Brandi Whitley
L
ee County is finally on target. The AuburnOpelika community has two locally-owned ax throwing hideaways: Blade and Barrel and Axe Marks the Spot.
Blade and Barrel: Midtown Auburn’s latest hotspot for everyone. Ever wanted to open a business with your best friends? Well, that is Blade and Barrel’s exact origin story. One night, Craig and Katie Miller met up with their long-time friends Lane and Ashley Minor. Next thing you know, the couples agreed to start up Auburn’s first ax-centered entertainment center. “You know, honestly, it [the idea of opening an ax throwing place in Auburn] is pretty simple,” Craig Miller said. “We didn’t have one.” Blade and Barrel opened in March 2021, and is located in Midtown Auburn on Opelika Road and operates Thursday through Sunday. The couples thought this was a great place for adults to have a unique experience. “It provided a way for us to go somewhere else besides a bar, restaurant or movie,” Miller said. One thing, in particular, drew the Millers and
Minors to opening an ax-throwing establishment: the BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) atmosphere. Unlike movies and nightclubs, Blade and Barrel only offer a cooler. It’s up to you to bring drinks and food. “There’s nowhere else you can do this in the Auburn area,” Miller said. “It’s a very affordable way to have a different experience for your team, office or family.” The team soon added Brandi Whitley as their general manager; COVID-19’s stern restrictions loosened and the rest soon fell into place perfectly as Blade and Barrel prepared to open. “You got to see people interacting with their families,” Whitley said. “With people being strapped with COVID, it’s nice to see people starting to do things together again.” A successful opening brightened the hopes of this close-knit team and fueled their passion for entertainment. Helping customers figure out their rhythm within ax throwing is one of Whitley’s favorite things about the job, she said. When coaching people, Whitley said it makes you realize how people tick.
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Food and Entertainment
