Throw an axe at PAC’s!

A brand new sports and recreational venue in Owego, N.Y., PAC’s Axe Throwing, located in the Johnson’s Pools & Spas Plaza at 1120 Rte. 434, opened for business last month.

Co-owners Paul Kwiatkowski and Chad Harris (the P and C in the business name) grew up in Owego. The duo, who graduated together in 2004 from Owego Free Academy, has been friends since childhood.      

Self-described as “two small-town guys enjoying our family, friends and community,” Paul and Chad decided to change career paths. Paul, who holds degrees from the University of Albany, moved back to the Southern Tier after working for mid-sized and large accounting firms in the Albany, N.Y. area.  

Chad worked for 15 years with an organization that supports special needs individuals, and had achieved a role as schedule manager before he left.

Cut to axe throwing lingo where the term “sticking an axe” means that you’ve successfully embedded your axe on a wood target after a throw, so perhaps you could say that Paul and Chad have stuck their axes out into a trendy new business venture. The next-closest similar venue is in Elmira.  

Privately owned axe throwing venues have gradually gained momentum throughout the United States, although competitive axe throwing is not new.  Elsewhere, a popular sports network provides television coverage of the World Axe Throwing Championship, and at colleges, such as in New York’s Adirondack Region, student athletes compete in the sport of axe throwing.

The facility welcomes guests Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. They are open on Sunday for private parties and are closed on Monday. 

Paul exclaimed, “Effective January 27 we are excited to announce that we are now able to offer axe throwing for ages 12 and up.”

An adult must accompany those who are age 12 through 17; waivers are required to be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

For first-timers, and as a review for all guests, Paul and Chad will offer guidance about rules and expectations, along with throwing techniques and a safety tutorial. Closed-toed shoes are required. Axes are provided, although guests can bring in their own throwing axes.

At PAC’s, throw your hearts out with unlimited throws. Lane rentals are $25 per person (plus tax) for 75 minutes, with a two-person minimum, and up to four-person total. There are six throwing lanes available. Other options include booking one bay, which Paul and Chad indicated is best for larger groups accommodating up to eight guests.

Paul and Chad can also mentor guests on team play such as axe throwing games like Cricket or Around the World, and even one called Zombies versus Humans, just to name a few.  

Book your reservations via their website, pacsaxethrowing.com. Waivers can be submitted online, too. Private parties can be booked via the website as well.

Stay tuned for updates on league play; plans are coming together for Tuesday and Wednesday evening leagues. 

Paul and Chad’s community-mindedness has connected them to fellow business-owners, and where they sourced most of the materials needed to renovate their space from local wood providers and retail stores. They looked to an experienced local sign maker for signage, a local tech expert for website development, and a local screen printer for apparel and other goods.

Since opening their doors on Jan. 13, Paul and Chad have already witnessed some refreshing reasons why guests book axe-throwing times. Whether it’s a date night, team building with your co-workers, a riveting way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion, or a core workout, throwing an axe is appealing for many.  

It is Paul and Chad’s hope that people will visit from afar, too, and take in the local eateries, shops and sites in the Owego area.

For more information, find PAC’s Axe Throwing on Facebook and Instagram.   Visit their website, pacsaxethrowing.com, or call (607) 223-4800. PAC’s also offers gift certificates.