Collinsville CA$H MOB Event Helps Local Businesses

A unique event called “CA$H MOB” is bringing shoppers together in Collinsville to help local businesses.

The event is sponsored by the GRDA and meets every month to help stimulate businesses in downtown Collinsville.

A CA$H MOB is a shop local version of a flash mob and it's all about supporting the businesses that make this community thrive.

It’s a special occasion in Collinsville as the community gears up for the CA$H MOB event at the Community Outreach Office.

Community Outreach Assistant Teressa Payne says it’s a unique initiative that encourages residents to come together and support local businesses in a fun and spontaneous way.

“With the community that came together, we are able to prove if we do a little for the community, we can accomplish a lot,” Payne said.

Participants call themselves “mobbers”, but they are not storming the town with pitchforks.

Instead, mobbers like Alice Worth are opening their wallets and searching for great local deals.

“It’s really fun because one, you don’t know who’s going to get drawn,” Worth said.

There were 10 businesses submitted this year, and once a month, a business is drawn from the jar.

The mobbers agree to spend at least $25 in a short window of time at the winning business.

Worth also owns a shop and is waiting for her chance to host mobbers. She says it’s an opportunity for residents to discover the diverse offerings in downtown Collinsville and connect with their community.

“Some people haven’t been in our store before until they become a mobber, and they come into our store, and they tell people about our store, and then it’s just a chain reaction,” Worth said.

The CA$H MOB takes place on the 4th Thursday of every month, bringing a burst of activity to a different downtown Collinsville business each time.

This month’s store was Lynn’s Antiques and Jewelry.

Because of the holidays, the next CA$H MOB is scheduled for the third Thursday in December.