Friday, February 17, 2012
CNN Airs (Finally) Cleveland Segment
Posted by Maude L. Campbell on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 3:50 PM
Last week we told you to come out and smile for the cameras, because CNN was in town. The segment on Cleveland Cash Mobs finally aired yesterday and in case you missed it, you can watch it here.
It's great national exposure for Tremont's Visible Voice Books and Big Fun Toys on Coventry, not to mention a nice nod to our city.
Comments (8)
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Mr. Samtoy, while I respect his goals in trying to help local businesses, this will not improve the community. A few reasons:
1.) Buy Local is a silly theory to follow. Ultimately those businesses close anyway, and those who tried spending their hard earned dollars there because it's local end up poorer because smaller stores have a hard time competing on price. In the long run, it is often worse for the environment, especially when it comes to food and "food miles."
2.) 40 people, "mobbing" a store will not do much to help that store. Sure, one night they will make money, but that will not help out an ailing business stay in business. The video of "Big Fun" doesn't help their case because it is a store that nearly everyone in Cleveland knows about.
3.) If cash mobs truly help these places stay in business via the one cash-mob, then they would have to continue the cash-mobs to help these places stay open. This sounds a lot like, you know, being a happy customer that chooses a business because it offers goods at prices they can afford. In short, cash-mobs are Keynesian "stimulus" economics at a micro level. They don't contribute to long-run success of these businesses.
It's cute and kitschy, but doesn't do anything other than pro-long the lives of businesses doomed to fail anyway, or help businesses that didn't need it in the first place.
Bomble's right. We should just say "fuck helping our neighbors because they'll fail anyway" and head off to Wal-Mart and buy some more foreign shit...
For me it was such a treat to see Big Fun on the tube, a place I have shopped many, many times...So while bomble goes on his Eeyore rant I will still continue to hit my favorite local haunts and continue to vow...NEVER SHOP IN WAL-CRAP...
cbrbart, I'd be interested in hearing what you have against Wal-Mart.
Datamigo,
Two questions: 1.) Doesn't Big Fun sell a bunch of foreign-made "crap" like GI Joes?
2.) Doesn't Wal-Mart employ your neighbors?
Bomble, don't worry about a reply from cbrbart, he usually just throws up one liners or maybe three lines tops for the sake of making a comment. Not a bad guy, just not a conversationalist.
I hear what you're saying with all this, and from an economics standpoint I would say you're probably right. However, I still think this is a good idea for the locals to do. When aimed properly at a local mom-and-pop business, it can be a really nice way for the community to (1) show they support the business, and (2) thank them for years of service and dedication. I think the original cash mob came about because of a local store that was hurting because of a long construction project. They had things that people wanted, it just became way too inconvenient to get there because of the construction. The cash mob was a little way to help.
No, it's not a long term solution, and I think your description of a "bailout" is accurate. When used properly, however, I think it can be more than that, it can be a thank you, or even a gift.
Thanks for the info, Adam.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing to do, per se. I am a huge supporter of Big Fun. I go every time I am back in Cleveland -- it's where I got my "Cleveland's a Plum" magnet and my Howard Dean Scream bottle opener.
I agree it's not a long term solution, I just like commenting on articles like these to spur a discussion about rational economics. I just don't want people walking away with the conclusion that Cash Mobs are going to solve all of Cleveland's problems, like, say, Medical Mart supposedly will. For too long, Clevelanders have bought into soundbyte thinking, and it really hasn't helped the city.
Appreciate the comment.
Jim
