Ax-Caliber

AXE THROWING, VIRTUAL GUN RANGE AND RESTAURANT

By James Coulter Photos by Chris Douglas

After a long week at work, what feels more rejuvenating than stopping by a bar for a few drinks, shooting some billiards, and tossing some axes? Seriously! You can do all of that and more at Ax-Caliber Axe Venue and Coffee House!

Located in Downtown Lakeland, Ax-Caliber, true to its name, is a full axe arena with 18 lanes that allow anyone to awaken their inner Viking warrior by picking up an axe and launching them at targets. Even if you’ve never picked up an axe before, their on-site “ax-perts” will show you the ropes and teach you how to throw like a pro.

Whether you’re the minimum age of 18 years old (or 12 years old with parental or guardian supervision) or you’re in your golden senior years, anyone of any age or strength can find that tossing axes is not only easy but quite cathartic. After all, what better way to release stress than releasing an axe and allowing its edge to splinter wood?

“It is a great boost to someone who thinks ‘I can’t do this.’ Yes, you can. You can do this!” said Joyce Woodrow, Owner and Manager. “It is a great boost to someone who does not think they can do this...And when you do, it is a very empowering feeling....When you

come in and smell the food and the coffee and you look at people throwing, and they are yelling and screaming, and it is just fun. You don't just want to do it; you want to stick it in the board.”

Don’t feel like tossing axes? No problem. Ax-Caliber has many other activities to engage in, from billiards and board games to a virtual gun range, where you can even take safety and self-defense classes.

Their virtual gun range is open to anyone 9+ with a parent or guardian present with 4 bays available. They have full recoil guns that feel like a real gun and safety guns with no recoil. You can virtually shoot cans, skeet, stop zombie attacks, race your teammate, and more! So whether you want to splinter wood with an axe or shoot virtual zombies with a laser gun, Ax-Caliber allows you to awaken your inner warrior.

After working up an appetite from shooting and throwing axes, help yourself to their full-service cafe with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and kid's menus. Enjoy a diverse selection of craft beer and wine, and take a sip of their in-house coffee, roasted from fresh organic ingredients and prepared by a local roaster. They even have a signature coffee lager by Florida Brewery, 300 Damn Kids.

From their chicken and waffles and avocado toast in the morning to their wings, sandwiches, and burgers at night, their menu with fresh food items will more than exceed your expectations of the meals often served at such an establishment. No matter what you order, you’ll always eat something served fresh from the best ingredients and without any processed meats.

“I do not like to serve anything that is not fresh or of the highest caliber. I always say, no matter what we do, it has to be of the highest caliber,” Joyce said. “So we make a lot of our items fresh and in-house. We roast our own turkey, our own roast beef, our own pork. We make a lot of our own sauces and dips, that are made daily.”

When they had the idea to open their own business six years ago, Joyce and her husband Kraig initially started Caliber Coffee. They created their own coffee blend, with the intent of roasting a unique flavor of coffee that “tasted very fresh and did not taste burnt.” So they created Caliber Coffee, which is still served at their location today.

While coffee is good, guns are even greater, which is why they also wanted to open a gun range with their coffee house and cafe. While the gun range never happened, they decided to open the next best thing: an axe throwing arena and virtual gun range with a restaurant that was on point.

Two years ago, Ax-Caliber opened its doors, and it has been a runaway success ever since. Even despite the ongoing pandemic, Ax-Caliber has been able to draw in plenty of customers wanting to eat fresh in-house food and toss axes.

“Business has been exceptional--almost ax-ceptional to say,” Joyce said. “People are still coming in. Hopefully, we will keep moving them in the same direction. More and more, people learn more about us, and they love us, and they think it is a great place to come to. It is the largest in Polk County, and even Central Florida.”

A second, albeit smaller, location is currently being planned for Clermont. Their plans have not been finalized yet, but they have high hopes of someday opening a second location. Until then, they will continue to offer the same great service at their original location.

“No matter how long we have been in business, we will always continue to do what we have been since day one. We love our customers and love what we do, and we try to do the best with everyone,” Joyce said. “If you want a fun night out, come out to Ax-Caliber and let us show you what it is all about, and have some amazing food while you are there. It is ax-cellent and ax-ceptional and it is a great place for family and friends.”

Ax-Caliber is located at 204 E Orange St #102, Lakeland, FL 33801. For more information, call (863) 592-3500, or visit their website at: Axcaliber.com