Axe-throwing has been around for centuries, and found its footing sometime around the 5th century, when Teutonic tribes migrated and Frankish soldiers went to war.
Now, people are just doing it for fun.
via Facebook
The activity has taken on a competitive feel and its popularity has recently exploded in the Northeast in places like Massachusetts, New York and Canada.
When Scott Gadd and his wife Ashleigh found it in Boston, they were immediately hooked — so hooked that they created a setup in their own backyard, which they threw at for a while before realizing that they wanted all of Charlotte to experience it.
Get ready, Charlotte: The Gadds are bringing the region’s first axe-throwing facility to the Belmont neighborhood.
In order to stay true to form, the pair has taken notes from other throwing clubs all over the map and put what they’ve learned into Lumberjaxe to guarantee that everything is up to the National Axe Throwing Federation‘s standards, down to axe weight and size as well as scoring.
Never thrown an axe? No worries — coaches will be on-site to teach the correct form and method to those 18 and over.
via Facebook
Equipment will be free to use and provided by the facility (the only thing you need is a pair of close-toed shoes) but each walk-in customer will pay $20 for an hour of play. Prices for group play are still being hammered out, but lanes can hold up to 100 people at a time.
And, yes, you can drink while you play. The bar is stocked with local beer and cider.
It’ll be located at 933 Louise Avenue, which used to be home to the old Kellogg’s factory.
Though a tenant is currently in the space, the lease begins September 1 and, with an expected 10-day buildout, the range should be up and running by early October.
via Google Maps
If you can’t wait that long, neither can the Gadds, which is why they’ve converted a ’66 Continental into a mobile throwing facility.
I tried my hand at it at the NoDa Company Store, and let me tell you: I get why the Gadds were immediately hooked. All I can think about is how my backyard is definitely big enough.
But that’s another story.
You can find the truck at multiple businesses this summer – keep up with the calendar of events on Facebook.
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Feature photo via Facebook
