LOOK INSIDE: Blade & Timber raises the bar (and kitchen) with Power & Light axe throwing
August 27, 2019 | Tommy Felts
When Blade & Timber officially opens this weekend at Power & Light, the two-year-old startup concept will set a new standard for the growing experiences industry, said Jessie Poole.
Axes and Alcohol?
“Axes and alcohol … what could wrong, right? We specifically have 12-ounce cups, which keeps our beer size consistent. They’re allowed up to three beers. The wine is a new addition, with 5-ounce pours. So we can really monitor alcohol consumption.”
— Jessie Poole, communication director, Blade & Timber
“We want to show people ‘This is what you should expect from an axe-throwing experience,’” said Poole, communication director for Blade & Timber. “We’ve been upping the aesthetics to better fit Power & Light. We’ve added food service and beverage service, and still maintain a high quality of customer service when it comes to the lanes.”
The new flagship location — 1303 Baltimore Ave. — boasts 11 axe throwing lanes, a beer and wine menu, full kitchen, darts and yard games. The menu features fried chicken, waffles, sauces made from scratch and more, crafted by James Beard Award Semifinalist Taylor Petrehn, co-owner of 1900 Barker Bakery and Cafe in Lawrence.
“We’re asking a lot of our staff now, but they seem very excited about the challenge and the opportunity,” Poole said, noting that new additions give the space a competitive edge in a market that has seen numerous other axe-throwing businesses open since Blade & Timber debuted in fall 2017 in the West Bottoms.
“It’s a good growth opportunity for the brand,” she said. “The restaurant element gives people a reason to stay longer, to plan a whole experience around the space. We’re hoping to roll this out across the nation too, extending this concept to our existing locations.”
Blade & Timber now has six locations, spread between Kansas City, Lawrence, Wichita, Honolulu and Seattle. Its parent company, Swell Spark, was selected as one of Startland’s Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2018.
The downtown geography of the Power & Light entertainment district provides its own unique opportunity to strengthen the brand, Poole said, moving the concept beyond the localized demographics of its axe-throwing experiences in Leawood and former flagship space in the West Bottoms.
“Just in the few days since our soft opening, we’ve already captured a lot of tourism traffic, convention traffic — people who never would have thrown axes in our West Bottoms location,” she said. “That could be huge as we grow our brand nationally.”
A ribbon cutting is planned at the Power & Light space 8:30 a.m. Friday, with the first 75 guests receiving a free gift. Throughout the weekend, guests could win free waffles for one year when they post their best bullseye on Instagram. Blade & Timber will also give away free merchandise, waffles and more all weekend long.
More about Blade & Timber
Blade & Timber promotes teaching anyone ages 10 and up how to master the bullseye, with each guest receiving a one-on-one lesson by a Blade & Timber safety-certified axe coach. Coaches are present throughout the 1.5-hour axe throwing experience, teaching trick shots, new axe throwing games and maintaining safety at all times.
Click here to learn more.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Coworking blueprint for contractors trades home for critical back-office business support
Trades CoWork provides a professional office environment, storage space, and back-office support to contractors and trades workers who have long been “dismissed,” said William Hayes, an entrepreneur who “sold everything” to fuel the venture. “There is nothing out there for the small contractors that gives them an affordable option to move out of their house,…
Why these Big Jay collectibles are a nod to bobblehead hall of fame’s love of KC-area sports
A cross-country childhood trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum inspired a young baseball fan and rookie sports collector to keep Kansas City on his map — later incorporating an array of local major league and collegiate teams into his entrepreneurial venture: a national hall of fame for bobbleheads. The most recent additions to his…
Federal ban on noncompetes would ‘unleash’ entrepreneurs, open door to more startups, advocate says
A proposed rule change that would stop employers from imposing and enforcing contract clauses to limit their workers’ ability to change jobs within their fields is being hailed as a “vital step on the path to expanding economic growth in the United States,” according to one Kansas City-based advocate for entrepreneurs. Earlier this month, the…
Ice Cream Bae returns to the Country Club Plaza with its own storefront, more flavors
Adison and Jackie Sichampanakhone have a soft spot for the Country Club Plaza, they shared. It’s where the journey with their soft-serve ice cream shop began. “We’re excited to be back. We had so many great customers down here before, so we’re happy to be able to serve them again,” said Adison, who co-founded Ice…