Cash mobs

I received this email from a reporter at the LA Times. What he is asking about is Cash Mobs where people join together and go into small businesses and spend money enmasse.

Have any of you participated in this either a s a purchaser or seller.
Do you have something like this in your area. Apparently there are about 200 of these.
Do you think this is a good idea and would help the local economy or is this a fad.

See below
I would like to get back to Ricardo tomorrow.
Scott

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Hi Scott,

Thanks for speaking with me today. So here’s a link to the Cash Mobs webpage, explains what they’re doing and what they hope to accomplish:

http://cashmobs.wordpress.com/about-us/

And here’s an NPR piece on the trend:

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/29/149555396/national-trend-mobs-local-businesses-with-cash

And here’s just one more story:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/27/us-usa-ohio-cashmobs-idUSBRE82Q0IX20120327

If you google Cash Mobs, you’ll come across others.

But what I was trying to get for my story was someone familiar with small businesses who might be able to tell me whether they think this trend has staying power or would drum up long-term results for a business targeted by a cash mob.

Let me know if you’d like to offer your two cents once you get familiar with the topic – or if you know anyone else, feel free to forward my contact information below.

Thanks!

-Ricardo