BRYAN, Texas — It is spring break for many Brazos Valley schools. Although it is the middle of a pandemic, it doesn't mean people can't enjoy the vacation. There are plenty of activities, businesses and resources to have fun at while supporting local.
It has been quite the year for BCS Axe House, which opened its doors in August.
"Of course we were very nervous about opening up," said Jes Linne, the managing partner at BCS Axe House. "We didn’t know what to really expect.”
The axe throwing business said their first few months went well. They believe because they were able to bring some new and different to the area, people were excited to try.
BCS Axe House uses digital equipment for their targets, which help keep score and allows people to play several different games. They also pride themselves on their "axe sticking" walls that are guarantee safety while having fun.
"It's just a fun release that most people haven't ever done before," Linne said.
When cases of COVID-19 started to rise again in Brazos County around October and November, Linne said they a dramatic decline in customers. Texas A&M University students leaving out of town during the holidays did not help business.
"It really killed us, we really lost a lot of patrons," Linne said.
However, that lack of business didn’t last long. In the new year, BCS Axe House is seeing bigger crowds and more business than they ever have before. They contribute it to more people being able to get together and want to find something different to do.
"We really see that it’s loosening up and to sum it up we’re blessed," Linne said.
Coming out of 2020, many local businesses are in need of support because of what they've endured in the past year, with reduced capacity, limited staffing and other safety guidelines during the pandemic.
Now that Texas businesses are able to fully reopen at 100 percent, many are eager to see more customers during the Spring break, especially the ones who aren't traveling.
“They’re really excited about the opportunity to grow their business again, have more revenue come in, see faces of their lovely customers and just get back into the swing of things," said Abigail Noel, the PR & communications manager for Destination Bryan.
Destination Bryan has created several blog posts highlighting local activities and venues to relax and fun while staying close to home.
"We’re just here to promote all the wonderful attractions, stores and restaurants that Bryan has to offer," Noel said.
It being BCS Axe House's first Spring break open, they are not sure what to expect for the week. Managers do say whoever comes through, whether you're a student or a family, is sure to have fun.
“I just encourage everyone to come try it," Linne said. "If you don’t even want to throw, come have a cocktail or soda with us and just sit and watch what people are doing. I promise you by the end of the night you’ll be throwing."