At the hour, a large stuffed deer head fixed to the bar's wall begins to move, its eyes glowing red, and it begins to laugh maniacally. The bar staff suddenly join in, letting out a spooky laugh, and resume their work as soon as everything returns to normal.
Horror movie fans will notice references to Sam Raimi's 1987 cult classic The Evil Dead 2. This movie is a sequel that depicts main character Ash Williams' comedy-filled battle with the devil. But even if you're not a horror movie fan, you can still get plenty of entertainment from this and other theatrical elements that are becoming a calling card for Anaheim residents and local business owners Madison and Luke Rose. Thrasher's Ax Throwing & Ales opened in Costa Mesa on December 1st.
“My favorite movie of all time is probably 'The Evil Dead 2,'” Madison Rhodes said. “So when I came up with this idea for Slashers…a cabin in the woods seemed like the perfect place for ax-throwing and a horror movie. So if I was going to build a cabin in the woods, I'd go with 'Evil Dead 2.' I think you need to show respect. So I wanted to make a really cool cabin with a stuffed deer head. The deer head comes to life and makes you laugh like in the movie. It’s like my favorite scene.”
This isn't the couple's first time trying themed entertainment in Orange County. The companies opened Cross Roads Escape Games in Anaheim in January 2016 with the flagship horror-themed Hex Room Escape Game. Although their activities differ, both businesses share a common vision of providing guests with a theatrical experience.
“My husband and I both really love theater,” she said. “We both had degrees in theater and loved ax throwing. But every time we went, we felt like the venue was basic, just white with particle board and fluorescent lights. …So we felt that having a degree in theater would allow us to add that theme and immersive atmosphere to it. We felt it was a choice.”
Slasher's Ax Throwing & Yells has 18 lanes, each with a different horror movie character, including Chucky from Child's Play, Ghostface from Scream, Norman Bates from Psycho, and Pearl from Pearl. It is named after a character. Set against the backdrop of a cabin in the woods, the bar features shelves displaying deer heads as well as a variety of horror-themed merchandise and decorations.
“There's a horror movie playing in my house, and the shelves are littered with props from various horror movies. I like to think it's like people are sitting there 'spying.'” Oh. I get that,” or “Oh, that’s where it came from,” Rose said. “And people do it, and it's really fun.”
We also host regular seasonal-themed events, such as the Krampus vs. Santa photo/axe-throwing contest in December and the Ax Your Ex (bring a photo of your ex and throw an ax at it) event. I am planning. During February. Rose said he is planning something for St. Patrick's Day in March, but the details have not been worked out yet.
Of course, the bar also sells alcohol (beer, hard cider, hard seltzer). That is also a theme. February's menu features Killer Clowns Cocktails (including Ogopogo's Mango Wheat Ale, Blue Curacao, Strawberry Cotton Candy, and Crazy Straws) and What We Drink in the Shadows (Brewery's It consists of horror-inspired cocktails such as X's Huckleberry Hard Seltzer, Lemonade, and Bloody Rim. and vampire teeth). Other drinks include Reanimator Honeydew Lime Hard Seltzer, Poltergeist Pineapple Cider, and La Llorona Mexican Lager. There are also snacks like Riff's bacon, s'mores Pop-Tarts, and scorpions (dried and salted scorpions).
Maximum of 3 alcoholic beverages per person during the session (whether 1 or 2 hours). After your session, you can enjoy additional drinks at the bar.
“I don't think most people spend more than two hours here,” Rose said. “He had three beers in two hours…that’s a lot of beer.”
The cabin-in-the-woods storyline continues throughout the experience, with staff referred to as “camp counselors” and guests as “campers.”
“The story is that we have a camp counselor here at Camp Thrashers. We came across this creepy-looking book in the woods one day and read some passages from it. And now… The camp is haunted by monsters and murderers,' and all kinds of villains,'' Rose said. “So we have to teach our campers how to protect themselves here during their stay at summer camp. That’s why we’re camp counselors, why you’re in the woods, how to throw an ax. That's why we're learning and why we're targeting bad actors.”
There are three throwing axes for guests to use, and each lane is equipped with software to play 11 different ax games, including Battle Station, Alien Attack, and Around the World. I am. Themes and targets are projected onto the trees in each lane. Classic horror characters such as Michael Myers, Ghostface, Chucky, Leatherface, and Jason Voorhees can also be projected as targets through the software. Safety was also a big part of Rose's lane design.
“When we got into things like ax throwing, we just felt safer with them,” Rose said. “It's not that anyone got hurt elsewhere, but we just felt that the safety measures that others were taking could be improved. That was one of the important things for us. So, There are three different types of axes to choose from. We have two hatchets and one large axe, but all of the axes are specifically throwing axes. Other venues sell wood-chopping axes, which are sold at hardware stores. Sometimes we use axes that are made for, but not necessarily designed for throwing. That's why we use throwing axes.”
She said they have large axes and there is a designated safe area for throwing large axes. It also features a non-bounce mat that surrounds the target on the wall. So even if the ax is not attached to the tree, the mat itself is designed to absorb the energy from the ax, so there is no chance of it coming back and it can fall straight to the ground.
“And we have an end-grain target on our target, which allows the shaft to penetrate more easily compared to a traditional board that has a vertical grain pattern.” she said. “The end grain target just makes the shaft stick better, which means it's less likely to do weird things like bounce or not stick. It also gives you a better experience. I think it also leads to. You’re here to shaft, right? That’s what makes it fun.”
Jose Mendoza works as a camp leader for the Thrashers. He said his duties include everything from bartending, running the front desk, training camp counselors, and creating recipes for horror-themed cocktails and mocktails.
“Before working with the Thrashers, I knew very little about ax throwing, but the training changed that,” he said. “Training was a lot of fun. We spent a good amount of time playing all the games we have to offer at Thrashers. We coached each other, worked on rules speeches, and most importantly The thing is, I learned what it takes to have a safe yet exhilarating time at Thrashers.”
He said it's very rewarding to work with guests and teach them how to throw. Camp counselor training for campers begins with learning safety rules, what types of throws are allowed at Thrashers, and how to make them. He said campers are trained to make two types of overhead throws: one-handed or two-handed for hatchets, and two-handed overhead throws for great axes. After observing campers make their first few throws, camp counselors provide coaching to adjust form or axe as needed.
“Sharing a celebratory high-five with a camper who achieved a goal after a little training is one of the best feelings,” he said.
Nate Javier of Fullerton, who works as an escape room builder, said he learned about Thrashers through several escape room owners.
“I was very intrigued and fell in love with it as soon as it officially opened,” he said. “It’s been open for a few months now, and I’ve been going there ever since.”
He says he tries to go at least twice a month, but recently his frequency has increased a bit.
“We keep coming back for the immersion, the projected games, the atmosphere, and the amazing guest interactions. [and] “The customer service and the cleanliness of the entire facility,” he said. “I enjoy the skill and physical balance of ax throwing. There's something about understanding how to properly drive an ax into a target and which type of hatchet or long ax best suits your abilities. It's cathartic. Plus, just feeling the pleasant jolt of the blade hitting your target definitely gives you a dopamine rush.”