I went to a trendy axe-throwing bar and saw why the activity is blowing up with urban millennials
Kick Axe Throwing is located in Gowanus, an industrial neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.
Though Kick Axe is situated on a fairly unassuming street, it's hard to miss the large statue of a bull outside.
Flesher-Sonnier, a retired math teacher, said she started The Ginger Companies — which also operates an escape room brand and activities like "ice-less" curling — because she saw an opportunity to capitalize on demand for team-building experiences.
"I love providing experiences for people," she said. "I started with the escape rooms and tried to make them a lot more upscale and palatable for corporations to come and do their team building."
Once inside, we were asked to check in at the front desk and sign a liability waver. While Flesher-Sonnier said nobody has ever been hurt at Kick Axe, she noted "insurance is not cheap."
Individuals can throw for an hour and 15 minutes for $35. (Full disclosure: My session at Kick Axe Throwing was comped by the company.)
As we waited, we stopped by the bar, which was stocked with an impressive assortment of craft beers and cocktails, as well as select snacks.
When asked about safety concerns regarding mixing axe-throwing with alcohol, Flesher-Sonnier said staff members are trained to keep an eye on intoxication levels and instructed to eject individuals if they have over-imbibed.
"We have control measures in place and most people are honestly extremely understanding," she said. "We've had one incident where somebody got angry that we flagged them, but 99% of the time if we do, even their friends are like, 'Oh yeah dude, you're too drunk. Stop throwing.'"
The space is very cozy and has a rustic, log cabin vibe.
There was even a digital fireplace.
For those less inclined toward axe-throwing, Kick Axe also has a variety of board games on hand. I even spotted a Ouija board if you're looking to get spooky.
And, of course, how else would you attract young throwers without an Instagram-friendly photo booth?
My friend Rayza decided to give it a go, but struggled a bit with the accoutrements.
Once our name was called, we made our way to the targets located at the back of the bar.
Small groups of strangers are paired together to make more efficient use of the boards and to foster a community feel, a manager told me.
My friends Razya, Dana, and I were paired with a small group visiting from Long Island.
Once we reached our target, we met Jessika, who very kindly and patiently walked us through several safety protocols.
"We do focus heavily on training our people," Flesher-Sonnier said. "We look more for quick learners, um, people who are actors or have worked in customer service before so that they're very engaging and active with our guests."
These rules are also posted on the wall, lest anyone forgets.
While the axes certainly have heft, they were much lighter and duller than I expected. Flesher-Sonnier said Kick Axe uses "camp hatchets" for safety purposes.
Still, Jessika said you definitely don't want to get hit by one of these bad boys. Throwers are instructed to stand behind the red line at all times, and to wait until the other person is done throwing to collectively pick up their axes.
Scoring works similarly to other target-based sports like darts and archery. A bullseye is worth five points, and each concentric circle radiating outward from the center is worth four, three, two, and one point, respectively.
The small dots are worth seven points and can only be obtained if the thrower calls out for a "ringer" and successfully hits it.
The first 15 minutes were dedicated to learning proper form and how to throw.
My friend Rayza (right) was a natural at this.
However, I (right) was less so...
I needed some additional hands-on assistance, which Jessika was happy to oblige.
Getting the thrust right was tricky.
Action shot.
Once everybody felt more or less comfortable behind the axe, it was time for the games to begin.
We divided into teams and started our first game, in which the first to 50 points wins.
Afterward, we played "21" and "Knockout."
The tension was high among our Long Island competitors.
I'm proud to report I got exactly one bullseye during the hour and 15 minute throwing period.
Not to brag, but our team won all three games.
While my friends and I aren't likely to become regular urban axe-throwers, we were glad to be able to say we had the experience.
We left victorious, making room for the next round of urbanites to grab their axes.
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