Mob rule is coming to Van Wert this month, but this mob should be beneficial to local businesses, organizers hope.<\/p>\n
To show support for locally owned businesses, a group of local citizens, with help from Main Street Van Wert Inc., will host Van Wert\u2019s first \u201ccash mob\u201d in the month of April and invite the community to take part.<\/p>\n
A cash mob is a group of community members who visit a locally owned business or eating establishment all at one time in a combined shopping and social activity. The cash mob event is meant to be fun for everyone involved, but also provide an economic stimulus for the community. This type of event has been organized all over Ohio and the nation and now will take place in Van Wert.<\/p>\n
The term \u201ccash mob\u201d comes from the concept of a flash mob, where singers and dancers perform unexpectedly at malls and college campuses and get the entire crowd participating. At a cash mob, community members all meet at a designated location and then walk together to the business to \u201cmob\u201d the store with shoppers. Organizers of the cash mob work with each business in advance to make sure they are prepared for the group of shoppers.<\/p>\n
The goal during a cash mob is that each person spends at least $10 at the \u201cmobbed\u201d business. \u201cIf each \u2018mobber\u2019 spends the minimum, it is a quick injection of business to the store and, in turn, helps our local economy,\u201d says Eric Hurless, one of the event\u2019s organizers. \u201cIt also helps new and long-time residents visit businesses they\u2019ve never experienced.\u201d<\/p>\n
Van Wert cash mob organizers are excited at the fast and positive feedback this idea is already receiving. Having been announced just over a week ago on social media websites Facebook and Twitter, the Van Wert cash mob group has over 75 fans, with many commenting how excited they are to participate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled with how responsive people have already been, we are hearing only great things about this idea, and we hope for a large turnout for the first mob,\u201d says Main Street Van Wert Program Manager Adam Ries, who is helping organize the cash mobs.<\/p>\n