SLO County’s newest ax-throwing venue lets customers channel ‘inner Paul Bunyan’
The married couple behind mobile operation SLO Axe Co. is opening its first permanent indoor ax-throwing venue in San Luis Obispo County.
A-Town Chop Shop will hold its grand opening on Wednesday in downtown Atascadero’s new La Plaza development.
The vintage automobile-themed throwing range doubles as a lounge and social club with rustic vibes.
Co-owner Matt Jenning said he and his wife, Jennifer, bought “a tremendous amount of barnwood and installed it ourselves.”
Other decorations feature the front ends of old pickup trucks from the 1950s, including a Chevrolet and a Ford.
The business will have raffles, contests and prizes on opening day. There will also be special promotions available via A-Town Chop Shop’s Instagram feed Friday through Sunday.
Matt and Jennifer Corning met eight years ago on a blind date of sorts. He was from the Boston area, and she was from Santa Maria.
They’ve since established a blended family of seven, with children who now range in age from 13 to 23.
While Matt Corning works full-time running SLO Axe Co. and A-Town Chop Shop, his wife splits her time between those businesses and her job as a nurse and case manager for Dignity Health.
How did SLO County family get into ax throwing?
The Cornings, who live in Atascadero, discovered recreational ax-throwing on vacation while looking for an activity the entire family could share.
“I had to beat my mom (in her early 70s) to move on to the final round,” Matt Corning said in a phone interview. “I did, but then I played against my little brother, and he beat me.”
The Cornings launched SLO Axe Co. in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide “fun, interactive and competitive games” for customers seeking outdoor thrills, the company’s website says.
“At the time ... there was no ax-throwing anywhere on the Central Coast,” Matt Corning said.
The Economist reported in December that ax-throwing is an approximately $215 million industry, with “recreational axe-throwing ... taking place in around 600 venues across the country,” according to a spokesman of the World Axe Throwing League.
Gladiator Paintball, located near Cuesta College off Highway 1, and Battle Axe in downtown San Luis Obispo also offer recreational ax throwing.
What to expect at new Atascadero business
According to a news release, A-Town Chop Shop can be “a perfect place to blow off some steam, release your inner Paul Bunyan and maybe even impress your friends with your newfound skills.”
The Atascadero venue features seven individual throwing lanes and “projected targets, allowing participants to track scores and play a variety of games,” the release said.
Corning said the targets have “anti-bounce mat systems, which minimizes the possibility of axes bouncing back.”
Customers at A-Town Chop Shopcan socialize with friends and coworkers, Corning said, and even build up strength in their core, arms and shoulders.
For those new to the sport, the facility offers guidance from coaches known as as Axe Whisperers.
They’re “the Gandalfs of axe throwing,” the SLO Axe website said, referring to the wizened wizard from the “Lord of the Rings” books and movies.
“They’ll teach you the proper technique, coach you through your throws and guide you to axe-throwing glory,” the site said. “And don’t worry, safety is our top priority — we’ll make sure everyone keeps their fingers and toes intact.”
A-Town Chop Shop’s covered outdoor “pit stop” patio extends opportunities for the ultimate spectator sport: people watching.
Reservations are recommended, but 30-minute mini sessions are available for walk-ins only. Regular sessions last an hour.
A-Town Chop Shop can be rented in its entirety for larger groups, even outside normal operating hours and days.
Participants can range in age from 10 to upward of 90, Matt Corning said.
At a recent SLO Axe event in Solvang, “I got a famous film editor, age 95, to ‘stick an axe,’ ” he said. “This last weekend, I helped someone who was blind do the same thing.”
Those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Cornings got a license to sell beer from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at A-Town Chop Shop earlier in May and offer local brews on tap. For safety, there’s a two-beer limit for axe throwers.
While the facility sells some snacks and packaged sandwiches, there is no commercial kitchen there. Customers can bring in their own food, but not other alcoholic beverages.
More about A-Town Chop Shop
A-Town Chop Shop is open at 6250 El Camino Real, Suite B, in Atascadero, from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For details, call 805-439-1004, email info@sloaxeco.com or go to atownchopshop.com.
