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The “Cash Mob” is at it again. These groups that meet to patronize a specific local business have been popping up across the country and Downtown Pleasanton is no exception.
The Pleasanton Downtown Association (PDA) began hosting Cash Mob events last year and, after a short holiday hiatus, brought the event back in January at Passionate Athlete. The second Cash Mob of 2013 will take place tonight.
“Our Cash Mob aims to engage participants with the ‘buy local’ message and ensure they have a great time doing it,” said Laura Olson, executive director of the PDA. “We’re informing people about how their $20 purchase goes a long way to improve the quality of life in the downtown.”
“The Cash Mob will give us all an opportunity to have a measurable impact on a business in our downtown,” Olson added.
All shoppers interested in participating should meet at the Museum on Main, 603 Main St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday to learn the secret shopping location for the night. Then, the group will walk together to the downtown location and shop together. Shoppers are encouraged to spend $20, meet their fellow “mobbers” and have fun.
For more information visit the PDA’s Facebook page, join the Downtown Pleasanton Cash Mob group on MeetUp.com or call the PDA at (925) 484-2199.
Just thankful we haven’t had a flash mob out to rob at the Stoneridge Mall – thanks to the new BART extension – yet.
Wow. Just show up, they give you 20 dollars and tell you to shop? I’ll be there!
What if somebody drops the $20 and has nothing to spend? duh…
i’ll be there…
They aren’t giving you $20…. They are EDUCATING you on the positive effects of spending YOUR $20.
What do you mean they don’t give you the $20? What’s the draw if not the free $20? I don’t need help spending my own money!
idiots……you missed the whole point!
Great idea!
You tell me where to spend my money, as opposed to, say, my deciding where to spend my money. This way we relieve our wonderful downtown businesses of the inconvenient burden, the added expense and effort of trying to attract and keep customers with outstanding products and services.
Here’s what I usually do to contribute to downtown QOL. I visit businesses on my way to destinations that have already won my loyalty by providing me with outstanding products and services. In this way, I feel I give them the opportunity to impress me.
After all, it’s up to the business to attract customers, not up to the customers to provide business.
Mike
Dear Connie, Mike,
The goal is to build a bigger customer base for our downtown. The method is to have a social event where people get together and thus enjoy being part of the “event”. It is to have fun, meet people, do good. It is easy to be a curmudgeon, a little harder to put a smile on, but a lot funner in the end!
Thanks, hope to see you there!
I love this idea. I support local business and appreciate what they all bring to down town Pleasanton. If we don’t support our town who will and how would we encourage others if we don’t.
Cheers!!!!
Bryan,
I think you’ll find that most people are highly social and usually up for a good time, especially if there is a chance that some benefit to self or other might come out of it. I also appreciate the PDA’s desire to plan events that increase the customer population, albeit temporarily, in an attempt to help the business community. The uncomfortable feeling that the “Cash Mob” event in particular elicits stems from the apparent attitude that the market base must somehow work a littler harder to support local businesses by going out of its way to spend money that it might not otherwise spend at a business that may or may not inspire the gesture based on its own merit.
Instead of asking the good people of Pleasanton to “Come downtown and spend 20 dollars at a location that we tell you to,” wouldn’t it be nice if the PDA invited the good people of Pleasanton to “Come downtown, where many Main Street businesses are offering wonderful meals and merchandise for 20 dollars or less”?
Mike
I personally think the event would be more popular if the merchants handed out $20 vouchers to shoppers who show up for the event. I’d even let somebody show me how I’m supposed to shop. The current pitch: Cmon to downtown and spend your $20 and be part of the fun of spending your $20 at your expense and our profits sort of sounds a bit forced. Maybe spend a 20 spot or two on somebody with some marketing sense? I’m kind of embarrassed for everyone.
Seems simple enough to me.
For those that want to enjoy this event – get out there and have fun with it.
For those that don’t – then don’t show up
No need to moan about it. No one is forcing you to join in.