The Ohio Valley is not lacking for places to eat. The residents love their food, and there are plenty of options seemingly in every city.
Entertainment? This is where the good ole O.V. can be lacking.
That’s partly why McMechen native Travis Works rented out the former Redmen bingo hall on Hanover Street in Martins Ferry.
He saw a need, came up with a plan to fill that need, then went about renovating the perfect location to make it all come together.
The result? Welcome to The Axe Hole, an eight-lane axe-throwing entertainment center, complete with a pool table, tons of seating, and an inviting and friendly atmosphere, capped off by its gracious host.
Opened in September, Works has seen a steady stream of business since.
“I always say whenever you start a business, solve a problem that your community has that needs fixing,” Works said. “We have a huge problem of a lack of entertainment in the Valley. I got to thinking about different types of things to do that would be economical and reasonable, and I felt this would be a great idea.”
Works is enjoying his new career. He’s owning and running his own business, all by the age of 25. He’s worked in the coal mine, on the pipeline, and run a trash compactor at a landfill. Those are all quality jobs that pay pretty well. But as Works admitted, it was time for something new.
“I’ve had a good bit of jobs, and I hate to say it because I know I’m only 25, but I was tired of it,” Works said with a laugh. “I felt like I was living at work, and I wanted to be able to spend time with my family.
“Now I can do it, plus I thoroughly enjoy coming to work every day. I’m living my best life, the life of an entrepreneur.”
It’s definitely his best life now, especially since the period of saving up to live his best life was over.
“I lived like a bum the last couple of years and really became cheap because I was saving all of my money to get enough capital to start this.”
Customers hurl their axes down the lane toward their targets. 
A young customer gets a few pointers from owner Travis Works.
Up and Running
Works estimated it took around seven months of renovations to convert the old bingo hall into The Axe Hole. Now it’s a matter of spreading the word further and growing not only the consistent customer base but also the offerings available inside the Axe Hole.
Obviously the main attraction is the axe-throwing itself. For $20 a person, you can chuck a hand axe at a target down the lane until your heart’s content. The $20 is good for an hour, but Works admitted unless the business is busting at the seams with customers waiting their turn, the time limit is more of a guideline and not a hard-and-fast stopping point.
There are eight lanes available, and individuals up to large groups can compete against one another. Works also provides dry erase boards to keep score and can be seen watering down the targets periodically to allow for better sticking of the axe handle in the wood.
He’s also not above offering his expertise in how to throw the axes for newbies. Works worked with my 14-year-old daughter during our visit, and by night’s end, she was ringing up 3s and 4s with the best of them. It was greatly appreciated.
That’s the base offering for the Axe Hole. Works has much more in the pipeline.
“I plan on having live music. We have a little stage here and want to start that after the first of the year,” Works said. “I also want to try to get a dart league going, but I haven’t had anyone come up and approach me about it. The guy from Dobkin Brothers is going to post about needing players, but that, along with an axe-throwing league, will debut after the first of the year.”
Works also plans to bring in a DJ in addition to the live music to keep the entertainment going whilst people play.
The Axe Hole offers snacks, but not a full-service kitchen, nor does it sell alcohol. While not partnering officially with any of the food establishments in town, he recommends to his customers to give Belmont Brewerks, or the Hanover Fuel Stop a call, order some food and have it delivered while playing. Brewerks also sells growlers for his house beers, and customers can purchase that prior to arrival and bring it with them.
With such great family-style eateries right close by, he figured why not encourage patronage of fellow downtown business-folk.
“I encourage people to order there and bring it over and dine in here if they wish, or get the Growlers to-go and bring them over and drink and enjoy them at my place,” Works said. “We kind of look at it like there’s a full experience family night here in downtown, all within a block or two of walking distance.”
For more information, visit Works online at The Axe Hole’s page on Facebook. It’s open Tuesday-Thursday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight.
Kids ages 8-and-up are able to throw provided they are accompanied by a parent or guardian in their party.
