East Side’s AXE MKE to Close, Relocate
Axe-throwing bar will merge with sister venue in the Harbor District.
AXE MKE bar. Photo from Bars & Recreation.
After nearly eight years in business on the East Side, AXE MKE is targeting a new location. The axe-throwing bar announced Monday it would close at 1924 E. Kenilworth Ave. and merge with the NorthSouth Club at 230 E. Pittsburgh Ave.
Bars & Recreation, which owns both brands, said the move is meant to create an “all-in-one destination” where guests can enjoy multiple games and activities in a single visit.
“AXE MKE has built something people genuinely connect with,” said David Poytinger, co-founder of Bars & Recreation, noting that the move provides the brand “space to grow” while also “strengthening the overall experience” offered by Bars & Recreation.
The East Side’s AXE MKE will close after service on April 26 and reopen April 30 at NorthSouth Club. Reservations for the new location are available on a rolling basis for bookings 30 days in advance.
Opened in 2019, the NorthSouth Club covers 12,000 square feet and features more than a dozen axe-throwing lanes, along with setups for deck-curling and shuffleboard. The venue also hosts a shuffleboard league and axe social club.
A bar program features beer, cocktails, wine and hard seltzers, along with a handful of nonalcoholic options. Snacks such as gourmet crispy rice treats from Carrie’s Crispies and Goody Gourmets popcorn are also available.
NorthSouth Club limits entry to guests 16 years and older.
Tormac Investments Inc. owns the Pittsburgh Avenue building, which is also home to Merriment Social. AXE MKE’s current location, which abuts Black Cat Alley, is owned by Oriental Building SPE LLC.
For more information on NorthSouth Club, or to make a reservation, visit the business’s website.
Additional brands under Bars & Recreation include Amped, Game Show MKE, The New Fashioned, Nine Below, Splash Studio and Slingshot Bar.
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