CHICAGO _ If your idea of a good time is drinking beer and throwing axes, well, you might be in luck.
Canadian ax-throwing chain _ yes, you read that right _ Bad Axe Throwing will be opening its first Chicago location about a mile from the United Center. Bad Axe founder Mario Zelaya says the company will hold a free open house Sept. 9-12, with bookings starting Sept. 12.
"Its modern-day bowling," he says of the sport. "Like darts, but on steroids."
For $44.25 per person plus tax, each member of a group will get a one-on-one lesson on how to throw an ax from an ax-throwing coach, as well as a tutorial on how to stay safe and what the rules of the game are. After a warmup, groups will then take part in a tournament, throwing axes at a wooden target and competing against one another for bragging rights.
For those who are looking to refine their technique before they come in, Bad Axe has a section on its website detailing how to throw an ax, with helpful tips such as "don't throw an axe if someone is in front of you or near the target," along with advice on how to properly grip an ax. Axes are provided, and patrons are not allowed to bring in their own axes "due to our insurance policies," according to Bad Axe's website.
Chicago will be Bad Axe's first U.S. location and 11th overall. Zelaya says he picked Chicago because it reminds him of Toronto.
"We've been looking at several U.S. locations for about eight months now _ maybe even longer," he said. "We decided to prioritize Chicago over the others because of the similarity to Toronto. The diversity of people, how great of a city it is, it was a great fit."
Zelaya says Bad Axe doesn't serve food or alcohol at any of its locations, but the company does allow patrons to bring their own food and beer to the facility. Hard liquor is not allowed on the premises.
"It's more about having a beer with friends and throwing axes," he says. "It's not about doing shots and getting hammered."
There's also no age limit, so everyone can try their hand at throwing axes. Zelaya says the youngest patron so far was between 9 and 11 years old; the company launched in 2014.
Zelaya says it doesn't take long for patrons to figure out how to throw an ax and get into a routine. In his experience, women tend to pick up the hang of ax throwing faster than men do, he says.
"It's funny because the people that get it the most are the ones that listen closely. That tends to be females," he says. "Guys put too much macho-ness into the throw and think they can do it on their own terms."
