New Costa Mesa venue has an ax to throw

Itching to free your inner lumberjack? There’s a place in Westside Costa Mesa that might be right up your alley.

AXT, which announced its local presence with a launch party last weekend, will let visitors see if they can hack it in the burgeoning world of ax throwing.

Yes, you read that right.

Jesse Fowler, one of the partners behind AXT, said he typically gets one or two primary reactions when people hear about the concept.

One is genuine intrigue. The other is, “You’re an idiot.”

He’s not deterred by the skepticism.

“Something about it is just fun,” he said during a recent tour of the AXT facility at 2020 Placentia Ave.

Ax throwing is largely similar to darts except, well, with axes.

Competitors take turns lobbing the projectiles at a target, trying to rack up points by hitting either the bull’s eye or another specified spot on the board, depending on the game being played.

The sport — long a fixture at lumberjack competitions — has been getting more popular among the public at large, with commercial locations popping up in Europe, Canada and, more recently, the United States.

Fowler is a major believer in the sport’s stateside potential. Though AXT is the first facility of its kind in Orange County, he said he’s already keeping an eye out for a bigger space in Costa Mesa and is hoping to expand to other cities as well.

“What’s better than something new like this?” he said. “It’s competitive. It’s super fun. It sounds dangerous, but it’s not at all.”

“Axperts” are on hand to instruct guests on how to throw their axes safely and to get the best results.

AXT, tucked behind the Sleepers Speed Shop on Placentia Avenue, has an industrial yet open vibe.

Metal mesh and burned wood paneling separate the throwing lanes, and strategically placed stumps provide a place to put axes between throws.

“A lot of the other ax-throwing locations that have opened up across the country, they’re a little bit more warehousey,” said Kendal Lovejoy, another AXT partner.

The facility currently is catering to private events, but Fowler said open public hours might be scheduled at some point.

“If we’re able to have this thing open for a portion of the week, that would be great,” he said. “If the interest is there, we’ll do it. … And I think the interest is going to be there.”

Fowler and his team also have a mobile trailer for ax throwing that will be available to rent.

For more information about AXT or to check availability, visit axtthrowing.com or email info@axtthrowing.com.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney