sport has become particularly popular with seniors because it provides exercise, community, and keeps them active both mentally and physically. The Serve is already working with 55+ communities who reserve blocks of time for their residents.
But don't let that fool you—pickleball is for everyone. Jack notes that experienced players have mastered the angles of the game, which is why athletic newcomers often get frustrated when they're beaten by someone who barely seems to be moving.
"The players that have been doing it a while, they know where all the right angles are," Jack laughs.
According to recent statistics, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States by a significant margin, and it shows no signs of slowing down in the Lake Norman region.
Business Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur
Jack's success across multiple industries—from automotive to hospitality—comes down to some fundamental principles:
Stay in Your Lane (Especially with Your Spouse)
Working with his wife for over 20 years, Jack learned early on: "There's one rule and one rule only that really applies here. Stay in your lane. You have to have lanes."
At the dealership, Jack handled sales, service, and accounting. Karen handled marketing, community involvement, and HR. They stayed in their lanes and only came together for full department meetings.
Business is Business
"I personally think business is business," Jack says. "Everybody's saying hospitality is different. I think servers are just like salespeople. I think there's a big correlation there."
His philosophy? Run a business with proven practices, treat customers well, treat employees well, focus on low turnover, and you'll probably have a good business.
Work Hard Because Someone's Coming for You
"You got to work hard because there's somebody coming up right behind you that wants what you have," Jack emphasizes.
This mindset helped the Salzmans build a top-10 dealership and is now driving The Serve's early success.
Get Out in the Community
Jack credits Karen's grassroots marketing approach for much of their business success. When you're a sole proprietor or small business owner in Lake Norman, community involvement isn't optional—it's essential.
The "Two-Time Retirement Failure"
Here's the kicker: Jack didn't just open The Serve. He also bought another car dealership in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
"I could be on the couch doing nothing," he admits with a laugh. "I'm a two-time retirement failure right now."
His wife Karen? She loved being retired. But Jack gets a couple hours of sleep a night and admits he just can't turn business off, even at home.
"I definitely slept better in the 6, 9, 12 months that I was retired than I had slept in probably 30 years," he reflects. "And I'm looking forward to that one day again soon."
Why Lake Norman Needs The Serve
The Lake Norman area has been growing rapidly, but entertainment options that combine dining, activities, and events have been limited. Most people don't want to drive into Charlotte for everything, especially when traffic can turn a 15-mile trip into a 45-minute ordeal.
The Serve fills a crucial gap by offering:
Convenience: Located right off Exit 28 in Cornelius with 180 free parking spaces
Variety: From breakfast to dinner, pickleball to golf simulators, corporate events to family outings
Quality: Chef-crafted food, professional-grade courts and equipment, and attention to detail throughout
Community: A place where Lake Norman residents can gather, play, eat, and connect
"I think the going out and just eating and having nothing else to do is being replaced by places like ours," Jack observes. "You can go do things. You can eat in our Topgolf swing suite bays. We have full food and beverage service there. You can have cocktails, you can have whatever you want."
Planning Your Visit to The Serve
Location: Exit 28 off I-77, Char Town Road, Cornelius, NC
Hours: Open from 7am to 10pm
Reservations: Visit www.theservepickleball.com to:
Reserve pickleball courts
Book swing suite bays
Join programs and leagues
Schedule private events
View the full menu
What to Try:
Breakfast: Red velvet waffles or short rib hash
Lunch/Dinner: Short rib grilled cheese
Activities: Pickleball lessons if you're new, or zombie dodgeball in the swing suites for something different
Pro Tips:
Weekday mornings are perfect for breakfast without a wait
Book your event room early—they're filling up fast
Winter golf leagues are starting soon for those who want to keep their game sharp
Check out the cafe if you need a workspace with great coffee
The Future of The Serve
With over 600 visitors on a busy Saturday and events booked solid through the end of the year, The Serve is already exceeding expectations just months after opening.
Jack's vision for the facility is clear: create a place where Lake Norman residents want to spend time, whether they're serious pickleball players, families looking for weekend fun, professionals needing event space, or anyone who appreciates great food in a unique atmosphere.
"We just love it," Jack says of the Lake Norman area. After building one successful business here over 20 years, he's betting on the community again with The Serve.
And if his track record is any indication, Lake Norman is about to have another local institution on its hands.
Connect with The Serve and We Are Lake Norman
The Serve Pickleball & Kitchen
Website: www.theservepickleball.com
We Are Lake Norman Podcast
Host: Ryan Webber
Website: www.webbermarketing.com
Instagram: @ryanwebbermarketing
Listen to the full episode with Jack Salzman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to hear more about his entrepreneurial journey, business philosophy, and what makes The Serve special.
This podcast is produced by Webber Marketing, helping Lake Norman businesses tell their stories and connect with the community.
About We Are Lake Norman Podcast
We Are Lake Norman is hosted by Ryan Webber and features conversations with interesting people, local celebrities, and small business owners in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina. Each episode shares the stories behind the businesses and people that make this community special.
Whether you're a longtime resident or new to the area, We Are Lake Norman delivers insights into the local businesses, culture, and experiences that define life around the lake.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to never miss an episode.
