Axe Throwing Venue To Open In Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Blue Ox Axe Throwing will open its second location in the state in Bridgeport this week. The location will be at 1558 Barnum Ave. and open Friday.

"Our first facility opened in Wallingford in August of 2018 and quickly became Connecticut’s highest-rated axe-throwing venue," CEO/Founder Gerald Ferraro said in a statement. "Now, due to booming growth and increased industry recognition, we have an opportunity to expand our footprint in the state and open a location that is more central for our regulars from Fairfield County."

The new location will be in a 4,500 square-foot space in the Barnum Avenue Business Center and is slated to offer six lanes with two targets in each lane.

According to Ferraro, the idea for the axe-throwing business came after he attended business partner Graham Kelley’s bachelor party in Minnesota. As one of the festivities for the weekend, the Wallingford natives went to a venue that offered axe throwing.

"Within minutes of our first throw, we quickly agreed that axe throwing was an activity that would thrive in our hometown — and we were right," Ferraro said in a statement.

Customers can book either a one-hour “open throw” session designed for smaller groups or a two-hour “social throw” session for larger groups that includes instructions from “axe masters.” Axe Masters begin each session with a brief introductory lesson on the rules and proper technique.

The cost per thrower is $35 and a minimum of three throwers is required. Customers can book sessions in advance via website or phone or on-site at the location.

Blue Ox allows customers to bring their own beer, wine, cider, seltzers and wine coolers but no hard liquor.

The trio has stayed busy in the first year of business, according to Ferraro. Along with branching out in Connecticut, Blue Ox is also preparing to open a third location in Dayton, Ohio in 2020.

All three locations will be corporate-owned businesses, Ferraro said.

The Wallingford company also began offering franchising opportunities over the summer and has, to this point, secured two franchisees slated to open locations in Cranston, R.I., and Portland, Oregon.