Oct. 15, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by JJ’s Axes & Ales.

Axes + Bourbon + Cash = The perfect reason to check out the new JJ’s Axes & Ales.

JJ’s Axes & Ales opened this summer in its new location across the parking lot from JJ’s Wine, Spirits & Cigars, just west of the tunnel on 57th Street. Starting next week, both JJ’s businesses are partnering with Old Forester Distilling Co. for what they are calling Thursday Throw Downs.

“We’re entering our busy season, and more people are discovering the new location, so we wanted to offer something fun and different: the chance to throw some axes for cash, sample some Old Forester bourbon and cocktails, and have a chance to win $10,000 when it’s all over with,” owner Tom Slattery said.

Mark down these six dates and head to JJ’s Axes & Ales for the first event on Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. Other events will be Nov. 19, Dec. 17, Jan. 21, Feb. 18 and a final event March 25. The Oct. 22 tournament will kick off with live DJ music from Sounds by CJ.

How it works

Entry into each event will cost $30. With that, you will get a $10 drink credit after you are done throwing to sample bourbon, have a cocktail or a couple of brews. Side note: Try the exclusive Axe-House Amber Ale made by Remedy Brewing Co. Ten dollars will go into the purse, which will be awarded to the winner of each event. At the end of the six-month series on March 25, a Thursday Throw Down champion will be crowned.

Thanks to a special-event license, Axes & Ales will be offering Old Forester bourbon cocktails and bourbon tastings at each of these events, plus some pretty cool swag from Old Forester for the second- and third-place finishers.

“We will also be tallying points for the entire series,” Slattery said.

At the March championship event, the top 10 point accumulators will participate in a throwing competition. They will get seven throws each, and if they hit four bull’s-eyes and two blue dots, they will advance. If multiple people achieve that, they will keep throwing seven axes each until only one thrower is left as the winner of $10,000. If nobody makes it in the first round, the game is over!

Get ready

You’ll want to make sure and compete each month for the best chance to win the $10,000 – and a little practice never hurts either. Stop down to JJ’s Axes & Ales, and see Dylan Baker to sign up, or call 605-275-AXES. You also can sign up online.

“Anybody can do it, and anybody who signs up early for a Thursday Throw Down gets to come in and practice for 30 minutes for only $10,” said Baker, chief axe-pert at JJ’s Axes & Ales. “So you’ll get discounted rates, just like our league members do, to come in to practice and get tips from guys like me anytime we’re open.”

It’s also a great activity for couples, he added — “as indicated by our top 5 ranking in The Local Best Sioux Falls of things to do for couples!”

COVID-19 precautions

The fun comes with serious COVID-19 safety precautions, Slattery added.

“Our axe-perts are all masked up. There is sanitizer everywhere. And the ax handles and surfaces are cleaned thoroughly after each group.”

Check out JJ’s Axes & Ales and learn more about its COVID-19 precautions here.