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A family, well-known in Haverhill and Merrimack Valley dining circles, is tying together food, drinks, golf simulators and axe throwing in an expansive entertainment complex in nearby Salem, N.H.
Jim Tomacchio and his sons, who own and operate STACKS in downtown Haverhill, developed PAR 28 two months ago at the former Coca-Cola bottling plan at 23 S. Broadway, in Salem, N.H. Tomacchio tells WHAV they actually stumbled on the idea while searching for a warehouse for another family business—21-year-old Stat Delivery Services. While looking at spaces, his son thought one spot might be more suitable for golf simulators.
“Then, we got a consultant from Trackman, who makes these, come in, look at the whole site and say, ‘Yes, this is doable.’ So, we ran with it and then my boys started talking about other things we could do in here. One was, obviously a bar, then a coal-fired oven and kitchen and then the axe throwing,” he explains.
They went on to build out the space in three and a half months. His sons, Jim, Joe and Paul each brought something to the concept. The more 10,000-square-foot complex features seven Trackman-4 golf simulators, eight axe throwing bays, Rae’s Coal Fired Restaurant—named for son Jim’s wife and a lounge with 11 large-screen televisions.
“We didn’t want to skimp anywhere. Honestly, I can look at this and say I’m very proud of what we built and see our vision—our collaborative thinking, concepts—come to life and totally meet our expectation. It probably exceeded our expectation,” he says.
One unusual element is an 800-gallon aquarium near the entrance with a live Leopard Shark. The space accommodates more than 250 people and has become popular for businesses using the complex for team building exercises.
Mark Chum is the chef at Rae’s Coal Fired Restaurant. (WHAV News photograph.)