By Tim Binnall
The owner of a recently closed jewelry store in Michigan came up with an ingenious idea for what to do with the remaining inventory: turn it into a state-wide treasure hunt. According to a local media report, Johnny Perri was forced to shut down his business, J & M Jewelers, after it was devastated by the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Out of work with nothing to do and sitting on a sizeable pile of riches that he couldn't sell, Perri devised a decidedly different way of distributing the jewelry, coins, and precious metals that the store had acquired over the years.
Inspired by the legendary and infamous Forrest Fenn treasure, he and his wife proceeded to travel around Michigan and bury bundles of riches in various locations throughout the state. He estimates that each hidden cache is worth approximately $4,000 and, incredibly, the jewelry store owner says that the duo ultimately hid a jaw-dropping $1 million worth of valuables during their sojourn. Looking back on the experience, Perri marveled that the pair "had the time of our life burying everything. It was awesome, man."
The fun for everyone else will begin on August 1st when the treasure hunt officially gets underway. Those looking to participate in the adventure can do so by purchasing tickets, priced at $49, for each individual 'quest' which will presumably come with some clues as to the location of that specific set of riches. In what may be an attempt to avoid the anticlimactic and mysterious manner in which the Fenn treasure hunt ended, Perri has outfitted the caches with GPS tracking devices so that he will know if and when each particular quest has come to an end.