Kristin Lawrie is lighting up Victoria and the world of trivia with her new company Sixty Watt Trivia.
Working for a top entertainment company in Vancouver, Lawrie got the taste for quirky questions while launching a trivia branch.
Upon moving back to Victoria, she then leapt at the opportunity to create a trivia night at her local pub, Bucky’s Taphouse in Langford, and the foundations were set.
“I think I came up with the format and company name in 40 minutes and spent the next few months tweaking that format ’til it was just right,” said Lawrie.
“Sixty Watt Trivia as a name just clicked, like turning on a light bulb (cheesy pun intended). We went with Sixty Watt to let people know our trivia range covers all spectrums of knowledge from the blinding halogens to those dollar store 40 watt bulbs.”
The Bucky’s Taphouse show was a hit and the success was noted by a local brewery rep, who happened to be in the audience that night.
“She saw the traffic we generated and spread the word. Our name then spread like wildfire and we haven’t looked back.
“I never thought Sixty Watt Trivia would be my career. I mean, I was a communication director at the time. But after a few months building this company I was hooked. And a year and half later, Sixty Watt was my full-time life.”
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SWT is based in Victoria and has multiple locations dotted across four nights of the week (Monday to Thursday). Lawrie says expanding up-Island is on her radar.
“There are so many great venues on the Island that could benefit from a trivia night and we’ve only scratched the surface. Between our current lineup of shows, private events and online downloadable trivia package through our Etsy Store (60WattTrivia) we have multiple options to get your knowledge fix!”
When it comes to creative team names, Lawrie said memorable ones to date have included “Three Hordors Down” (from their Game of Thrones night), “Trivia Newton John”, You’re a Quizzard, Harry” and “Menace to Sobriety”.
And the secret to coming up with all those fresh, never repeated questions?
“Potential trivia content is always at the forefront of my noggin’. I see every product ad, terrible interview by a politician, movie release and questionable sports trade as fuel for a show. When those morsels of knowledge present themselves, I take note in one of my copious notepads spread throughout the home, car or on my phone.
“Compiling a week’s worth of questions (45 per show) and Photoshopping picture rounds for each night is not a four-hour or even a 10-hour task. It often requires stretching, Advil, 10-plus bathroom breaks and will no doubt result in arthritis. But it is 274 per cent worth it!”
To answer more questions about SWT, visit: sixtywatttrivia.wixsite.com/trivia/find-a-show.
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