October 14, 2024
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Like many other hobby-turned-business ventures, Evolution Throwing Co. (331 12th Ave. S.) in Wisconsin Rapids got its start in the basement of Co-owner Chris Anderson.
After visiting an axe-throwing venue for a friend’s birthday party, Chris said he was hooked.
“One of the guys in our group had been playing the league at that venue, and he invited me to go play the league,” he said. “I went and played it, and then I won the league.”
Chris said his interest in axe throwing continued to grow from there – eventually seeping over into his other interest – disc golf.
“I had another business – Gorilla Boy Sports – where I make backpacks for disc golf,” he said. “I looked on the internet to find an equivalent for axe throwers.”
When he couldn’t find something that fit his needs, Chris said he started to make backpacks for axe throwing as well.
“I started developing a backpack for axe throwing, which took about a year,” he said. “I really got thrown into the world axe throwing league – WATL – and everybody loved what I made.”
As popularity for the backpacks continued to grow, Chris said he and his wife/business partner, Monica, wanted to get the business out of the basement and into its own building.
However, at that time, Chris said he couldn’t justify renting a building for just backpack business operations.
“Recognizing that I only make so much money with my other business, I knew I couldn’t really afford a building,” he said. “But I thought, ‘what if we find a building big enough to accommodate Gorilla Boy Sports and open up our own axe-throwing venue?’” he said.
Once he came up with the idea, Chris said things took off.
“We looked at buildings for several months – found one, got in it and a little more than a yearish later, we finally opened Evolution Throwing Co.,” he said.
An uphill battle
Working with the city to make Evolution Throwing Co. a reality, Monica said, “was very, very difficult.”
“The information we were receiving was not coordinated or consistent,” she said. “We talked with one person and they would tell us something, and then we’d talk with another person and they would tell us something different. Information was being piecemealed to us.”
Monica said they eventually had a coordination meeting with the city attorney, the city clerk, the building inspector and the city planner to get everyone on the same page and bring Evolution Throwing Co. to life.
“It was a long process of us figuring out what we needed to do,” she said. “We planned to open almost a year ago.”
Though it was a “much longer process” than they had anticipated, Chris said things are going well.
Having a passion for the sport himself, he said he’s enjoyed sharing that excitement with customers.
“For me, the best part about opening Evolution Throwing Co. is seeing some of the people that have been in already just absolutely loving it – or being just as excited or more excited about it than I am,” he said.
Monica said when folks walk into the establishment, they are stocked by what it has to offer.
“People will say, ‘whoa, it is really cool in here – there is so much to do,’” she said. “We wanted to offer something in the city where kids and adults can do something together. We have kids down to age eight coming to throw. It’s a great place for people to have something to do.”
More than axe throwing
In addition to axe throwing in the establishment’s eight lanes, Chris said they also offer knife throwing.
“We have knives that we can rent out to people if they want, and teach them how to do that,” he said. “We have multiple cornhole boards inside. We have three dartboards. We have video poker. We have pinball. We have a multicade. We have multiple TVs.”
In addition to walk-in playing opportunities, Chris said Evolution also offers leagues for axe throwing, darts and cornhole.
“I’m also going to be doing a kids’ league for axe,” he said. “I also started disc golf putting leagues – that’s another indoor activity.”
Chris said his goal with Evolution is for it to be a one-stop shop for leagues in Wisconsin Rapids.
“That is why I have such a variety of different throwing-style sports all in the same place,” he said.
The space also has a touch-screen jukebox, video and board games, a lounge area and offers a variety of beverage options.
With the building housing Evolution being so large, Monica said patrons have a lot of space to move around and enjoy the variety of options available.
“People can come in here and have their business parties,” she said. “Whatever each group needs, we can make it work for them.”
At the end of the day, Monica said she and Chris are passionate about creating a place for families and friends to enjoy.
Evolution Throwing Co. is open from 5-10 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; from noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and from noon to 8 p.m. Sundays.
The venue is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.
For more information about Evolution, including leagues, check out its Facebook page.