A Cash Mob is meant to be a fun way to encourage people to go into a small, local business and spend their money, en masse, and give that business owner a rush of economic stimulus.

The Mancos Cash Mob may be a fairly new idea to our community but it has been around for a while. It was originated by Chris Smith of Buffalo, N.Y., in August 2011, when he encouraged a group of over 100 people to show up at a local wine shop and spend money. The idea was later picked up in November, 2011 by Andrew Samtoy of Cleveland, who claims to have come up with name "cash mob." Since then, cash mob events have sprouted up across the U.S. and Canada.

The Mancos Cash Mob is sponsored by the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce. During a Mancos Cash Mob event, a business is swamped with lots of crazy activity, all in one time-frame. Join us at Bubba's Real Texas BBQ Restaurant, Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. Bubba's is located at 280 East Frontage Road, (next to P&D Grocery) in Mancos.

This is a time to show our support for a local business by sharing a little of our cash with them. It will be the time to experience the great hospitality of one of our local, small town businesses.

Other businesses that have had the Mancos Cash Mob visit them are: Chavolos, Artisans of Mancos, Raven House, Gallery, Zuma Natural Foods, Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters, and Kaleidoscope Wellness. Future "Mancos Cash Mob" events will be announced in the newspaper, posted on the Mancos Valley Facebook page and on the website under Mancos Valley calendar of events. If you have a business in the Valley and would like to host a "Mancos Cash Mob," contact the Chamber of Commerce at 533-7434 or email [email protected].

Marie Chiarizia is the executive director of the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 101 E. Bauer Ave.