Southern Illinois Axe and Ale entertaining the region

HARRISBURG - There's a distinct "clunk" as the ax thrown by young Cole Smith of Harrisburg strikes the wooden target, then falls to the ground.

Cole and his family are spending the afternoon at Southern Illinois Axe and Ale, 35 S. Vine St. in Harrisburg, the longtime former location of the Harrisburg Register.

While Cole's dad, Jeff, manages to stick the throwing ax in his target in the next lane over, Cole doesn't seem to be deterred by his own ax not sticking.

In fact, he appears to double down on his determination.

Suddenly, those "clunks" turn into a solid "thunk" as Cole's ax finds its mark buried in the target's bull's-eye.

"I got one," Cole yells, jumping up and down.

The young man is elated, and so are mom and dad as they pull out cellphones to snap a quick photo before Cole taps the nearby cowbell with the ax head in celebration. A few minutes later, Cole and Jeff each land a bull's-eye at the same time, a so-called "double bull."

These are the moments Jacqueline Hegger, who recently opened Southern Illinois Axe and Ale with her husband Eric, loves to see.

"When the little ones come in, they are so determined they're going to figure this out, and they do it," Hegger says. "I've seen them spend a half-hour nonstop throwing and then end up with a bull's-eye. That's the thing that makes it enjoyable."

The story behind the business is a simple one, she said.

"We went and threw axes one time and loved it so much we decided we had to do it. We really fell in love with it. It's so much fun," Hegger said.

The Heggers purchased the building and spent much of 2020 renovating the historic building. When it opened the last couple days of 2020, it proved to be a hit, she said.

"We've been really busy, and people come from all over to throw," she said. "Families come into town to visit and bring their kids. They say they like it because their kids weren't on their phones for an hour."

A visit to Southern Illinois Axe and Ale starts out with a safety training session on how to handle and throw an ax safely. Then, throwers go to the lanes. The cost is $25 per hour, and on Sundays, children ages 8 to 13 may play free with two paying adults.

Once throwers get comfortable sticking an ax in the target, there are a variety of different games that may be played. Plus, additional features are coming.

Plus, the venue has become a hit for parties of all ages. Saturdays tend to be the busiest, and Hegger recommends calling at (618) 499-8509 to reserve a spot, though walk-ins are welcome if the lanes aren't already full.

Meanwhile, the business continues to renovate its building and is in the process of getting a taproom ready. Plus, additional lanes are planned.

Throwing lanes and axes are sanitized in between groups as an added precaution, and the current throwing area, part of the building's old press room, are safely spaced.

People are ready to be able to get out safely and find an outlet for entertainment, Hegger said, and those people aren't limited to Saline County.

"We have people coming from all over, like McLeansboro, Benton, Marion, Henderson, Kentucky, just everywhere," she said.

For more information about Southern Illinois Axe and Ale, call (618) 499-8509 or visit them on Facebook.