Big Timber Axe Throwing chops the ribbon on its new venue in downtown Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Downtown’s newest entertainment venue challenges your aim with a handheld ax. But the aim of the owners is to grow the business into more than a place for target practice.
Big Timber Axe Throwing, at 301 S. Main St. across from the BMO Center, wants to be a place for you to grab a drink, play games, compete in recreational leagues or have a bite of soul food while spending time downtown.
“This is not only a spot to throw axes, but also to hangout,” said Kyle Giron, who co-owns the business with Joey and Dave Hammack. “We’ve got a really cool cocktail menu, we’ve got board games and stuff like that.”
The other stuff includes a soul food menu thanks to its neighboring restaurant. The 5-year-old locally owned business partnered Ambiance Cuisine Cocktails & Catering to offer its guests catfish sandwiches, pork chop sandwiches, jerk chicken nachos and other special menu items from its neighbor’s kitchen. It also worked with Rockford Art Deli to offer Big Timber Axe Throwing merchandise, including a lumberjack-inspired hooded sweatshirt.
“It’s been great having so many other business owners downtown come in and want to collaborate with us out of the gates,” Giron said. “We’ve had a lot of customers already asking us if we have food. Now we have a unique menu.”
Big Timber initially operated from the Regency Plaza at 4249 E. State St. across from Peak Fitness, but it closed that location last spring to prepare for its move to downtown. The new location provides Big Timber with more space and puts it in an entertainment hub of downtown near the BMO Center, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront hotel and the UW Health Sports Factory.
“We really wanted to be in the heart of downtown because this is where everything’s happening,” Giron said. “We’re an entertainment destination and this is where a lot of the entertainment in the city happens, so we wanted to be in the thick of it.”
The business fills the 3,200-square-foot ground floor space of Urban Equity Property’s 33-unit luxury apartment development at the corner of South Main and Chestnut streets. It held a soft opening starting Feb. 14 and on Wednesday celebrated its ribbon cutting with Urban Equity Properties, Mayor Tom McNamara, Alderwoman Gabrielle Torina and staff from GoRockford.
“This location is just ideal. It is in the mecca of everything happening. Next to the BMO, we have the IceHogs, we have events, concerts. Soon Davis Park will be programmed, so hopefully additional traffic there as well,” said Justin Fern, founding principal of Urban Equity. “I think you’re positioned perfectly to be extremely successful in this location.”
Big Timber has six throwing lanes with cottonwood targets that allow for the axes to stick in place. There is also a bar and table seating.
Its arrival downtown initially faced questions from some City Council members over its request for a liquor license. Some were hesitant to OK a business that mixes ax throwing with alcohol, but those concerns eased for most when they learned about the safety protocols and how the model has worked in other areas without issue. It ultimately passed 10-1 with Alderman Frank Beach voting against.
“Sometimes I think in our city we’re just not used to fresh things and change,” said Torina, who won reelection Tuesday to the 5th Ward where the business is located. “I’m very happy that our City Council did pass this item because it gives a new offering of something fresh and different and fun.”
A mural inside the business was painted by local artist Dustin Eckhardt and the maplewood bar was built by Dave Hammack. The work was part of roughly a yearlong process to prepare the space for business.
“When we signed the lease on this space it was like gravel,” Giron said. “It was a big risk but we knew downtown was where we wanted to be.”
About | Big Timber Axe Throwing
Where: 301 S. Main St., Rockford
Hours: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight Friday; Noon to midnight Saturday; noon to 7 p.m. Sunday; closed on Monday
Online: bigtimberaxethrowing.com
Facebook: @bigtimberaxe
Instagram: @bigtimberaxe
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
