The Cash Mobs organized by Downtown Marion and the Marion Young Professionals have been very well received by the businesses involved as well as those who come to participate. The next Cash Mob is set for Thursday, September 27.
“A Cash Mob,” said Karen Herr, manager of Downtown Marion, “is essentially an organized Flash Mob that supports our local businesses.”
Generally, Herr said, the Cash Mob participants meet at a designated location about 5:15 pm to 5:30 pm and then go to the target business. Each person in the mob is asked to spend at least $10 in that location, and businesses have gift certificates available so if shoppers don’t immediately find something they’d like, they can purchase a certificate to give away or use on a future purchase.
Although the exact store to be visited is often not announced so there are no pre-conceived notions, said Herr, the next couple of events are at locations that need to be driven to. The Cash Mob this Thursday, September 27, is Shirk’s Homemade Candies at 1235 South Prospect Street. This location is on State Route 4 south just north of Barks Road on the west side of the road.
“We spend about 30 minutes at the store and then move on to an after party at another local business,” explained Cara Stevens of Marion’s Young Professionals.
Participants can attend both ends of the Cash Mob, or just one part of it. The after party this week will be at O’Michaels Fish N Chips at 1116 Mount Vernon Avenue.
The goal, said Stevens, is to get Marion people more familiar with Marion businesses. “So many people automatically assume that they can’t find a great gift or item for themselves in Marion … that’s just so not true!”
More Cash Mobs are scheduled for October 8, October 25, and November 5. Details on these Cash Mobs will be released soon.
Herr summed it up by saying, “Where you eat, shop and play is important, and Cash Mobs are an absolutely stupendous way to invest in our local community $10 at a time.”
Further information may be found on the Marion Young Professionals Facebook page; at www.downtownmarion.com; or by calling Herr at 740-382-2181.
Downtown Marion, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is the revitalization of downtown Marion as a central hub for the community.
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