Hatchet-throwing house Stumpy's to open in Middletown by end of year

Four business partners from Middletown believe they can hit the bullseye when they open a hatchet throwing venue there later this year.

Family members Exan, Hector and Anne Correa, as well as Milton Delgado, have all lived in Middletown for nearly two decades and think the growing town is ready for a different kind of fun.

They have signed a franchise agreement with Stumpy's Hatchet House and have begun the process of finding a location and working with Middletown for approval to open.

Stumpy's was the first hatchet house in the country, Delgado said.

"And we want to bring it to the First State," he said.

The concept is simple: A group of people pays individually for a two-hour session (usually $40 per person), and they throw axes provided by the venue at a set of targets in an enclosed throwing pit.

While there are no bars at any of the Stumpy's Hatchet House locations, snacks are sold and people are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages.

The owners' plan to formally present details of their venture was postponed Thursday night when the Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission didn't reach a quorum. The entrepreneurs will have to wait for the July 19 meeting to officially get the ball rolling.

By then, they hope to have a location secured and initial plans ready for retrofitting their space into the first hatchet-throwing venue in the state. 

While no opening date has been set, the entrepreneurs look to employ 16 people and have 12 throwing pits in the new space.

The idea for the business came when the family booked a night at a hatchet throwing venue in December for Exan's birthday. The night was so much fun, they did it again in January for Milton's birthday.

"When they told me, I said I didn't want to do this because it sounded dumb," Delgado said. "But when we got there, we had so much fun. That's when we decided we needed to bring something like that to Middletown."

Delgado and the other entrepreneurs believe that as much as Middletown is growing, the town should offer recreation opportunities for adults beyond the bar scene, movies and perhaps bowling leagues, Delgado said.

Exan, hailed as the best hatchet thrower in the group, said he believes Stumpy's can help Middletown become more of a destination.  

"This could help draw people from all over the state to Middletown to enjoy adult recreation of a different kind," he said. "There is a new escape room opening here and we have all of these new restaurants and other things happening. This will enhance all of that."

The concept for the business is simple, said Mark Oliphant, who along with his wife, Trish, and friends Stuart and Kelly Josberger own Stumpy's, and have sold franchises in 20 locations throughout the U.S., including Middletown.

Oliphant said the Eatontown, New Jersey, location is usually booked a month in advance and hosts birthday, anniversary, bachelor and bachelorette parties. He said it also is perfect for corporate team-building events, which would play well in Middletown.

"Escape rooms can have eight people, we can have the whole company at the location for corporate events," he said. 

The idea for the company started one evening in 2015 when the Oliphants and Josbergers, who belong to the same yacht club, went to the Josberger's house in New Jersey for dinner and drinks.

While making a fire in the chimenea — a free-standing front-loaded fireplace that many people have on their patios or decks — the guys started throwing a hatchet at the stump of a tree that was knocked down by Hurricane Sandy.

On other nights throughout the summer, neighbors and friends joined the Oliphants and Josbergers for a night of throwing.

A couple of months later, the Oliphants decided to pitch the idea of opening and franchising the Stumpy's Hatchet House brand to their friends. 

"We’ve been successful since then," Mark said. "We get inquiries from across the country every day."

The Oliphants and Josbergers are particular about to whom they sell franchises and require a 10-year commitment. 

"We have to feel confident they will carry our brand out and make it a fun place to be," Mark said.

That's the plan for the four Middletown entrepreneurs. 

"There is nothing like this anywhere near us, so we think people will love it," Hector Correa said. 

Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. follow him on Twitter at @JerrySmithTNJ. 

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