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Blue Ridge Axe Throwing offers smiles for all, whether you’re a seasoned thrower or new to the game.
Blue Ridge Axe Throwing has hit the bullseye in this year’s Best of Roanoke reader poll, having won platinum for Favorite Spot for a Day Date and Best Date Night, as well as a gold win for Best Local Attraction. After all, a little healthy competition is a great way to spend time with your friends and partners!
“It’s just a wonderful thing to see, especially because we have such a great mix of folks coming in for Axe Throwing and our staff is always working to provide the best experience for our guests,” says Mitchell Tyler, co-owner and one of the founders of Blue Ridge Axe Throwing. “Seeing recognition across different categories really speaks to how we are implementing our goal of reaching a wide cross section of locals and visitors in our region.”
One of the things their team loves most? “So many smiles! Our guests make our business and our team members shine!”
While they do get a few timid first-timers, Tyler says that for the most part, people have been looking forward to their axe-throwing time, whether it’s a day visit, date night or corporate/team-building event. Some hours have two to four people throwing, while other hours might host groups of 60. “We’re continually looking at better ways to improve our guest experience, which means we are never bored!”
You might be surprised to learn that one of their biggest challenges is actually putting it all together. Their Axe Master, Andrew Wolf, sees to it that their vision for the guest experience is consistently delivered. Wolf started working with the team after reopening from the pandemic closings in 2020, and continues to improve things on the day-to-day. Tyler also encourages everyone to visit the mural Wolf recently did incorporating their Yeti mascot into recognizable Roanoke features.
For that seamless guest experience, they’re constantly developing a better website/booking flow, sourcing the best wood so that axes “stick” better, working on recycling options for spent wood, finding the best axes to throw and more, all while trying to show axe throwers the time of their lives while on the range. “But it’s also probably the most rewarding part,” Tyler says. “Seeing people find and explore a skill they didn’t know they had — or needed in some cases! — keeps us moving forward.”
For Tyler, there’s no place he’d rather be and no community he’d rather serve. His family has worked, lived and played in the area for generations; his grandparents worked at Lakeside almost 100 years ago, so he likes to think the businesses he runs here and the experiences they deliver honors them, this community and our region.
Schedule your next (or first) axe-throwing session and enjoy the fun by learning more at blueridgeaxe.com.
The story above is a preview from our May/June 2022. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!
