With a crowd of 50-plus patrons lined up outside Lucky You!, it was far from a typical Monday for Denise Jensen — or any business day for that matter.
Selected as the inaugural Issaquah Cash Mob recipient, Jensen’s home decor shop was swarmed by the large crowd following the cut of a ribbon by Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce representative Nate Perea and Young Issaquah Professional chairwoman Audrey Slade.
“It’s a fabulous way to promote business,” said Jensen, who opened Lucky You! six months ago in Gilman Village. “I’m looking forward to when they do this with other people so I can go support them. I just think it’s incredible.”
Perea first obtained the cash mob idea via an email. Although there wasn’t enough time to organize a local gathering on March 24, the actual National Cash Mob Day, there was no way Issaquah was missing out on the unique opportunity.
“When I saw it, I thought this looks too cool,” Perea said.
He passed the idea off to Slade, whose young professional group ran with it.
“It’s something that’s been building in momentum,” she said. “You’re hearing about them more and more and more, it’s obviously taking off.”
The general idea behind a cash mob is to organize a group of people to congregate at a locally-owned business and infuse their collective cash into the local merchant’s register.
Issaquah’s version of a cash mob differed from others around the country in that the winner was notified a few days prior to the event, instead of the morning of. People were also asked to buy items, but not spend a specific monetary amount.
“We want to be able to benefit business, we don’t want to stress them out,” Slade said.
The concept was new to cusotmer Bill Glassey, but well received. The survey project manager, who works across the parking lot, was the first through the door and the first to buy an item. His wife heard about the event on the radio and immediately called and asked him to participate.
“It’s something we’ve been talking about buying anyway,” Glassey said, noting it was a wedding present for his daughter. “(The cash mob) is super cool.”
More than 120 customers visited Lucky You! on Monday, which pulled in more than $3,000 in sales between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
There are already plans for future cash mobs in Issaquah, possibly with some modifications. In future years, the lucky business will likely be voted on through various social media outlets. There will also be “mob bosses,” who will be rewarded with prizes for gathering the largest group of participants.
“It’s supporting local, it’s bettering our community, it’s getting other people to get out and connect with other people — it’s really everything that we wanted it to be,” Slade said.
Patrons pour through the door of Lucky You! for Issaquah’s first ever Cash Mob.
Lucky You! owner Denise Jensen was all smiles Monday during the Cash Mob event held at her store.
