LEWISBURG, W. Va (WVVA)-- The first ever Lewisburg cash mob was scheduled for Saturday at the "Honnahlee" toy store on Washington Street.
The idea was to get together to support the local economy in a big way all at one time. Customers would invade a store and purchase whatever they wanted, all in the name of town comradery. The idea comes to Lewisburg through inspiration from larger towns that have tried similar things.
Honnahlee owner Margaret Hypes-Dolan says the event wasn't as big as she had thought, but she is thankful for the business it did bring her.
"Not everybody came at once," she said. Some people had come earlier in the day and said they were supporting her business through the event. "A lot of people thought it was all day," she added, which may have led to the less impactful turnout.
But Hypes-Dolan looks on the bright side: "I got a lot of attention on Facebook, I got a lot of free press out of it, a lot of shoppers. So I would call it a success," she said. She also mentioned there were a lot of new shoppers she hadn't seen before.
Lanny Howe was one of those shoppers. He also owns a business in Lewisburg and figured he would drop by to pick up gifts for his grandkids. "I think it's a really great idea," he said. "It gives the shop owners a little morale boost."
Howe says supporting local businesses is really important. "Lewisburg is mostly made of small businesses and shops," he commented, "and some people never go in and support them."
Both Howe and Hypes-Dolan agree that the idea will take a little while for people to get into, but when they do it can really work well. Hypes-Dolan said the event is a way to make the experience "an occasion, not just shopping."
The toy store has actually been in Lewisburg for thirteen years, according to Hypes-Dolan, but she bought it this past January. It offers more traditional toys, "no gadgets or electronics, just stuff that's more timeless. Stuff you can pass down" and things that are educational, said Hypes-Dolan.
She hopes this event will start spreading the word that the store is still open. "It almost closed before I bought it, and I think people need to know it's still around."
