Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin and Jessica Rouse. Here is their story:
Our Owner Kevin Rouse was a special operations Firefighter in Charlotte County, FL for 18 years. He was injured on duty in 2017 and due to the extent of the injury had to retire early. As our family was determining what was next for us, in relation to career options, we went on a date night to another Axe Throwing venue. After an AXECEPTIONAL evening with friends, Kevin said we should take a leap of faith and bring Axe throwing to our Home Town of North Port, FL. Six months later, The Axe Haus (Pronounced Axe House) opened on Friday the 13th (12/13/2019), a month before Covid became our new normal. We consider ourselves lucky to be thriving after so many small businesses were forced to close in 2020. We saw positive growth in 2021 and we are confident that 2022 will be epic. Kevin is also a military veteran and Our Haus is a venue that provides a unique type of therapy to the community. Along with offering a hero discount to First Responders, Military, Teachers, and Medical Field workers, Our Haus hosts the Battle of the Branches with The Long Walk Home, a non-profit organization that helps servicemen and women adjust to civilian life after discharge. These tournaments are one way we give back to our community with a goal of providing an unorthodox therapeutic environment which provides a safe place for fun, camaraderie, and a bit of healthy competition. There is something super empowering about chucking an axe into a giant target. We are proud of the environment we’ve created in our Community, and we have some AXECITING goals for 2022. Follow us on Social Media (FB & IG) to join our Journey. #Theaxehaus
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Opening a small business presented us with a list of unknowns as we navigated this new arena of small business ownership. Permitting with our local government took some interesting turns as we worked out the details of the venue in a city that has been generally referred to as a bedroom community. This essentially means your residence is in the city limits, but you must venture outside for work, healthcare, shopping, and entertainment. Our city has seen a tremendous amount of growth in the last ten years and are still in the process of rezoning and revamping the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), which presented some challenges for us to bring Axe throwing at The Axe Haus into the community we loved. With guidance from other small biz owners we jumped those hurdles and made our way into this new league of entrepreneurship. Along with most businesses in the country and opening just a few months before COVID shut us down in March 2020, we struggled both emotionally and financially as the faith of our new venture faced what seemed like extreme jeopardy. We were just beginning to see consistent customers and introduced our first axe throwing league with a group of participants ready to join in some friendly competition. Then like most other non-essential businesses, we had to close our doors for a few months while our country figured out the best way to manage population health. Since we had recently opened we did not meet any of the qualifications for COVID relief and were left with some significant concerns regarding our future however with the support of our family, friends, and our community of Axe throwers, we were very fortunate to have made it past those months. In 2021 we have grown into a popular venue for folks to come let off some steam and are happy to say we are thriving.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are both First Responder and Military owned. Safety is a big deal for us, and we pride ourselves in our commitment to supporting our community’s Public Servants. Our Haus gives back by providing a venue for organizations like Holly’s Hope and The Long Walk Home, two non-profits that focus on PTSD and Mental Health awareness. These programs assist First Responders and Military servicemen/women and their families as they navigate the silent battles brought on from tireless public service and protection of our nation. Although strange, Axe throwing provides a unique form of therapy, and when paired with the support of your fellows, adds valuable experiences that can offer awareness and specific programs designed to lift up these selfless men and women.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Hmmm… this seems difficult to answer, as we learned many lessons we didn’t know we needed to know. I suppose patience and the ability to look past some mistakes is a valuable lesson (especially if you are like us and prefer immediate gratification over slow and steady progress). Make your mantra like the old cliché, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” As a new business owner you have to be able to move past decisions you made that did not work out as you expected and to find creative ways to solve the challenges you didn’t know you’d face. Our Advice…. consult a small business professional and ask them what they learned, especially if you can find one in the same type of business that you are looking to open. We have found that most small business owners are very supportive, even if you are their competition. It’s important to know if this venture is something that you can actually find value in, know your strengths and weaknesses, because you may find the business you thought would be perfect for you, simply is NOT. Basically, don’t be too prideful to ask for advice and once you have made that leap, consider getting involved with your local chamber of commerce, understand the zoning requirements of the city/county you are targeting, and hire a seasoned CPA that understands the nuances of business tax law. There are no participation trophies in small business ownership, you must figure out how to learn from failures and look at those failures as a tool of guidance and opportunity so you can meet the ultimate goal of running a successful business.
Pricing:
- $32 for 90-minutes of Axe throwing
- $20 for 45-minutes of Axe throwing
- 20/20 Deals on Thursdays
- Sunday Family Funday where kids play for half price
- Build to suit Private Parties and Team Building Events
Contact Info:
- Email: theaxehausreservations@gmail.com
- Website: www.theaxehaus.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaxehaus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axehaus/
Image Credits
Theaxehaus
