Cash Mobs hit local businesses

The concept is simple — support local businesses by showing up on a given day and making a purchase.

It’s exactly the answer Lyndsay Schott was looking for when she was thinking about Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Is there a way to support local businesses beyond that and make sure they are not forgotten, she wondered.

She got to talking about it with a friend who mentioned the idea of holding a Cash Mob. The event comes from the social-media inspired Flash Mob, when a group of people assemble in a public place and put on a performance, often a dance.

For a Cash Mob, people organize through social media and word of mouth to show up at a local business during a given time and spend money. Often stores are flooded with customers during a short period of time.

Schott’s approach was more relaxed and suggested patrons visit during one day rather than a short time span. The idea was to make sure the businesses were remembered, she noted.

“I wanted to focus attention,” she said. “These businesses are the essence of Whitefish.”

Schott began with Sweet Peaks ice cream on Dec. 3 and rallied friends through Facebook to stop by and buy a cone.

“Like most moms, I think about stopping there, but I’m just too busy so I don’t,” she said. “This made me stop.”

Marissa Keenan, who owns Sweet Peaks, said there was a good crowd at the store and described it as a neighborhood party.

“I think people were and are still trying to figure out what the Cash Mob concept is all about,” she said. “It is a fun community event and just another demonstration of how supportive locals are of small business. I really hope that it continues to pick up momentum and we can continue to help other small businesses.”

Keenan and Schott talked about paying the idea forward and handed out flyers directing customers to the next store. The Cash Mob turned to Bookworks and, again through Facebook, rallied folks to spend Dec. 5 shopping there. The folks at Bookworks were a little surprised when Schott told them she had orchestrated a Cash Mob day for their store.

“I’m very happy she did it,” said owner Cheryl Watkins. “It means a lot that she thought of us. In Whitefish everybody supports everybody.”

The Cash Mob turned its sights on the Naked Noodle Monday.

Schott pointed out that support for local business goes beyond retail shops and its important to not forget restaurants during the holiday season. Beyond the Naked Noodle, Schott said, the mob could go anywhere but there’s no definite plans.

“The holidays are about giving back to the community,” she said.