24 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
Social SPORTS
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The percussive thud of small
axes being thrown against
plywood punctuates the jukebox
jams at TJ’s Hatchet Hangout
in Cape Coral. The business
began welcoming throwers in
June, bringing the hottest new
bar sport to Southwest Florida.
Here, laughter mixes with rally-
ing cheers and the occasional
ringing of a bell to announce
someone’s landed a bull’s-eye.
But before achieving that
perfect throw, many first timers
are thrilled just to get the ax to
stick into the board. Ax throw-
ing, it turns out, is harder than it
looks. “When they stick it, they
get really excited,” says Dakota
Hawkinsen, who spends as much
time coaching men in their 40s
and older as he does younger vis-
itors and female throwers. “When
was the last time you were able
to say you did something for the
first time? As adults, maybe we
don’t get to say that enough.”
The attending “axperts” offer
throwing tips at each high-fenced
lane. They also ensure safety and
low levels of alcohol consumption
among those wielding hatchets,
which weigh about two pounds.
“I definitely ignored my beer
when I was up there,” says
Cassidy Murphy, who spent her
hour at the target with two of
her fellow Florida Gulf Coast
University sorority sisters. “I
was more focused on trying to
hit that target than anything.”
(tjshatchethangout.com)There are many ways to release frustration and anger,
but rage rooms might be the most ... impactful. Since first
emerging in Tokyo as a means to help Japanese workers
ease their recession woes, the concept—in which you pay
to enter a room and safely destroy all of its contents—has
spread throughout the world, including Lee County.
Earlier this year, Jesse and Angela Ziegler opened
Just One of Those Dayz rage room in Fort Myers. All
participants must be 18 or older (16- and 17-year-olds are
permitted with parents) and wear protective gear at all
times. Children are invited to channel their creativity in the
laser- and black light–lit splatter paint room.
Today, Angela is encouraging twentysomethings Tara
and Chris Tuttle to smash everything from the chairs to
the china. By the end of the hour, the space is demolished,
strewn with piles of shattered glass and other materials.
“It doesn’t matter what mood you’re in because we
walked in happy, and we are still happy,” Tara says. “I’m a
square, and I still had fun.” (justoneofthosedayz.com)Aspiring Sherlocks are flocking to
escape rooms. These simulated adven-
tures that require visitors to solve their way
out of a locked room have skyrocketed
in popularity. In 2014, there were only 22
escape rooms in the United States. Now,
there are more than 2,300, according to
industry website Room Escape Artist.
Escape rooms range in difficulty
and are designed for the participants’
enjoyment. Brainstorm Escape Room
in Bonita Springs, for example, offers an
“Edison Versus Tesla” room that’s ranked
as medium difficulty and tasks users with
escaping from Thomas Edison’s secret
study within 60 minutes. “It’s like writing
a short story, and then, in that short story,
each and every puzzle is a tiny murder
mystery,” says owner Stephanie Chervoni.
“After the initial scavenger hunt, everyone
is usually pretty amped up, and they forget
the simplest things.”
While you might think experienced
problem solvers would have an advan-
tage, escape rooms present a surprisingly
level playing field. They’re also a great
team-building exercise, one that can take
coworkers out of the office and challenge
them to effectively communicate in a low-
stress environment. (brainstormescape.com)UNWIND WITH THESE UNIQUE ACTIVITIES
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BREAKING POINT
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By Kelly J. Farrell