Axe throwing comes to Tea

Residents and visitors to Tea have a new entertainment option.

Valkyrie and The Beast opened in August on North Heritage Parkway. Owners Jaymie Zoss and Dustin White, who live in Lennox, got the idea of starting the business after a vacation to Rapid City last summer when the cabin they were staying at had an axe throwing lane set up on a tree.

“Originally we were looking at open spaces to rent. We looked in Sioux Falls and just didn’t like anything we were finding and just decided to go out of Sioux Falls. We saw this place and really like it and ended up in Tea,” Zoss said.

The space they found is about 1,700 square feet between Rosebud Wood Products and Rising Hope Counseling. They are open 4-11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 2 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays.

Axe throwing is $15 for 30 minutes per person and $30 for an hour per person. They have a special on Tuesday where it’s buy one get one half off. They also offer law enforcement, military and corrections discounts.

In the space, they have three axe throwing lanes, a squatchy stump where visitors hammer nails into a stump, antler ring toss, giant jenga and three virtual reality rooms.

Zoss and White took about three and half months to prepare the space, build the lanes and the bar. Zoss used her Norwegian heritage to decorate the business. Valkyrie is a Norwegian mythological maiden. The beast part of the business is Bigfoot.

The business is open to patrons 12 years old and older. They have enough room for people to throw axes and then hang out and have a drink if they want.

They have a liquor license so they offer pop, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, malt beverages and wine from Strawbale Winery.

When a customer comes in, they walk them through the process and explain the rules. The axe throwing lanes have rubber mats that look like wood and a bed of wood chips below the targets. Axes weigh about 1.25 pounds.

While not necessary, people can make a reservation for a party as well. They are also thinking about offering an axe throwing league since they have had interest.

In the virtual reality rooms, it’s one person in at a time. They can play for 15 minutes for $8 or 30 minutes for $15. They currently have three options to choose from, but they plan to change up the options as they progress.

When going into the virtual reality rooms, they let the customer get it figured out before starting the timer. If a person is stuck or lost in the virtual reality game, Zoss can log in to see where their at to help them move. They also have a way to help if a person becomes dizzy.

“If you feel dizzy, you just tap the headset and it takes you back to the room,” she said.