Ferndale’s Ax-Throwing Bar Swings Into Corktown This Fall

Ferndale’s wildly popular board game bar and axe-throwing venue expanding to two new metro Detroit locations this year. The owners of Detroit Axe and the Corner confirm to Crain’s today that the bar entertainment complex is opening locations in Corktown as well as the Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township this fall.

The Detroit outpost of Detroit Axe and the Corner will be situated at 7,000-square-foot property across the street from Nemo’s at 1375 Michigan Ave. It will feature a full bar, 16 axe-chucking lanes, and 1,000 board games with an onsite food truck at all times. The company also plans to introduce additional bar games such as Skee-Ball, pinball, bumper pool, shuffleboard, and a giant Lite-Brite.

The Clinton Township location, dubbed Detroit Axe: East, will be roughly half the size of the Corktown outpost at 3,700 square feet. Plans call for a full bar and a small food menu. Both new locations are on track to open around October.

Michelle and Chris Gerard

Detroit Axe was one of the first establishments in Southeast Michigan to introduce the trendy axe-throwing activity, though several entertainment complexes in the area have since launched their own lanes. The company opened its first location in Ferndale in December 2017. While booze and sharp flying objects seem like a recipe for disaster, most venues are strictly monitored to prevent customers from becoming too intoxicated while using the axe lanes. Hub Stadium in Auburn Hills came under scrutiny by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) for failing to enforce rules at its venue and received a temporary liquor license suspension; however, Detroit Axe’s review by the MLCC in May 2018 was characterized as very positive by agency officials.

Eater has reached out for more details on the new venues. Stay tuned for updates.

• Detroit Axe to Expand to Corktown, Mall at Partridge Creek [Crain’s]
• Inside Ferndale’s New Board Game Bar and Ax-Throwing Venue [ED]
• Axe-Throwing Bar Receives One-Day Liquor License Suspension Over Safety Concerns [ED]
• All Detroit Axe/The Corner Coverage [ED]
• All Coming Attractions Coverage [ED]