PORTLAND, Maine — Hoping to take advantage of the Portland community’s enthusiasm for supporting local stores, a new website organized a “Cash Mob” Thursday night. Nearly 50 people gathered in Monument Square armed with $20 bills and overwhelmed nearby Longfellow Books with business.
Stuart Gersen, co-owner of the victimized book store, couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
“This puts more people in the store than all day today and all day yesterday,” Gersen said. “We maybe got a few days like this before Christmas.”
The dose of cash was welcomed, but the event succeeded in another way as well. It shone a spotlight on the “Buy Local” movement, said Suzanne Gagnon, an office manager and outreach leader for the organizing group, Local Thunder.
“Every little bit helps, and it’s also another way to draw attention to the local economy in a fun way,” Gagnon said.
Event organizer Local Thunder is the group behind the fledgling website www.gr8PortlandME.com, which keeps a comprehensive directory of Portland businesses by type and highlights activities being held in the city.
“Mobbers” weren’t told in advance of the 5:30 p.m. gathering time which store had been chosen for “attack,” adding an element of spontaneity to the rush.
Those behind the counter of the shop had no complaints about getting mobbed.
“I only recognize a few of these people,” Gersen said. “So this could be a lot of new customers, which is probably as important as the $20 they’re carrying. … You know how much effort businesses go through to get people through the door? I don’t know how much this is worth in advertising.”
The Cash Mob trend was first conceived by Ohioan Andrew Samtoy, and the local shopping bursts have spread in popularity, with an International Cash Mob Day ready to launch in more than 200 downtowns Saturday.
Chris Hourcle was one of the participants in the Portland Cash Mob on Thursday night, and he said he first heard of such an event being held in another city. So he was enthusiastic about taking part when he realized a Cash Mob was going to be held in Maine’s largest city, too.
“I think any business would appreciate something like this,” he said before the last few stragglers joined the bunch in Monument Square. “Let’s say 30 people come out with $20 apiece. That’s $600 in business in a short period of time.”
Locally, the collection of about 50 shoppers represented about $1,000 being poured into the Portland economy, and that’s before the group gravitated toward Eve’s at the Garden restaurant for a special follow-up social hour.
If they are all from Portland they really aren’t putting $1000 into the local economy as much as they are keeping it there. And if you know the broken window parable they could be doing themselves a disservice. But currently it is probably still legal to do this.
I think it’s actually the “Parable of the Broken Window”, and you are right it could be a disservice to themselves, but it was probably just disposable income that other wise probably would of been spent on gas just to travel somewhere else.
whine,,whine,,whine,,whine
they could have spent the money buying books on Amazon. So yes, they did put the money in to the local economy.
Sure money could have been spent elsewhere, but the money was not used for purchasing something that had been destroyed. There are too many factors to determine the effect on the global economy, but the net effect on the local economy is probably positive.
So if you own a store, turn them and their $$$ away when they show up.
Great idea !! More towns in Maine need to attempt this.Buy local,stay local absolutely nothing wrong with this…..
I think it s a great idea. Why do people like to bring up the negative about something good.
Evidently they must be negative thinkers.
It is the cash purchase part that keeps the $ local. No service fees to banks for credit card fees, thus higher profit and more $ to spend locally. This is truly a great thing that keeps us not only as community but as neighbors.
Below is a link to and the parable of the broken window:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_windowBastiat's original parable of the broken window from Ce qu’on voit et ce qu’on ne voit pas (1850):Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James Goodfellow, when his careless son happened to break a pane of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation—”It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?”Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions.Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier’s trade—that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs—I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen.But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, “Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen.”It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.
This is terrific! This should happen more often~
What a great thing to do. Kindness
GREAT idea that is a win-win for all – Maine has lost too many bookstores of late. Please don’t forget though that many of us have stores that are online only.
Best story I’ve read all year!Longfellow is a treasure.
Great idea, but not a new one. We had a “Cash Mob” in the legislature for thirty years.
OK that was funny.Again true but funny.
A win-win situation for all involved and an example for everybody.
Great idea. I wonder why the Portland Press Herald didn’t cover this. Bangor Daily News is taking over the world.
True American spirit still lives on……
Thats freaking awesome,way cool folks.
The cynicism on here never ceases to amaze me.How any body could find fault with this is beyond me,but obviously its not beyond some.
I would love to take part in something like this in the Downeast region!
As the popularity and passion for Cash Mobs continues to grow, there are so many individuals who would like to become a part of this fast growing movement. Questions, such as ‘What is a Cash Mob’ and ‘How do I get involved’ are just a few, as interested individuals yearn to help their Local Communities. Here’s a website that can answer some of those questions, plus it’s designed to help educate and promote communities in the planning process as they organize a Cash Mob. http://cashmobmarketing.com They even offer to design a FREE landing page for each event, so that you can have a digital link to share on your favorite Social Media sites.
What an awesome idea! This needs to happen in Oxford County please!