Toss away the stress: Ax-throwing business opens in Amherst

AMHERST — Being cooped up at home might be making some of us squirrelly, but luckily there's a place to throw off those cares in a big way. The Savage Society Axe Throwing opened May 21 in its new home in Amherst, offering people a novel break from a typical night out. Time spent here can get, well, savage. Pick one of 10 lanes, heft your ax and have a go hurling at a target. Targets are set up for individuals or teams, and a few private party rooms will accommodate guests as well. "It's fun and it's kind of taboo," said owner Willie Trowbridge. "You hear of people shooting guns, darts and arrows but you don't throw an ax many times in your life. You get the hang of it quickly and it can get very competitive." Trowbridge and his wife, Amanda, opened the business in Valley View last summer with co-owners Drew and Anna Losse. It first started on a semi-trailer as a mobile party event, showing up at fairgrounds and carnivals or private parties, but it soon proved popular enough to secure a permanent site. The couples decided on Amherst, where the Trowbridges live. Savage Society was renovating the former Bobel's at 1937 Cooper Foster Park Road, initially planning to open in March but the coronavirus quarantine halted that plan. "We've honestly been looking at a number of spots all across Northeast Ohio and none of the locations really fit our needs until we found the spot at Amherst Plaza," said Drew Losse, who lives in Macedonia. "We love the neighborhood, we love the area and it all fit our needs." Ax throwing has become more associated with millennials than Vikings in recent years. The World Axe Throwing League was formed in 2017 and ESPN began showing organized tournaments. "This brings a new twist," Trowbridge said. "It's a relaxed atmosphere. You can come in before a movie or come in and throw some axes after dinner. We have a jukebox, a stand-alone speaker, the ability to do karaoke — I don't know how much people would want to karaoke while throwing axes, but we can do that." "It's cool to do, it's new, it has the adventure factor," Losse said. All first-timers will get a safety walk-through first, covering how to hold the ax, how to throw it and how to release it — and safety is paramount, the owners say. For now, throwers are limited to ages 18 and older but they are hoping eventually be able to offer kids as young as 15. Trowbridges' kids throw and kids are often interested, Losse said. The business is affiliated with and abides by the World Axe Throwing League rules for league play and the owners play to host league events. Visitors can learn basic rules for scoring and how to play different games, like around the world and timber, "which is like horse but with axes thrown in," Losse said. Axes are provided, but like bowling, participants can purchase higher-grade axes for personal use if they decide they're going to get into the sport. And it's BYOA — as long as visitors aren't coming in with "50-pound wedging axes, then it's OK," Losse said. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase, and lanes are rented by the hour. When the private party rooms are available, renters will be able to bring in their own adult beverages — within reason. "If you get a little too powered up, we'll have to send you home," Losse said. "It's the community and the brotherhood and the friend you make along the way. We try to promote a very open and friendly camaraderie at our establishment. We're not going to disparage you. If you're not getting it, we're going to help you get there," he said. "We want to have fun. Anyone that is not helping in that manner or dampening the mood, that's not going to fly there." For information about booking time at Savage Society Axe Throwing or its mobile trailer, visit savageaxecle.com or facebook.com/savageaxecle. Initial hours of operation will be 5-10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and 5 p.m. to midnight Fridays, noon to midnight Saturdays and limited Sunday hours. Contact Rini Jeffers at rinijeffers@gmail.com.