EASTON, Pa. — Fourth Fridays in Easton celebrated in style this week with the return of the Cash Mob, directing excitable shoppers to patronize local, independent businesses.
The party kicked off early at the Air Products Plaza behind Easton Public Market, with a crowd enjoying tunes by local artists and DJs, art, games and plenty of vendors with a welcome break from the recent sweltering heat.
But that was only the start of the fun.
“I felt super grateful. There was a fire in the building last week, so we were closed all last week, so to be able to have people come in and support the space and bring the community around, it's just really awesome. So super grateful and just excited to see so many bodies in here."The Loving Piece's Hannah Souders
At 6 p.m., Easton Main Street Initiative’s Julie VanOsdol gave away a few $50 gift cards to BunBusterz, Taki Ramen and Two Rivers Brewing Co., just before announcing the destination for the Cash Mob: The Loving Piece at 7 N. Third St.
Brandishing $20, a crowd of more than a dozen individuals flocked to the crystal and metaphysical shop to drop some cash and show a little appreciation for a local independent business.
“I think it's really special," VanOsdol said. "It's something that would only happen in Easton, honestly.
"Because like every day, we have the type of community that will come and just bring $20 and not even know where they're going spend it, but just do it because they want to support Easton.”
'Best, best, best idea'
As the crowd flooded into the tiny shop to peruse the plethora of rose quartz, ametrine, moonstone and more, The Loving Piece’s Hannah Souders said she was overwhelmed with the cheer and patronage.
“I felt super grateful," Souders said. "There was a fire in the building last week, so we were closed all last week, so to be able to have people come in and support the space and bring the community around, it's just really awesome.
"So super grateful and just excited to see so many bodies in here.”
She said the mood in the shop was “electric,” and that for many participants, it was their first visit.
Easton Record Exchange owner Tom Patterson, who's also drummer and vocalist for local band Slingshot Dakota, caught the mob on the way over from the plaza, joining in the fun with his corgi, Biff.
“I saw the Cash Mob walking down the block, so I'm like, ‘Oh, I'll hook up with it, yeah,’" Patterson said "It’s the best, best, best idea. Best idea.
"It's really cool, and it's a great way to get people down in Easton and stuff like that, people who usually wouldn't come down here.”
While Patterson picked up some incense for a friend, he said Biff loved all the attention he got in the shop.
Cash Mob used to be a fixture in Downtown Easton, with patrons gathering in Centre Square before taking off. But the activity had not been in practice for a while.
While it might not happen every Fourth Friday, VanOsdol said it will be a feature event going forward.
A new kind of Fourth Friday
The return ushers in a new era for Fourth Fridays, which Greater Easton Development Partnership’s Executive Director Jared Mast stating the concept is moving away from themed evenings.
“First, we recognized that there was a little bit of fatigue around the themes," Mast said.
"And that we wanted to kind of double down on what people were doing already, without our kind of support or nudging, and kind of turn it into a promotional special Friday every month.
“I think we want to build back up so that when people know that it's a Fourth Friday, that they start to play along more and just realize that it's a night that people might circle on their calendar as a slightly elevated night in Easton in terms of this programming and culture and art and retail and food.”
Going forward, Fourth Fridays will largely focus on a communal spirit at the plaza, engaging with the businesses inside the market, and more.
“We'll also start adding kind of, like, Easter eggs of programming throughout town, so buskers or interactions with public art, whether that's temporary installations or maybe installations in the works,” Mast said.
“We'd like more and more people to play along as we kind of set the standard for promotion inclusion. And again, it’s just a fun night out that's a little bit different than a typical Friday night in Easton.”
