The mind behind Think and Drink Trivia
The friendly Think and Drink Trivia game at your neighborhood bar is run by a self-effacing former special education teacher who describes himself as really bad at trivia.
What’s happening: Steve Steckroth, 39, launched the business in 2008 in Palm Beach County. Today he operates trivia and Bingo games at 70 bars, restaurants and clubs. The competition draws players to the watering holes — often on nights that tend to be slow without them.
How it started: Steckroth regularly joined his friends at a trivia game at the former Palm Beach Ale House on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard. “I would not contribute anything. I would have no clue. I would want to chat and not work the question.”
He befriended the trivia host. Before long, he was running a weekly game at Two Georges Waterfront Grille in Boynton Beach, and his company was born.
How it grew: Often, restaurant owners or managers discover his business when they visit a venue that’s running a game, Steckroth said. “I hate sales so I always get nervous. I go, ‘I don’t know. How about (having a game on) Tuesday?’”
Steckroth discovered that his superpower is coming up with trivia questions. He also has two writers. He sends a batch of questions each day to the game hosts – many in South Florida and scattered from California to Virginia.
How it works: Games are run in four rounds of questions that hosts choose. Loud, energetic music between questions helps keep teams from overhearing each other. Many competitions end with a tiebreaker.
What about cell phones and cheaters? Steckroth notes that it is a good practice to put away cell phones while we are out with friends. Whether playing trivia or not. He said there are some games where veteran teams will shut down competitors who try to cheat.
What’s next: Music Bingo is getting a lot of attention. Think and Drink offers a handful of chances to play each week in Palm Beach County. The cards are marked with song names, and the host plays 30-second clips in random order. Players who score Bingo win a free drink.
Time capsule: Writer Ron Hayes sets the Think and Drink scene at Two Georges in this 2015 story from The Coastal Star.
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