Allison Hadley Photos
Josh Kroscen, manager of Pine & Iron Axe Throwing — which opened on Chapel Street on Friday — was patient.
“Try keeping your arms straight, and make sure you’re following through,” he said to me.
I paused at the black line that lay between me and a brightly lit, infuriatingly pristine target, shifting my grip on the hatchet in the vain hope I would suddenly develop the skills to launch it effectively at this target. I stepped; I swung. The flat of the axe clattered against the target. More satisfying thunks rained down all around me from other groups in other lanes; I sighed and tried again.
Pine & Iron Axe Throwing is very, very fun. With walls decked out in decorative axes from the Mount Hook Art Collective and dynamic art from Joey “Batts” Battaglia — both artists based in the Hartford area — and warm lighting, the space feels like a cross between a bowling alley and a craft brewery in a mountain state, all warm wood tones and several lanes of activity.
Kroscen helped open Pine & Iron’s Hartford location in June 2018; the opening of the New Haven location represents a business expansion.
“We’re right in the middle of downtown, and very walkable,” Kroscen said. “People can come here and then go out to eat. We just provide an interesting, unique and fun experience.”
A group of six was in the next cluster of lanes over from me. A blonde woman seemed to land a bullseye on her first try.
I reminded myself I’m a journalist and not an errant survivalist.
Behind the main corridor of lanes, of which there are about a dozen — some clustered to be part of one rental, and others solo, more applicable to what Pine & Iron calls “social throwing” — lay a well stocked bar. On Friday, the New Haven location’s grand opening, Hartford’s Hog River Brewing Company offered free tastes of its brews, from a boysenberry sour to a hoppy double IPA.
Fear not: Until throwing is done, there is a two-drink limit, and every would-be lumberjack is given an in-depth safety briefing before even touching an axe. Each prospective thrower-of-axes is also provided a brief lesson on throwing technique as well, with variations between the one-or-two-handed hatchet throw and the two-handed, larger axe throw. As the night progressed, the thunks got louder and more frequent, with happy exclamations from first timers and those more experienced alike. It is very satisfying to hit a target.
For those in need of more structure besides the basic satisfaction of hitting a target, Pine & Iron offers a bowling-esque game, with different target rings worth different values, and two blue dots as the “challenge” for certain rounds. After ten frames of rotating players, the winner is the most accurate axe-thrower. It’s like bowling, but with an edge.
Kroscen is excited to bring Pine & Iron to New Haven and showcase the venue.
“It’s great for parties and corporate team building, or even just for a group of friends,” he said.
He hopes to bring in local artists to adorn the walls and add more to the sense of community. The community, for its part, seemed to take to the place immediately, with a higher than average incidence of flannel in the room; folks were clearly excited to look the part. Coaches flitted from lane to lane, helping people achieve their highly Instagrammable victories, and the bar began to be healthily populated. Pine & Iron had already achieved that sense of being a good hangout spot, and one that provides a unique experience for the Elm City. One could say it’s right on target.
Pine & Iron is located at 770 Chapel St. It encourages reservations, which can be made through its website.