‘Van Wert Cash Mob’ event a success

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A local business was mobbed on Thursday, but no one called the police. Van Wert’s first “cash mob” event took place at Your Country Connection Shop collectibles store on East Main Street and the response was bigger than expected by organizers of the event.

“This is a great turnout,” said organizer Eric Hurless of the first cash mob. “I’m glad you all could join us.”

Hurless and Adam Ries, program manager of Main Street Van Wert, were the prime organizers of the local cash mob.

“The first time around exceeded expectations,” Hurless said of the response to the cash mob, noting that organizers were expecting about 30 people and 52 people turned out for the event. “I think the business owners can be nothing but thrilled with the turnout, because it’s just a quick injection of income for them.”

Hurless said he felt the cash mob was also good for those who participated, since many had either never been in the Country Connection store, or had only been in it once.

After the mob event, many of the participants also were involved in an “after mob” held at the Black Swamp Bistro, located across the street from the Country Connection, to talk about the event and decided where to go for the next cash mob.

Hurless said cash mobs would be held the last Thursday of every month, starting at 5:15 p.m., with participants meeting in the city parking lot at the corner of Washington Street and Central Avenue when the mob site is a downtown store.

He did note, though, that some future cash mobs would likely be held at other stores in the city and staging areas would likely be a parking lot close to those stores. Stores targeted must be locally owned and operated.

Those wanting to participate in the next cash mob can go to www.facebook.com/VanWertCashMob or follow on Twitter @VWCashMob.

The idea of cash mobs began in Buffalo, N.Y., in August 2011, with the first one organized by a blogger, Christopher Smith. The name is a play on “flash mobs,” cell phone-fueled gatherings held for less positive purposes such as muggings.

The concept behind cash mobs is to encourage people to visit small, local business and spend their money en masse to give business owners some economic stimulus. The first Ohio cash mob, held in Cleveland, was organized in November 2011 by a Cleveland attorney.

Local cash mob organizers note that the idea is to help small, locally-owned businesses, which typically have problems surviving, especially in times of overall economic distress.