Flash mobs seemed like a fun thing at first. People would get together at a certain place and perform some dance or all arrive at a convenience store and purchase Slim Jims. The first one was created in Manhattan in 2003, but somewhere along the lines, flash mobs turned a bit ugly. In 2009 and 2010, Philadelphia experienced many ugly flash mobs that were responsible for violence, rioting, injury, and theft of property. In some cases, the police had to pepper spray individuals to disperse the crowds. A new term “flash robs” was invented.
So, I was happy to read the other day that cash mobs have become a hit. Cash mobs are a bit like flash mobs in that a bunch of people shows up in one place at one time. The cool thing about a cash mob is that these people all show up at a local business and purchase something, generally spending about $20. Cash mobs are organized on sites like Facebook and Twitter.
I was reading about Lauren Way, who organized the first cash mob in San Diego. She said, “People feel like they themselves individually can have a small impact on a business and collectively can have a big impact.” She went on to say, “People want to make a difference and I also think that part of it is that people want to take back their local economies.”
I’ve preached before about purchasing locally grown produce, but to support local small businesses to me is green as well. So many people are against Wal-Mart, not because it is a bad store, but because they feel that many times when a Wal-Mart moves into a community, it puts small business owners, who may not be able to compete, out of business.
Andrew Samtoy, a lawyer from Ohio, and his friend Marty Mordarski are credited with starting cash mobs. Samtoy and Mordarski felt that by doing this, they could help struggling local businesses. And, why not? If 20 people show up and spend $20, that is $400 for the small business owner. Plus, the 20 people may have discovered a cool place they will return to. And, they might tell their friends about it.
I am going now to see if Memphis has a cash mob Facebook page.