1851

When Mark and Trish Oliphant got together with their friends, Stuart and Kelly Josberger, for a barbecue one summer night, they never imagined that it would lead to them getting into business together. But after their casual dinner turned into hatchet throwing in the backyard, they realized that they had tapped into something truly unique.

While hatchet throwing may not be the first thing that comes to mind as an emerging segment in the franchising industry, the Oliphants and Josbergers are finding success. After their barbecue, they jokingly agreed that they should turn the fun that they had hatchet throwing into a business for others to enjoy. But what started out as a joke soon became a reality&mdash;the more they realized the gap in the industry for this type of business, the more they realized its full potential. That&rsquo;s why they decided to open <a href="https://stumpysfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=emerging-franchisors-to-watch-stumpys-hatchet-house-2706067" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House</a> in Eatontown, New Jersey. They became the first hatchet throwing facility in the U.S., and that novelty sparked a lot of consumer interest. So, a year and a half after their grand opening in April of 2016, they decided to franchise.

With six franchises already sold in communities across the country, Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House is already gaining traction among business owners as well. That&rsquo;s why 1851 Franchise spoke with co-founder Trish Oliphant to learn more about the brand&rsquo;s recipe for success.

1851 Franchise: What makes Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House stand out to franchisees both in the industry as a whole and within its own niche?

Trish Oliphant, co-founder of Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House: Differentiating ourselves in the marketplace has been essential for us. Even though we were the first hatchet throwing franchise to launch in the U.S., copycats have popped up. That&rsquo;s why at Stumpy&rsquo;s, we&rsquo;ve created a comfortable and cozy atmosphere that our customers really love. We have comfy leather sofas, farm tables and people can either bring in their own food or order from a takeout menu. We&rsquo;ve been able to marry the art of hatchet throwing with a great place to have a party and hang out, and that&rsquo;s what makes it stand out. Where other concepts look like a garage, ours looks like a cabin in Vermont and appeals to all the senses.

Our unique atmosphere is what inspired us to franchise. At this point, most of our franchisees were customers first. They came to our location and had such a good time that they decided to invest in one themselves. We have six locations sold so far, and we have another four that should be closing by the end of this month or early next month.

1851: What&rsquo;s on deck for Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House in 2018?

Oliphant: We&rsquo;re really looking for rapid expansion with all of the copycat concepts out there. But we&rsquo;re very picky about who we bring into our system because we have a 10-year franchise agreement. We feel like we&rsquo;re entering into a 10-year marriage with our franchisees, and we want to make sure that the fit is just right. We also want to make sure that our franchisees have a true passion for hatchet throwing&mdash;they personally need to like doing it and be hands-on business owners. So, if we were able to do another 12 deals with those types of franchisees, we&rsquo;d be super happy.

1851: Why is now the time to invest in Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House?

Oliphant: Bowling has been around for over 100 years&mdash;in fact, it started right here in New Jersey. The industry is still going pretty strong, but it&rsquo;s fizzling a little. There&rsquo;s a real need for a new type of recreation, and I think Stumpy&rsquo;s is the solution. We&rsquo;ve managed to take hatchet throwing&mdash;which has been around for a long time&mdash;bring it indoors and make it recreational. The fact that it&rsquo;s coupled with an awesome atmosphere is really the key to our success, and we&rsquo;re coming into the market at the right time.

1851: Where will Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House be in 5 years? In 10?

Oliphant: I would like to be in almost every state. We want to be the name that&rsquo;s thought of when someone says indoor hatchet throwing&mdash;we want to be the McDonald&rsquo;s of hatchet throwing in the industry that we&rsquo;ve created here in the U.S.

1851: What does the ideal Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House franchisee look like?

Oliphant: I think the way that we&rsquo;ve been getting out franchisees&mdash;for the most part&mdash;as customers first bolsters our idea that if you don&rsquo;t go after what you want, you&rsquo;ll never have it. The fact that we have people coming to us and going through this process is awesome. Those are our best franchisees&mdash;they feel like friends. We want to enjoy the people that we&rsquo;re working with.

1851: What is your top tip for succeeding in the franchising industry?

