MEDFORD, Ore. — Alcohol and axes may sound like a scary combination, but a local couple is hoping it’s the recipe for a successful business in the Rogue Valley.
“It’s absolutely a feeling, once you hit one you need to go again and again and again,” said Kyle Durrant, owner of ‘Cascadia Axe Company.’ “And then you got to get a bullseye and then you just don’t stop.
There’s not much to it.
Kyle and Bird Durrant say you just have to ‘stick it’ like you mean it.
“It’s one of those things you can learn how to have fun with it in five minutes,” said Kyle. “And spend the rest of your life trying to be a master at it.”
Axe-throwing is a passion turned business venture for the White City couple. Their new Medford bar, joining a growing trend in big cities like Portland and Seattle.
However, the Durrant family says they were motivated to create something different.
“I’m really into mythology and Norse mythology and history,” said Kyle Durrant. “So, there is kind of an English versus Viking thing going a little bit.”
Kyle, an artist who dabbles in tattoo design, carpentry, and woodworking, says he took apart a 1,800 square foot barn to build almost everything at the bar from scratch.
“We’re really proud and really happy to say probably 80 percent of what you see in here is recycled materials,” he said.
Although the bar’s aesthetic may be exciting to look at, the pair says the real fun comes after you sign a waiver.
“Everything’s a hundred percent supervised,” said Kyle Durrant. “So, if you’re in here throwing it’s not just a free for all.”
Alcohol and axe throwing may cause concern for some but they say they’re taking every precaution.
“We’re not serving hard alcohol. Just beer and cider, so we reduce the risk of people being too intoxicated,” said Bird Durrant.
With a pint in hand and an ax to throw, the couple hopes the family-owned spot becomes more than just a bar, but an experience.
“A lot of people bring up that memory of ‘I haven’t done this since I was camping with my parents.’ It just brings a smile to their face,” said Kyle Durrant.
And who knows, you may discover axe throwing is a talent you never knew you had.
“Sticking that target is like the best feeling in the whole world,” said Bird Durrant.
The couple also plans to manufacture their own axes, hunting and fishing knives, merchandise, and even hold blacksmithing classes at the facility located off highway 62.
The business is located at 5681 Crater Lake Hwy #4, Medford, Oregon 97502.
The couple says they hope to open early February.
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