By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
HOWARD – A conditional use permit (CUP) authorizing the operation of an axe-throwing venue in the Piggly Wiggly grocery store complex was approved April 26 by the village board as part of its consent agenda.
The CUP, which was unanimously recommended a week earlier by the Howard Plan Commission, was requested by Justin Davis for the Razor Axe at 2465 Lineville Road, Suite 8.
“Our intention is to utilize the current suite to provide residents with a safe, friendly, attractive and active axe-throwing venue,” Davis stated in the application. “It will be a popular, family-friendly venue designed for public outings.”
Davis said he is looking to have the venue open six days a week, with the hours potentially being from 5-10 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.
Though axe throwing isn’t specifically listed in the village code as a conditional use for property zoned B-1 Business, Community Development Director Dave Wiese said the activity fit closely with recreational type of facilities.
“This isn’t a very big space that they’re using up,” he said. “It’s the spot that’s located in the old Figaro’s restaurant – Cousin’s and Figaro’s. The applicant’s looking to go into that particular area and do one of these new venues for axe throwing.”
Wiese said the village didn’t have an issue with having axe throwing in that location, though applying for a liquor or beer license at that location would be “a whole other animal.”
“I think their intent is to have this recreational center and repurpose the space…,” he said. “(It’s) probably a little bit more than the normal strip mall type of business, but again, we wouldn’t have concerns over those, also.”
Village President Burt McIntyre said having an axe-throwing venue “doesn’t take a lot of room, just a skinny, narrow building with a lot of distance.”