Cash mob! I’ve heard the expression before, but hadn’t given it much thought until today. My daughter told me about a Cash Mob taking place in her small New England town. I felt a rush of excitement and quickly googled the idea:
A Cash Mob is a group of people with cash on hand flooding a local small business to purchase something in order to support that business and the community.
There’s a website about it! See if there’s one in your town!
I didn’t have time to figure it all out. Could I just go there and be part of it? Was there a club you had to belong to? Did I have to spend the $20 I read you should bring with you? How did this work?
I almost didn’t go, but then I heard there were cookies! So I went. It was just a quick ride down the road. When I got to the meeting place just as the group had started moving. I followed and we all crammed into a store selling items by local artists. For a moment it seemed the group of about 30 people wouldn’t fit in …… But we did, and we were greeted by a big platter of fantastic sugar cookies. Yum!
Everybody started looking around and picking up items. The group consisted of smaller groups of people knowing each other and a few “loners” like me. I heard a lady greet another lady that she hadn’t seen in a long time! What small town fun!
I spent some time admiring the fabulous fiber arts and finally decided to buy a ceramic star ornament. Very pretty!
I didn’t spend the $20, and nobody demanded I do. I saw some people leave so I left too, waiting outside the store, wondering if the group would hit another store. But no, that was it. A half an hour of intense energy created by people laughing and joking and talking to strangers.
The Cash Mob is a great idea! I have always promoted local establishments. If you don’t buy from your neighbors, why should they buy from you? So, investigate your own community, go to local happenings and farmers markets and find the craftsmen who are your neighbors. And, also support crafters all around the world by shopping on Etsy!
While at Etsy, check out my teddies!
Have you been part of a Cash Mob? If not, why not start one!
~Marina
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