Latest news with #treasurehunt
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
7 months after 31-year treasure hunt for golden owl ended, sequel is delayed amid acrimony
The launch of a new mass treasure hunt for a golden owl, an iconic game that previously ended after more than three decades of searching, has been delayed but not cancelled, its French organiser says. Advertisement Launched in France in 1993, the last edition ended in October 2024 when the elusive golden owl was finally found after decades of searching by thousands of sleuths from around the world. 'The hunt has not been cancelled at all,' Michel Becker said this week, denying claims that had been circulating about 'Golden Owl 2', which was scheduled to begin in early May. 'Launching a game like this, in such a negative context, is not something that we can do. We want to work in a calmer climate, so we're giving ourselves some time to see what happens,' said Becker, the game's co-inventor. Hidden in 1993, the golden owl replica was discovered on October 3, 2024, making it the second longest treasure hunt ever organised. Photo: AFP The previous golden owl was found in Dabo in eastern France, according to Becker. Advertisement
The Independent
14-05-2025
- The Independent
A map to a $10,000 treasure in San Francisco was shared online - it sent the city into a tizzy
One lucky San Franciscan just became $10,000 richer. A mysterious treasure hunt that popped up on a San Francisco subreddit came to an end 11 hours after it began when the treasure chest – reportedly valued at $10,000 – was found Tuesday buried somewhere beneath the city. Locals went scrambling in search of the buried treasure, which contained 'gleaning ingots, currency and San Francisco artifacts,' according to a website about the hunt. About half the chest's value was in gold, the scavenger hunt's organizers said. A spokesperson for the unnamed organizers told KRON4 that the group behind it had paid for all the treasure themselves. On Reddit, organizers shared a photo of a treasure map and an elaborate set of clues that those looking to participate in the hunt would follow, writing alongside the puzzle: 'We always figured treasure hunting would feature more heavily in life. Right alongside quicksand and tatter rope bridges.' 'Sadly, the science seems to be out on quicksand and, thanks to modern building standards, rope bridges are stronger than ever,' they continued. 'Buried treasure chests seem equally rare, but those we realized we could do something about. And so we did.' Redditors in the comment section questioned whether the hunt was a sneaky advertisement or marketing ploy, and plenty were quick to make a joke of the bizarre scenario. 'This better not be a stealth ad for some AI B2B service that nobody wants or needs but will be forced to buy and use,' one person wrote. 'Inside you will find only a pair of tickets to Shen Yun,' another commentator joked. Others quipped that the city would 'fine them' '$10,000 for unlawful digging' for participating in the hunt. After the treasure was located late Tuesday, the organizers took to Reddit to share the news, writing, 'Well, that went A LOT faster than anyone anticipated,' the treasure hunt posters said on Reddit Wednesday. 'Months were hoped for, days felt possible, but 11 hours… wow.' It was not immediately known who organized the treasure hunt or where it was found. The spokesperson said the group hoped to remain anonymous as 'whimsy and adventure and mischief and hijinks does live in a sort of legal gray area.' The organizers hope to one day throw another treasure hunt, noting online, 'If any deep-pocketed collaborators are interested, please do reach out.'
RNZ News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Introducing: Kelly Tarlton's Final Treasure Hunt
Kelly Tarlton is widely known as the visionary of Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World . He was also a highly successful treasure hunter of multiple ship wrecks across the world. 40 years after his untimely death a team made up of friends, family and marine enthusiasts embark upon an adventure to complete one of his final expeditions, the location of the oldest European artifact in New Zealand - the third anchor of the St Jean Baptiste. From the bottom of Doubtless Bay, to the display walls of Te Papa, the quest to complete Kelly Tarlton's Final Treasure Hunt is on. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use. Podcast (MP3) Oggcast (Vorbis)
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Psychology of Costco drives Aussie store expansion
'Treasure-hunting' Australians have allowed multinational, membership-only warehouse retailer Costco to expand to a 15th property, pushing its Aussie real estate footprint to a staggering 210,000+ square metres across multiple states. Costco's newest and largest store is in Ardeer, Melbourne and the company plans to add five more locations by 2030, with particular interest in urban development zones around Sydney, Geelong, and Wollongong. When Costco first launched in Docklands, Melbourne, in 2009, the American model of bulk buying and paid membership was met with uncertainty. But it paid off — that store quickly became one of the top five performers globally. The Treasure Hunt In an interview with The Motley Fool, Costco co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal described Costco's business model as a 'treasure hunt.' It trades on the excitement of the hunt and the anticipation of the reward. The journey begins the moment you flash your membership card at the entrance of the cavernous warehouse, where you're greeted by luxury items like 98-inch Samsung TVs, Versace watches, even six-figure diamond rings – all presented at remarkable value. These high-end attention-grabbing items aren't necessarily there to fly off the shelf, rather, they imply that since TVs are affordable, then the baked beans and biscuits must be a steal. Vast layout The bare-bones layout sets the stage for this bargain-hunting expedition. Each warehouse spans around four acres and is deliberately stripped back to concrete floors, industrial lighting, and floor-to-ceiling steel shelving. There's no music, no signage, no store map. Deliveries go straight from the truck to the shelf, shrink-wrapped and untouched. There's no backroom, no elaborate displays, just volume and value. This stark, utilitarian set up keeps operating costs low and helps create a sense of abundance. Shoppers navigate aisles searching for essentials — and inevitably discover things they didn't know they needed. Even the extra-wide aisles, designed for forklifts, slow the pace and subtly encourage browsing. It may look chaotic, but it's actually a carefully engineered retail experience. Creating urgency Costco's Australian warehouses stock around 4000 products — a relatively small selection compared to major supermarkets — but in large volume. Of that, 25 per cent is rotated constantly. One week, it's a $24.99 Nautica jumper; the next, it might be a $29.99 Tommy Hilfiger shirt. According to Sinegal, this rotation creates a sense of urgency: 'Those are the types of things that continue to bring customers in shopping with us. We try to create an attitude in those kinds of products that if you see it, you'd better buy it, because chances are it's not going to be there next time.' Taste test tease Brave the weekend crowds and you'll be rewarded with a veritable three-course meal of food samples. According to behavioural economist Melina Palmer, the psychology behind a taste test is powerful: 'You get a tiny taste of something you want more of, and boom — something you'd never pick off the shelf suddenly becomes a favourite.' And it works. Sampling typically leads to a 76 per cent boost in sales, according to internal figures. In one case, Costco's frozen pizza reportedly saw a 600 per cent spike following in-store trials. A Culture of Discovery Costco's expansion isn't just about low prices and bulk goods — it's built on a distinct culture of discovery. Across the globe, members swap stories of their best finds — or most absurd purchases. It's not just retail. It's 'Costcology' and it's driving urban expansion. What many assumed would be a barrier to entry — the $65 annual membership fee — turned out to be anything but. 'Australians didn't baulk at the model,' wrote Stella Minahan of Deakin Graduate School of Business, noting that most shoppers recouped the cost in their very first visit. And it's not hard to see how. Costco has developed a cult following for its food court's iconic hot dog and bottomless soda combo at just $1.99 — a price Sinegal famously vowed would never change from its 1985 debut. Add in an extra-large pizza ($15.99) and a rotisserie chicken ($6.99) for dinner, and suddenly, that membership has already paid for itself.
