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Birthday celebrations, corporate events, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and fundraisers just got a little more interesting.
NY Axe Throwing — located at 11 Michael Ave. in Farmingdale — opened last march and is the first digital ax-throwing experience in New York.
“I played the game somewhere in 2019 and it was fun,” said owner Mario Simone, who is originally from Franklin Square and now lives in Westbury. “Then in 2020 our whole warehouse was closed because of the pandemic, and we were wondering what we were going to do with all this space when I remembered the game — that’s the spark that started the fire.”
The warehouse is originally where Simone, 46, and partners Raymond Valentine and Carl Mazza run their entertainment company Hart to Hart out of, and they decided to dedicate half of the space to NY Axe Throwing.
When guests first come in, they are expected to follow safety protocols first by signing waivers and being shown how to hold and throw an ax properly.
And then the fun begins.
“The first few throws are doozies, but just let it happen,” said Valentine, 48. “You’re throwing 30-50 axes so you’ll loosen up.”
While there are other ax-throwing establishments on the island, NY Axe Throwing differs by offering digital games that project onto its targets. There’s tic tac toe, Connect Four, and a zombie hunting game.
Valentine, who is originally from Union Dale and now lives in Massapequa, adds that every group is accompanied by an “ax-pert” to help assist them.
The community response has been positive so far, Valentine says, especially since they do not serve alcohol and are family-friendly. They’ve also received a lot of great reviews online.
“Most ax-throwing places are connected to bars, but here is a completely family-oriented experience,” said Valentine.
Guests can book online to reserve a private lane for an hour or hour and a half, or a private room for two hours.
Simone says NY Axe Throwing is planning to expand across Long Island in the future and incorporate archery into the mix.
“This is our excitement,” Valentine said. “Everything has been going great for us and we’re so happy.”
Check out photos of NY Axe Throwing below.
(Top: Guests posing at NY Axe Throwing)
