Wichita gets its second axe-throwing venue

If throwing sharp objects is something you’d like to try, you now have two locations in Wichita where you can pay to do that.

Axe To Grind, located near Intrust Arena at 220 S. Commerce in the former Lou’s Charcuteria, opened in mid-June. It’s Wichita’s second urban ax-throwing venue to open in two years.

Co-owner Nate Meile said, “It’s been a good start for not having much with advertising and the environment of COVID-19.”

Axe To Grind is open seven days a week, with operating hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

The company’s website claims urban ax-throwing is among the fastest-growing sports entertainment options in the U.S. Even ESPN airs ax-throwing competitions. Since the sport migrated to the U.S. from Canada three years ago, at least 1,200 venues have opened in the country, Meile said.

Meile pointed out, however, that ax-throwing has been around for a lot longer.

“Ax-throwing is 30,000 years old, going back to the Vikings,” he said.

His company is among those that are taking advantage of the trend.

In 2019, Axe To Grind opened its first store in Manhattan, where Meile lives, followed by Sioux City, Iowa. Right after opening the Wichita location, the company opened its fourth location in Loveland, Colorado. It plans to open another seven locations in 2020, according to Meile.

Wichita’s first ax-throwing venue, Blade and Timber located at 535 W. Douglas in Delano, opened in 2018 and it’s also part of a multi-location chain, with its first location opening in 2017 in Kansas City.

Blade and Timber and Axe To Grind have some similarities: Both are located in 5,000-square-foot facilities with multiple lanes; closed-toe shoes are required; and ax-throwing patrons of legal drinking age are limited to three beers.

Besides ax-throwing, Axe To Grind patrons can also play some oversized Jenga and Connect 4 games, Meile said.

Eventually, another 5,000 square feet will be added to Axe To Grind’s Wichita location along with a pizza line, he said. Currently Axe To Grind serves light snacks, but patrons can order in or bring in outside food. Since it’s open during the lunch hour, it’s a place where co-workers can hang out for an activity and order in lunch, Meile said.

While both offer league play, Axe To Grind’s league play is part of the World Axe Throwing League, which is the global governing body for the sport whose tournaments are the ones seen on ESPN, Meile said. Two of Axe To Grind’s 11 total lanes are reserved for tournament play.

At its Iowa location, Meile said, Axe To Grind sponsors a 7-year-old girl who is a professional competitor. Its oldest client is 96, he said.

“It’s fun for all ages,” Meile said.

The venue allows players as young as 10 to use the “real” axes, while other options are available for younger throwers, Meile said. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

For those concerned about COVID-19 precautions, Meile said Axe To Grind facilities already operate with lower-than-minimum capacity and lanes that have ax-throwers distanced at least 6 feet apart —as long as ax-throwers stay in their lane. The distance from one lane’s centerline to the next adheres to the World Axe Throwing League’s standard of 6 feet. Generally, a 5,000-square-foot facility could accommodate about 330 people, but the maximum occupancy of the Wichita Axe To Grind venue is 150.

As a self-professed germophobe whose son is battling cancer, Meile said sanitizing and cleaning standards are important, as well. Areas and axes are cleaned after each use.

A basic 90-minute session is $24.99, while the VIP package costs $39.99 and includes a complimentary beverage, a complimentary snack item and unlimited free ax-throwing for 30 days, booked in two-hour sessions. Discounts are available for military, veterans, first-responders and groups of eight or more. Throwing is free for educators through Aug. 31. The venue also can be booked for special events and offers give-back opportunities for charities or nonprofits to earn 20% of a day’s proceeds.

To book a session, visit axetogrind.us or call 316-213-9340.

This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 5:01 AM.