Axe throwing is in full-swing nationwide, with enthusiasts flinging axes at targets in nearly every major U.S. city. Usually oriented around a bar environment, or at least treated as a decidedly-adult hobby, owners Nathan Kistler, his wife Amber Nelon and Mark Sullivan of Lime Biscuit Creative aim to create a family-friendly environment at Timberwolf Axe Throwing in Campbellton — the soon-to-open facility already has five children’s birthday parties booked in advance for the establishment’s planned February opening. The two axe throwing enthusiasts also noted when they moved to Carrollton that the closest facility where they could partake in their hobby was an hour away in Atlanta, or an hour in a different direction in Rome. They said that the community’s response thus far has been wildly positive — “we didn’t realize people [around here] were so eager to do something fun.”
“We had both enjoyed axe throwing over the past few years,” Kistler told What Now Atlanta. “At [Nelon’s] family’s farm, all over the place — every major city we go to, we’ve thrown. So we wanted to open one here in Carrollton. Some of this is novel, we’ve been to some of these with a full bar and some without a bar at all. We very rarely, in our experience, have seen anyone younger than 17,18 years old [at axe throwing facilities]. We felt like we could make and build something for the entire family.”
The 29,072 square-foot site at 911 S Park Street was first a bar, then a church. Now, the storied building will accommodate ten throwing lanes, separated by protective chain-link barriers, and two competition lanes that will be used for World Axe Throwing League tournaments. Kistler built the establishment’s reception desk and dining tables at home in his garage and described the decor as “rustic.”
Alcohol will get the axe Timberwolf; however, a yet-undetermined menu, drinks, snacks and candy will be sold to sate hungry axe throwers between rounds. Although those under 10-years-old cannot participate, a makeshift activity has been fashioned with their entertainment in mind: plush axes affixed with velcro can be thrown at targets in an activity called the “Timber Tantrum.”
Kistler said that Timberwolf is fully-booked for a few weeks past their opening on February 1. However, walk-ins will be accepted along with those who make appointments when lanes are available. Lanes can be booked for $30 online while groups of over 15 will be charged a discounted $20 per person. Nearby University of West Georgia students will be charged just $15 on Tuesdays.
