Our Journey

The idea of the BILZ® Box started before I was even born. Founder Beth Grist, well... Mom to me, was doing what most of us do around the holidays, SHOPPING! As she was going down her list of family and friends, she got to a few names in particular, her nephews Greg and Steven, who wanted cold hard cash. What a bitter sweet gift... Yes it is an easy check off the shopping list, but when it comes time to share the holiday spirit it's a quick rip of an envelope, wandering eyes on a card and a cash stash. Thank you. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This series of events over and over at Christmas time formed the question in Beth's mind. How can I make the gift of money fun?!  

A few years went by, enter me Andrew Grist (est. 1990), and I was three months old sitting on our couch minding my business just doing what babies do. My mother looked at me sitting there and said to herself, "I guess I gotta make something happen now" and that question came back to her. How can I make the gift of money fun?! and if you know Beth she worked until she found the answer... The BILZ® Box. 

Ideas, Patents, Prototypes, Criticism, Debt, Doubt, 18 hour days, Single Mother, she was grinding... literally grinding plastic to put her idea into the hands of millions of hard to shop for teenagers and adults who want Cash, Gift Certificates, Concert Tickets, etc. By 1994, this idea became a reality and BILZ® Boxes were on the shelves of stores around the United States.

Family is the foundation of our company. People ask, "Who is T.E. Brangs?"  It is my mom and my Aunt Terri's families names combined. (T.erri E.lizabeth BRittanyANdrewGregSteven). Take a look at the picture below from a photo shoot back in the day. That is me with the maroon pants watching my uncle entertain the room with the original BILZ® Box.

          

Many years have passed and versions of the BILZ® Box have changed but our mission remains the same: To deliver a quality product that makes the gift of money (and now gift cards, etc.) fun for those hard to shop for teenagers and adults. From our family to yours, we hope you enjoy our BILZ® games and any occasion that you are celebrating!