Thousands search Mount Greenwood for scavenger hunt golden ticket

CHICAGO - Thousands of people are prowling the South Side Mt. Greenwood neighborhood after a popular deli announced they're offering $1,000 to the winner of a scavenger hunt.

"We've been in the community 60 years,” said Brian Giaretta, S & T Provisions. “We opened in 1960. My great grandfather opened."

S & T Provisions is a small, family-owned Italian deli on 111th Street that's famous for its sausage and pizza setups.

However, what everyone wants right now is this: S & T's golden ticket.

"We do a little spin on the Willie Wonka golden ticket,” said Giaretta. “What I do is, I go out and I hide it somewhere."

It’s a marketing tactic that's taken off, five golden tickets since last spring, the latest worth $1,000.

The clues, two per day, are revealed on the store's Facebook page.

So far the clues say the golden ticket is somewhere between 95th and 127th streets, Cicero and Western avenues. That's a big area but it's narrowing with every new clue.

“I'll give riddles as clues,” said Giaretta. “So they have to use their heads to even figure out what the clue itself is."

It has produced a lot of odd activity in Mount Greenwood as hundreds of people are snooping around corners and peeking behind bushes.

"I’ve been driving around like a crazy person,” said Michelle Hospes. “I got a lot of strange looks from people when I’m bending overlooking underthings."

"We're getting a lot of positive feedback,” said Giaretta. “Everything from 'thank you so much. You're bonding our family together.' to 'I have this health problem and you’re allowing me to get out and get my steps in.'"