Owners: George & Kim Bessey; Shawn & Audrey Stengele
By Ann Marie Byrd, Feature Writer
Beary the Hatchet, located at 504 S. Front St., across the street from Blackbeards and next to Tryon Seafood, just might be the coolest, most interesting place to take a date on a Friday night in New Bern.
Opened in 2019, the vibe here is a bit edgy—as it should be, with hatchets and knives as the super stars of this hands-on activity.
The space is surprising in both its size and layout: there are individual “lanes” with targets and soft divisions between them. The main room is very spacious and the bar and tables are made of various kinds of warm, handmade wood. The backroom is filled with games like pool, air hockey, darts, pinball, and foosball. The outdoor area offers cornhole, a plunger throw for the kids (or fearful newcomers), can jam (a frisbee game), a fire pit, and outdoor seating with lighting. Once a month Beary the Hatchet brings in food trucks, such as Gigi’s Snack Shack and All about Churros with live music.
“In the fall of 2018, I went on a double date with my wife, Kim, to an ax throwing venue,” says owner George Bessey. “I was hooked immediately: once I first stuck it in the board I felt immediate satisfaction. I remember my first bullseye. It’s funny how it pulls you in. It also allows you to get your aggressions out, so it is emotionally therapeutic. After that night I knew that we needed to open an ax throwing business in downtown New Bern. I’ve always been entrepreneurial and it felt like it was meant to be.”
George and Kim partnered with friends Shawn and Audrey Stengele to make their dream come true. Both couples also own Ironclad ax throwing next to Mother Earth Brewery in Kinston.
“The interest in ax throwing in New Bern is growing. Our leagues are very popular, and we are proud to say that we have supported one individual that was #1 in the United States for knife throwing, and one “dual,” which is two people throwing axes at once at one target, to #2 in the world,” says George.
Pretty cool, right? And before you leave, make sure to give Axel Throws, the chainsaw bear near the front door, a kiss before you go. He likes that.