ROCKWALL, TX (July 19, 2014) Starting this August, on the third Thursday of each month, Rockwall residents will rally together and form a mob—for a good cause.
Rockwall will officially begin participating in the national Cash Mob phenomenon in an effort to support local businesses and strengthen community ties. The idea came to Main Street Manager Bethany Browning earlier this week, so she called a meeting with Rockwall realtor Evan Matteson and Meals on Wheels board member Brenda Cross to discuss plans for the monthly mob last Tuesday. Cross said the driving force behind the idea is for community members to realize the impact they can have on the local economy by supporting small businesses.
“We really want it to be a grass roots campaign to shop local, and we want it to educate the community,” Cross said.
Each month, the cash mobbers will eat and socialize at a local restaurant beginning at 6:00 p.m. Mob members will be expected to bring a minimum of $20 with them to spend at the locally-owned cash mob location, which will remain a secret until the pre-mob festivities. After the group is finished eating, the location will be announced and everyone will head over to the nearby business together.
Cross also said that part of the goal involved in the cash mob was to give lots of different community members a chance to connect with each other.
“We want to include as many people in Rockwall as we can,” Cross said. “Hopefully lots of people will meet each other.”
Matteson agreed that the social aspect of the cash mob is what makes it so unique.
“Our motto is ‘Buy Local, Dine Local, Meet Locals,’ and that is basically it in a nutshell,” Matteson said. “This is more of a fun approach to supporting local businesses, so that people can get involved and make it social.”
Matteson said that often part of the incentive for attending and spending with the mob will be entry for a chance to win store credit or a free item from the chosen location.
“That way there is a giving back aspect, as well as a ‘What’s in it for me?’ aspect,” Matteson said.
Businesses will often be selected for the cash mob based on their efforts towards community charity and support. Browning said she is also hopeful that the cash mob leaders will choose to support businesses that could stand to suffer from the renovations in the town square currently blocking parking and footpaths.
“We are targeting businesses in need that are also giving back in some way,” Browning said. “I’m hoping they will choose businesses affected by the construction downtown. Hopefully this will give them a boost.”
Matteson said community support for the idea has been growing daily since the creation of a Rockwall Cash Mob facebook page. The page has already received over 100 likes and is steadily garnering support from enthusiastic citizens.
“People have already started noticing [the page] and liking it without us even promoting it yet,” Matteson said. “There is definitely a desire for this. We are super excited to see everybody’s response.”
The first cash mob will take place on August 21, beginning at Zanata. As for business location they will mob, Matteson said he is sworn to secrecy.
“I can’t tell you, but we do already have one in mind,” Matteson said.
By Blue Ribbon News staff writer and reporter Julie Anne White.
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