Stumpy's Hatchet House was the first hatchet house to open in the United States. Watch video
EATONTOWN - Have you ever had the urge to throw a hatchet at something? Maybe after a few drinks?
A pioneering business on Meridian Road is giving its patrons the opportunity to do just that.
Stumpy's Hatchet House - which, according to its owners, was the first hatchet house of its kind to open in the United States - hosts two-hour hatchet-throwing sessions that have already become a popular option for bachelor and bachelorette parties, corporate events or just something different to do during a night out.
The idea for the business was born in Toms River in the wake of Hurricane Sandy after a group of friends - Mark and Trish Oliphant and Stuart and Kelly Josberger - made a backyard hobby out of throwing hatchets against a stack of logs from a cedar tree felled by the historic storm.
"We started playing games and started inviting friends over, neighbors were wondering what we were doing," Stuart Josberger said. "We realized that we sort of had something, so we did some research and two years later here we are."
For $40 per person, visitors 21 and older learn how to safely and effectively throw the hatchets from a throwing coach before being let loose to compete and play games on their own for the second half of the session.
"It's kind of like darts on steroids," Josberger said. "There is a point system. So there are games that you can play, as well as do a bracket elimination if you have enough people to get a grand champion for the evening."
What also makes Stumpy's unique, he said, is that it provides guests with the opportunity to learn a new skill.
"Not too many people have thrown a hatchet. It's kind of a raw experience," Josberger said. "You're throwing a sharpened metal object at boards, you're making splinters and it makes some noise, so there's that guttural enjoyment of it. And you're also hanging out with your friends and drinking your favorite beverage."
Stumpy's is not a bar and does not sell alcoholic beverages, but patrons are allowed to bring in their own bottles of beer and wine to drink during their sessions.
Asbury Park resident Ryan Carley's brothers held part of his June bachelor party at Stumpy's and they enjoyed it so much, they came back on a random Friday night in October to give it another go.
"It is such a good time," Carley said. "It's a real lax environment and it's just dumb fun. You're just throwing something at a piece of wood and making it stick."
"It's not something you generally hear about every day: 'Hey, let's go throw hatchets.' Unless you're drunk and in the woods," said Aaron Carley, of Long Branch.
And the hatchet house is not just something that only men enjoy.
"You might be surprised how many women we have who come in. We've had bachelorette parties and we've had soccer moms who have come in with their snacks and drinks," Kelly Josberger said. "We're pleasantly surprised to see how many men and women, younger and older people, really enjoy it. ... There's nothing like watching people hit the target and hit a bull's-eye. People get so excited, it's like they're winning on 'Price Is Right.'"
South Amboy resident Michael Scanlon recently brought his wife, Rainy, to Stumpy's for her birthday.
"My sister came a while ago and it sounded like so much fun, so I said we should do it," said Rainy Scanlon, who had more success getting hatchets to stick than her husband did on their visit. "It definitely fits my personality, I just love it. And when wintertime comes, I could hang out here all day long. This is awesome."
In addition to the hatchet throwing, Stumpy's offers guests other activities to take part in, including a large wooden checkerboard and a giant Jenga set. And through Election Day, visitors have the opportunity to vote for their favorite presidential candidate by trying to get a hatchet to stick in one of two specially designated targets.
"We call our experience here a 'social throwdown,'" Kelly Josberger said. "Of course people are throwing hatchets, but the other part of it is being very social. People are laughing, sharing pointers with strangers and making new friends. There's a lot of fun things to do here other than just throwing the hatchets."
For more information on Stumpy's Hatchet House, including hours of operation and how to make reservations, visit its website.
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.