PO’s Dimension XR, Axe provide ‘destination’ entertainment

By Elisha Meyer Port Orchard Independent • September 3, 2024 1:30 am
Elisha Meyer/Kitsap News Group Ashton Medema works in a few throws during his shift at Dimension Axe in Port Orchard.
Elisha Meyer/Kitsap News Group Ashton Medema works in a few throws during his shift at Dimension Axe in Port Orchard.

The Kitsap Peninsula’s sole axe-throwing establishment is back.

With most of the elements for a successful entertainment model already in place, a recently arrived Port Orchard business owner and some former employees of PenAxe are hoping the second time’s the charm with Dimension Axe.

Expectations were high for PenAxe, originally introduced as Peninsula Axe & Brew when it first opened in 2023. Then the establishment closed suddenly in June, leaving some patrons with calls unanswered and others arriving to closed gates at the Town Square Mall’s second floor.

Sean Ong of Dimension Axe said: “There are some people that are surprised that it even closed. We kind of have to rebuild that back up.” Ong spent a good chunk of the year opening the second location of his entertainment business Dimension XR on that same floor and looking at the abandoned PenAxe location. “Because we have the VR place, there can be some cross-pollination there. Have your party here, send the kids to play VR while you’re throwing axes. With multiple attractions, I’m hoping that this becomes more of a destination.”

Dimension XR announced Aug. 2 it would be reopening the lanes, and Port Orchard’s axe-throwing destination was reopened later in the month.

Ong is abandoning any ideas of opening a restaurant, instead opting to build partnerships with the restaurants already in the mall.

Former PenAxe employee Ashton Medema said that the old food policy at PenAxe had made the business feel standoffish to customers and surrounding businesses. “It was either buy from us or bring your food somewhere else,” he said. “Somebody bought a whole pizza and was planning on staying three hours here, and they said they couldn’t. A party tried to bring a birthday cake, and they said no.”

Medema said he found himself having disagreements with the previous ownership and left. Former employee Brady Lemon also expressed disappointment with PenAxe. Both men, however, are back in with Dimension Axe, Lemon saying Ong’s willingness to ask for help caught his interest. “Sean came up to me and said he was not sure how to run this business and knew I had worked here. I started back up, and then I got Ashton back on board because I wanted someone else who had also worked here.”