Aiming for the bullseye.
You’ve heard of throwing darts. It turns out those projectiles aren’t the only sharp objects that can be tossed for fun. Now axes can be flung at bullseyes at Happy Axe, a new venue on Madison’s west side.
Johnny Lee started Happy Axe after attending a bachelor party in the Windy City about a year ago. The activities included a visit to an axe-throwing facility. He immediately started thinking about how he would run such a business more efficiently and economically here in Madison. But first, he needed insurance.
“I called 13 different companies; the first 12 laughed at me,” says Lee, who finally secured a quote from the 13th. That included a strict, no-alcohol policy. Probably for the best.
According to Lee, adding alcohol into party axe-throwing often adds thousands of dollars
to insurance rates and for this reason, 80 percent of axe-throwing venues are alcohol-free.
“People are usually only here for an hour,” says Lee. “How many drinks are you actually going to have?”
Axe-throwing is an event in lumberjack competitions, and party axe throwing is not much different. It does function similarly to darts, with players aiming the axe toward a bullseye, standing behind a line. However, the toss comes from above the head, and the axe should rotate in the air before slicing into the target. I was not expecting the heft of the axe when I threw it at first, but the feeling of nailing the target was exhilarating when I began to get the hang of it.
For $10, patrons can throw axes for 20 minutes, “get a feel for it and hopefully [be] able to
stick a few in the board,” says Lee. The one-hour package is $20, and the two-hour package is $40. The time includes unlimited axes. The guest of honor for a bachelor/bachelorette or birthday party throws free.
The axes themselves are technically 14-inch hatchets, weighing about two pounds, which makes the act of tossing them more of a physical endeavor than throwing a dart. At Happy Axe, seven lanes accommodate five people each, with 10 feet to the target. Throwers must be at least 12 years old; adults must accompany anyone under 18.
Happy Axe is also available for a two-hour, full-facility rental — which seems to be a popular concept for corporate get-togethers. (Co-workers with axes? Really?) Weekends have been consistently busy, and it’s been a popular destination for birthday-party-sized groups, too. Lee encourages patrons to book online ahead of time to ensure a lane is available when they want it.
Some fun events lined up for fall include league play Mondays through Wednesdays starting in October. Targets will wear the logos of the Packers’ opponents during NFL games this fall. Too bad we didn’t know that before the recent 24-23 defeat of the Bears. But there’s always December.
Happy Axe
6624 Mineral Point Road, Madison; happyaxe.com
5 pm-10 pm Thurs.-Fri., noon-10 pm Sat., noon-7 pm Sun.
