Nestled away on the quiet corner of Pattie and Waterman is White Crow Cider. But on Thursday nights, the cidery is anything but quiet.
That’s because 25 or more teams are packed into the warehouse to play trivia.
Kenneth Gardner, who owns White Crow with his wife, Denise, said their place has been packed every Thursday night since it started.
“Our trivia show … has always been busy from day one,” he said. “It's about as busy now as it was the first time we had it. Partially because we can't get any more … people in there. It's always just maxed out.”
There are many places to play trivia in Wichita. What’s so special about this one? For some players, there’s a couple of reasons.
“The thing I really liked about this is that I really liked the host and then also a lot of the teams … there's just like healthy competition,” said Sam Amburgey.
This particular trivia night is hosted and produced by Ryan Meyers. He runs the game with a charisma that is underlined with a sense of playful mischief … but it’s all in good fun.
“I'm never trying to trick or stump anyone,” Meyers said. “That isn't any kind of fun.
“There'll be nights where you don't know a lot. And there'll be nights where you know a ton. But I'm never intentionally trying to mislead you or make you feel dumb.”
The format is pretty straightforward: five rounds with 10 questions per round. First-place teams can choose between a gift card or reserving a table in a prime spot for the following week. Teams often opt for the reservation because White Crow gets so busy on trivia night, players have to get there several hours early to save a table.
Despite the simple rules, Meyers’ line of questioning can sometimes be a puzzle box within itself … where clues can be found in a previous question or are based on what order a question falls within a round.
But Meyers said all you need to do is trust your instincts.
“You have absolutely nothing to lose … Go with your gut. Always go with your gut,” he said.
Meyers said his love of trivia started early when he tested himself with Trivial Pursuit cards as a child. He then rediscovered this passion when he started going to trivia nights in college.
But trivia has changed a lot over time, especially since Meyers started playing. With the advent of the internet and smartphones, keeping and retaining esoteric knowledge may seem like a pastime, but not here: Meyers said phones aren’t allowed during gameplay.
“I think phones are incredible resources,” Meyers said. “But it is really heartening to see people put them away and really .. spend time talking to each other.”
And for many, trivia is an invitation to unplug and engage with the game and the people around you. A way to remind yourself: You know more than you think you do.
However, you can’t do it alone, and according to Meyers, trivia is a team effort. He said the key to a good group lies in its varied knowledge base.
“You need to find a well-rounded team,” he said. “The most common thing I see is teams that say, ‘We always miss … a sports question.’ When it comes up, you’ve got to find a sports person for your team.”
Trivia is ultimately a game of educated guesses, all of which are interrogated by a team’s collective intellect and intuition. And Meyers is here to shepherd audiences through that journey in his own fun and off-kilter way … like when he asks a set of questions with a hidden topic or his wacky weekly alphabet round.
Because for him, what’s the point if it’s not fun?
“I like staying kind of low-key … being a little best-kept secret,” Meyers said. “You know, I'm not trying to turn this into a business. If I were to consider trivia a job, I think I would grow to dislike it.
“I just want to keep providing what I'm providing and giving people a good time in Wichita.”