Oliphant: I think that you always need to go where your passion is. We really wanted to create Stumpy&rsquo;s Hatchet House, and we didn&rsquo;t take the elevator to get there. We took the stairs. Now that we&rsquo;re here, we&rsquo;d like to inspire others. That&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s so much fun about selling a franchise to someone that really wants it. Skills are cheap, but passion is priceless.

Emerging Franchisors to Watch: Stumpy’s Hatchet House

1851 Franchise

The first hatchet throwing facility founded in the U.S. has already inked deals for 6 franchises in communities across the country.

emerging-franchisors-to-watch-stumpys-hatchet-house

Home Halo

Home Halo’s 160-Step Launch Process: Setting Franchisees Up for Success

home-halo-franchise-launch-process

VA Reimbursement: A Unique Opportunity for Home Halo Franchisees

va-reimbursement-a-unique-opportunity-for-home-halo-franchisees

Home Halo’s "Frank" Method: Coaching Franchisees to Greatness

home-halos-frank-method-coaching-franchisees-to-greatness

home-halo-dan-deak-personal-journey-headshot

Dan Deak's Personal Journey: From Caring Son to Home Halo CEO

dan-deaks-personal-journey-from-caring-son-to-home-halo-ceo

10 Reasons Why You Should Invest in a Home Halo Franchise

10-reasons-why-you-should-invest-in-a-home-halo-franchise

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Dave’s Hot Chicken Sold to Roark Capital in $1 Billion Deal to Fuel Global Expansion

daves-hot-chicken-sold-to-roark-capital-in-1-billion-deal-to-fuel-global-expansion

Homebuyers Keep Buying — And That’s Good News for Home Service Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Homebuyers Keep Buying — And That’s Good News for Home Service Franchises

homebuyers-keep-buying-and-thats-good-news-for-home-service-franchises

AI Could Push Unemployment to 20% — Fueling a Surge in First-Time Franchise Buyers - 1851 Franchise

AI Could Push Unemployment to 20% — Fueling a Surge in First-Time Franchise Buyers

ai-unemployment-impact-white-collar-job-loss

How To Sell Just One Franchise: What You’ll Learn at FranCamp NJ 2025

how-to-sell-just-one-franchise-what-youll-learn-at-francamp-nj-2025

House Passes Tax Relief Package With Key Benefits for Small Businesses and Franchises

house-passes-small-business-tax-relief-bill-2025

How Car Sales Taught Buddy's Home Furnishings’ Mitchell Lee the Secrets of Franchise Development

how-car-sales-taught-buddys-home-furnishings-mitchell-lee-the-secrets-of-franchise-development

busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-positioning-image

Bouncing Into Business: How Busy Bee Jumpers Is Building the First National Bounce House Franchise

franchise-opportunity-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise

busy-bee-jumpers-consumer-positioning-image-kids-jumping-bounce-house

Delivering Fun With a Smile: How Busy Bee Jumpers Earns 5-Star Raves From Families Across New England

busy-bee-jumpers-party-rentals

Pink's Window Services - Franchise Deep Dive - 1851 Franchise

Pink’s Window Services Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

pinks-window-services-franchise-deep-dive

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

What You Need To Know About Low-Cost Franchise Opportunities

what-you-need-to-know-about-low-cost-franchise-opportunities

Sola Salons Franchisee Grows Salon Freedom Into a Multi-State Powerhouse 

sola-salons-franchisee-grows-salon-freedom-into-a-multi-state-powerhouse

Dan Yangas Brings Family Flooring Legacy Full Circle With Footprints Floors Franchise in Naperville 

Dan Yangas Brings Family Flooring Legacy Full Circle With Footprints Floors Franchise in Naperville, Illinois

dan-yangas-brings-family-flooring-legacy-full-circle-with-footprints-floors-franchise-in-naperville-illinois

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Sean Phelan & Caring Transitions logo

From Tech to Transitions: Why This Caring Transitions Franchisee Left the Corporate World To Help Families Navigate Life’s Hardest Moves

sean-phelan-caring-transitions-franchise-austin

Emerging Franchisors to Watch: Stumpy’s Hatchet House

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS