Ax throwing site opens Friday near downtown Lima

LIMA — An eight-year-old entertainment venue in Lima is coming back, in stages and under new management.

Crosshairs Paintball will celebrate its grand opening Friday at 4 p.m. at 535 W. Spring St., Lima. This is the same location formerly occupied by its predecessor, Crosshairs Lima, which closed in December 2023.

Alan and Wilma Grogg have taken over operations of the former paintball, Nerf gun and gel gun business and hope to have all of these old businesses, plus a few new ones, up and running again by the end of summer .

In the meantime, residents looking for sporting fun are invited to the Bury the Hatchet ax throwing lanes in Crosshairs.

Alan Grogg, a Putnam County resident whose chronic back pain forced him to give up his career as an aerial photography pilot, was looking for a new business to occupy his time when he spotted the vacant former auto repair garage on Spring Street. He saw a possible home for his passion, an indoor air rifle shooting range.

“It was perfect for what I wanted to do, but a friend convinced me to keep it as a paintball venue. He convinced me to do it, and then he pulled out (financially) after I ran up a lot of debt,” Grogg said on the eve of the official inauguration. “What was I going to do? I needed to generate income.

That’s when the ax throwing room took on a life of its own.

“I did some research and other ax throwing sites were doing well. I had room upstairs for seven lanes, so I decided to start with four and see how it goes,” Grogg said.

He said the sport “takes some skill” to master, but is fun for participants of virtually all ages. Simply throw a sharp object at a target on the wall and try to hit the target or as close to it as possible. All of this takes place under the watchful eyes of employees who constantly monitor and enforce safety guidelines, Grogg emphasized.

Paintball and other games will return by August or early September, if all goes as planned, and some attractions may be moved outside to a fenced-in area of ​​the property, he said.

Initially, no alcohol will be allowed on the premises, but Grogg said he will speak to customers and get their feedback on their thoughts on a “bring your own bottle” policy for private parties and special events.

PAINTBALL IN HARVEST

Hours

From Sunday to Thursday: by reservation

Friday: 4 p.m.-midnight

Saturday: noon-midnight

Walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis if advance reservations permit.

Prices

Single Launcher: $35 per hour (two hours for $60)

Small group (2 to 12 people): $25 per person for one hour; $45 per person for two hours.

Large group (13 to 20 people): $25 per person for one hour.

Large group (21 to 30 people): $20 per person for one hour.

Party room rental (up to 20 people and two aisles for two hours): $500

A maximum of six people per lane is allowed. Groups of more than six people will need to rent two lanes.

Required

Players must wear closed-toe shoes and must sign a waiver. Individuals ages 10-15 must be accompanied by a parent with a signed waiver. Individuals ages 15-17 must have a waiver signed by their parents.

To reserve, call 419-223-8081 or 419-787-4998.