“Cash Mob” To Take Over Dubuque

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

The Crust Italian Kitchen and Bar downtown Dubuque on Thursday, May 3. 2012. Crust is also a Dubuque Chamber of Commerce member and could be one of many business to be cash mobbed. (Brent Horstmann/KCRG TV-9-The Gazette)

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: May 3, 2012 at 5:53 PM CDT

Story Updated: May 3, 2012 at 6:20 PM CDT

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce is pushing a new initiative to spur business at local retailers. The “cash mob” is a combination of a new trend and the long time push to buy local.

A “cash mob” is a group of people who all show up at the same business at the same time and start spending money.

Spring time at “Cookin Something Up” is kind of like Christmas time for most retailers. Owner Doris Gorius said she’d love to have more customers at her cooking supply store, anytime of year.

Enter the Cash Mob.

“We will gather our mob together and we will march down with $20 dollars in our hands,“ said Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Barry Gentry. “And we will walk into a business and we will spend money.”

The idea is to give the small business a quick economic shot in the arm. Plus it brings new customers into that business. Gentry said, “If you see something you like you may come back later and tell two friends about it, like that old shampoo commercial.”

Dubuque’s first cash mob is scheduled for May 10th at 5 p.m. The mob will bombard Fig Leaf Intimates in downtown Dubuque.

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