High-tech archery experiences and a unique cocktail list are putting a longstanding axe-throwing facility on the map as a repeat activity for Ottawa residents, one of the business’s executives says.
Batl Grounds got its start in founder Matt Wilson’s Toronto backyard in 2006. His organized axe-throwing leagues kept growing in numbers until he had to start looking for a larger space to host participants.
Batl started expanding outside of Toronto in 2016. Today, it has eight locations in Canada and five in the United States.
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Batl Grounds’ chief operating officer, Houman Javidnia, said the company was looking to rethink its business model as it nears its 20th anniversary.
“We knew we had to evolve. I think, in business, you see trends all over the place that if you don’t evolve, you sort of fizzle out … I started doing a ton of market research and seeing what customers actually want and what fits with our ethos,” Javidnia told OBJ on Wednesday.
Javidnia started looking for ways to bring the Batl experience beyond just “a more extreme way of playing darts,” and making it a repeat activity rather than a “one and done.”
While at an entertainment industry exposition in Orlando, Javidnia came across an archery simulator developed in Germany. It was a light-bulb moment.
“I (had) explored golf simulators at one point but thought (that) this isn’t a market that I wanted to compete in, nor was it on brand for us. For us, it’s really about that visceral feeling the axe or a knife or a bow and arrow,” he explained.
“As soon as I tried it, I said ‘I have to have this!’ It totally fit with our brand,” he said, adding the simulator’s developer gave Batl Grounds exclusivity rights for the system.
The device works much like a golf simulator. The guest uses a physical bow and arrow to shoot at targets on a screen to accumulate points. The experience is elevated by the use of interactive games that make it more kid-friendly.
Javidnia said before the company began upgrading the facility late last year, Batl Grounds Ottawa’s main customer base was men between the ages of 25 and 45. Now that they’ve added an archery simulator, Javidnia said the guest pool is more diverse.
“We’re getting age groups far beyond 45 and far younger than 25 coming in, and the mix of male and female (participants) is almost equal,” he said.
On top of its archery simulator, Batl Grounds has added knife-throwing to its roster of activities, as well as an upgraded food and beverage program. Guests can now enjoy small plates, aptly named “Batl bites,” and a unique cocktail list which includes a “ghost rider margarita.”
“We light one on fire. We smoke an old-fashioned, and our cosmopolitan that we serve comes with edible bubbles,” he said of the curated cocktail list.
With the introduction of a full-service bar comes questions about safety as guests wield potentially dangerous axes and knives. Javidnia said customer well-being has always been and continues to be at the forefront of their operations.
When Batl first sought out a liquor licence for its locations, Javidnia said he was struck by a comment an inspector made.
“When the inspector came and understood all the measures and safety protocols we had in place, he made a comment and I asked if I could quote him and put it somewhere. He said, ‘You’re safer than badminton.’”
All guests are required to sign a waiver, and Javidnia said staff monitor customers’ alcohol consumption, limiting them to three drinks.
Though Batl Grounds is a pioneer of the axe-throwing business, Javidnia said the company wasn’t able to patent the idea, meaning many competitors have popped up throughout the years, saturating the market.
The business hopes its new offerings will help separate it from the pack. As Batl Grounds Ottawa gains appeal among families and attracts more repeat guests, Javidnia said he has heard nothing but good things – like being called the “coolest bar in town.”
“There was a family with younger kids that said, ‘Did you guys just open?’ I said we’ve been here since 2017, but it wasn’t the atmosphere for families,” he said, adding that Batl Grounds still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
“We’re going to continue to give people a reason to want to come back and experience Batl,” Javidnia said.
