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Sam and Ashlie Pennington were looking for something to do as the pandemic lockdown started to ease, and they found this and more in recreational ax throwing – Business opportunities they are passionate about.
“I was laid off in the early days of the pandemic … the idea came to us shortly after we were looking for something interesting to do,” says Sam, so they decided to explore the industry.
The Penningtons went to other ax-throwing facilities in the area, but between College Station and downtown Houston there wasn’t one they had imagined, so they saw this as a great opportunity to bring this type of recreation into the community.
By exploring other throwing weapons such as knives, stars, and cards, and adding technology to enhance the ambiance, they say that with Hatchet House opening in late May 2022, with Sam serving as owner-operator, they believe they are in Cypress Ashley found a niche market in Ashlie and Sam’s longtime friend John Pizzitola as a partner.
“And since there isn’t anything like it in the area, one of the things Cypress really lacks is fun activities for families, individuals, couples, all ages. So it seems like a really good fit. So far So far, the public has really liked it. …We’ve had a lot of very positive feedback,” said Ashlie.
The idea to use projected game targets came from a paintball entrepreneur in North Texas, and using backlights for these areas of the facility seemed like a natural fit. Having a TV to watch Houston’s sports teams and listen to music made the experience very different from the game, Sam said.
“We have standard targets, the bull’s-eye painted on the back panel, … and interactive games,” he said. “They’re projected onto a screen. … People can play about 11 different interactive games. So you’re still throwing the axe, but you’re playing a different game instead of throwing things at the same target.”
The Penningtons said the planned games are similar to other popular goal-oriented online games like Candy Crush Saga, Zombie Hunter and Battleship in a way that North Houston’s other ax-throwing games don’t offer.
The company also offers beer, wine, sparkling wine and soda; snacks such as candy, cookies and chips; and games for children.
Hatchet House hosts parties for individuals and small groups and charges are $25 per person per hour for the standard target area and $30 for the digital area. Closed-toed shoes and waivers are required for all participants and spectators. According to the Penningtons, the business sees about 130 customers a week, most of them on Fridays and Saturdays.
The challenge, they explained, was attracting foot traffic earlier in the week. They recently changed their hours to match those of other entertainment businesses in the area and hope to get more business during the week as word of mouth continues to grow.
In addition to participating in the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce and renting out advertising space to other local businesses, the duo are very active in donating items to various local organizations such as schools and churches.
“We’ve made a lot of donations to schools and to different nonprofits…to help the community, just as they help us,” Ashlie said.
Ax Throwing Skills: Each target pod has three sizes of axes and weighs between 2-3 lbs. Besides practicing safety at bay, Penningtons said the most important thing is a person’s distance from the target.
Hatchet House Texas, 11946 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress
281-213-5245. www.hatchethousetexas.com
Opening hours: Wednesday to Thursday. Fri 3-9pm 3-11pm, Sat. Noon to 11pm, Sunday. 3-8pm, closed Monday-Tuesday.
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