As many small businesses have been struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, business owner’s Angie Avestruz and Megan Gaffney decided to create “BIZ-ingo” to help drive traffic to the struggling businesses.

Avestruz said the purpose of “BIZ-ingo” is to unite the community in an online setting and also bring customers to struggling small businesses due to COVID-19.

“‘BIZ-ingo’ is a live event that takes place on Saturday nights on Facebook Live at the isolation ‘BIZ-ingo’ Facebook page. The entire purpose of the event is to get people to support local businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 shut down, hence the name ‘BIZ-ingo,’” Avestruz said.

Avestruz said supporting the small business community in the Twin Cities was the driving factor for creating ‘BIZ-ingo’. By encouraging community members to order from small businesses, “BIZ-ingo” has helped to save participating locations involved with “BIZ-ingo.”

“We really created this event to get people to order delivery and curbside pickup or takeout of any of the participating locations,” Avestruz said. “We still want to make sure we can help out the community, which we all are trying to do right now.”

Gaffney said she was inspired to create “BIZ-ingo” after her husband’s business was decreasing in orders. 

“I was looking for creative ways to engage people, get people connecting because at that point we all were stuck at home, so I reached out to (Avestruz) because we have worked together for quite a few years on different projects and we also are big fans of the game bingo,” Gaffney said.

Gaffney said the game started in the North Loop but has expanded all around Minnesota. “BIZ-ingo” is growing exponentially each week striving to help out small businesses all around Minnesota.

“Each week we are getting bigger and bigger and helping small businesses drive traffic for takeout and delivery,” Gaffney said. “(We are) also offering people at home a new way to connect with their friends, family and strangers by playing together online.” 

“BIZ-ingo” is played every Saturday night 7:30 p.m. on the Isolation “BIZ-ingo” Facebook page. Rore information on how to support local businesses and play “BIZ-ingo” can be found online.