Drinking a beer while hurling axes at a wooden target seems like a possible prelude to an emergency room trip, but Central Florida ax venue owners contend the injury risks are comparable to other recreational activities.
Patrons at Stumpy’s Hatchet House Orlando are greeted with a strict set of rules before they embark on a “social throwdown.”
Overhand throws only. Closed-toed shoes required. No aggressive techniques or double-hatchet throws. Exercise common sense. Bottom line: “Don’t be an axehole!”
Ax throwing originated in Canadian logging competitions and has recently gained popularity in the United States. Adding alcohol to the mix has become a trend — one that may expand to Winter Park.
Two vascular surgeons hope to open such a business on land that once housed a breast-shaped building and operated as various adult nightclubs, including the Booby Trap.
“It’s going to be more upscale than the traditional ax throwing places that you will see across the country,” said Dr. David Varnagy, who is partnering with Dr. Manuel Perez in the business endeavor. “We want people to forget about what it was and for people to know there is a new facility that is much better, much nicer, where everybody can go.”
He wants theirs to be a spot where patrons can also pour back a cold one — just as they can at Stumpy’s.
Brothers Matt Donahue and Shaun Donahue opened the franchise location at 8642 Palm Parkway a month ago as a place where patrons 21 and up can enjoy a “comfortable lounge environment” between ax throws.
Cow-print chairs surround a giant Jenga tower adjacent to the bathrooms labeled “Lumber Jack” and “Lumber Jill.” Cages separate multiple throwing pits and a successful bull’s-eye earns a turn at ringing a silver bell.
“It’s a hatchet-throwing venue that happens to sell beer,” said Shaun Donahue, 25. “It’s something on the side. We don’t invite people in just to come and hang out at the bar.”
A double-door white cooler sits behind the bar stocked with a variety of craft and domestic beer. Stumpy’s doesn’t open bar tabs, allows only one beer purchase at a time per patron and will turn anyone away who appears to be intoxicated when they arrive.
“We’re not going to allow someone to put anyone in danger here,” said Matt Donahue, 34. “We want everyone to have a good time.”
Despite the nature of Stumpy’s business, the brothers said their liability insurance costs aren’t through the roof and they have “well above average coverage.”
“It’s not cheap, that’s for sure, but it’s not our biggest expense,” Matt Donahue said.
In Winter Park, eyebrows were raised when Varnagy and Perez expressed interest in buying the empty lot at 2600 Lee Road.
The city quickly razed the property after purchasing it in 2014.
City commissioners approved the ordinance for the sale in June but there were some reservations.
Todd Weaver, who initially voted in favor to sell the property, changed his vote at a subsequent reading of the ordinance last month. The first-term commissioner questioned whether the ax throwing venue would be “conducive to better behavior than what was there before.”
“I think having ax throwing with alcohol at one of our city entrances is a bad idea,” he said.
But Varnagy disagrees and said he and Perez are working to ensure that the venue will be a safe, family-friendly recreational facility.
If the results of an environmental study on the property are favorable, Varnagy said the venue’s construction likely will begin in December and open in the spring.
Ax throwing enthusiasts say there’s nothing like watching a hatchet whiz through the air before sinking into the target board of softened wood.
“It’s an incredibly satisfying experience,” said Matt Wilson, chief executive officer of Backyard Axe Throwing League, which will open up its 16th location on Nov. 1.
The venue, at 55 W. Church St., is applying for a license to sell alcohol.
If approved, it would be the second downtown ax throwing business to get a nod from the city to pursue a beer and wine permit.
Epic Axe Throwing on Robinson Street didn’t have a license to sell alcohol when it opened last fall because of its close proximity to a church. According to city records, the business requested a variance that was approved by the City Council in June.
Most of the Backyard Axe Throwing League locations sell alcohol and some are licensed to sell hard liquor. Alcohol consumption is monitored and patrons aren’t offered shots of liquor until they reach a certain point of their hatchet-throwing experience.
“If there’s a celebratory event like a bachelor party, we will keep them to beer and wine until the end,” Wilson said.
The hatchets thrown weigh about 11/2 pounds and heavy rubber mats surrounding the target mitigate the bounce effect when an ax misses the board.
“It’s not a sharp weapon. It’s a tool,” Wilson said. “And it’s not even in the state where it could cut you if you press it against your hand ?— that’s a very important distinction to make.”
As ax throwing continues to gain momentum in the U.S., enthusiasts hope the industry’s reputation as an exhilarating yet heavily regulated sport will become wider known.
The National Axe Throwing Federation was founded by Wilson in 2016 and establishes safety standards and competitive rules for more than 6,000 league members in six countries.
“At this point, we’ve had over 37 million axes thrown with no serious injuries,” Wilson said. “It’s considerably less dangerous than bowling.”
The Donahue brothers said they believe the franchise and industry they invested in has mass appeal and longevity that could rival classic competitive sports.
“It’s really easy to do, it’s safer than you think,” Matt Donahue said.
Added his brother: “As long as you’re willing to be reasonable and use common sense, it’s really not more dangerous than golfing.”
Staffer Ryan Gillespie contributed to this report.
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