Social distancing has unfortunately put a damper on many people’s personal hobbies, which while upsetting can still act as a segue for people to gain new interests. New York still offers a plethora of different venues for people to find new ways to spend their free time, and Soho just opened a new spot that’s actually a bit foreign for the city of New York.
Live Axe is a bar/restaurant that also holds cages for people to perform the sport of axe throwing. Certainly not an activity that many would associate with a fun night out in New York (especially in a more high end area like Soho), but Live Axe is hoping to make this pastime find a real audience in The Big Apple.
“The idea was always to make a club/venue with a Soho vibe,” explains owner Amit Fridman who moved to New York from Philly originally hoping to open a bar. Fridman, however, decided that New York was a city that already housed too many bars, but his interest in extreme sports led him to formulating a venue that specialized in axe throwing.
Planned to welcome its first customers in March, Live Axe’s opening was delayed till late October. Still, the venue found itself receiving significant attention thanks to social media ads and news coverage. While Fridman was obviously hoping for a larger turnout, he instead has been having to deal with the venue only allowing 25% capacity.
Still, Live Axe has been doing well in spite of the circumstances, and the whole staff has been doing everything they can to stop the spread of Covid. Hand sanitizers are readily available everywhere and all the stations are thoroughly cleaned after use. The venue also uses a hypoventilation system, something medical experts have all agreed on for being necessary for containing the spread.
Also, the spacious environment encourages social distancing, while still allowing for patrons to have a good time. The first level of Live Axe contains seven cages, as well as long tables for customers to take their food and drink. It even houses a larger area downstairs, which is designed for private events, and contains fourteen additional cages. Both areas, however, have a very swank feel, with dimly luminescent lighting, and artwork that even has a bit of a Scandinavian touch. Simply put, it’s a venue with variety and style to spare.
Fridman, and his co-owner Zac Segal want to make Live Axe a national brand. They plan to open up more locations in other major cities, and hope to hold more team building events to gain traction. “We want to make an outlet that is both exciting and relaxing,” Zac explains. “We want to show people that you can have fun without getting drunk.”
More information on Live Axe can be found here.