The "Money Mob" Works to Galvanize Local Support for Neighborhood Businesses

Lee Edwards | As of Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Money Mob held a Kickback event at Good Foods located at 1966 E. 73rd St. Kickback events support local African-American owned businesses.
The Money Mob held a Kickback event at Good Foods located at 1966 E. 73rd St. Kickback events support local African-American owned businesses.

The Money Mob (MM), a trio of young professionals, has made it their business to alert the urban community about quality, independently-owned, African-American businesses in Chicago.

The MM, consisting of Ashley Barnes, Brandon Evans and Cassiopeia Sledge, see their efforts as a labor of love that will in time, benefit Chicago's entire African-American business community.

Using Facebook, their website (moneymob.org), and word of mouth, the MM recently endorsed and promoted three businesses on the Southside of Chicago in the past three months via their Money Mob Kickback events and on YouTube.

At Kickback events, the MM provides for businesses, music, customer giveaways and a sociable atmosphere for shoppers. To ensure that Kickback events are successful, the MM also brings at least 20 potential customers to the establishment.

The MM's YouTube videos serve two purposes: to showcase a business to those who are unable to attend Kickback events and to give potential customers a sneak peek into business without actually travelling there.

“We go out, we film a short little video about the business where we interview the business owner, show some food, and show some of the highlights of the business,” said Barnes. “The day of the Money Mob Kickback we have vendors that come out who may not necessarily have a brick and mortar location, they come out and then we have a discussion about business, economics, and things of that realm.”

photo
Money Mob members Ashley Barnes (left) and Cassiopeia Sledge (right) pose with a Money Mob t-shirt raffle winner at a kickback event.

The MM encourages businesses to give back to the communities they are in.

“We do focus on the Black owned businesses because we know that there are other groups that have businesses in our community but they don’t put that money back into our community,” said Cassiopeia Sledge. “We want to make sure that we’re highlighting and bringing more awareness to Black owned businesses showing that we do spend with each other and getting accountability in showing where that money is going so we’re going to be able to see the increase the recycling of the Black dollar a lot more.”

Barnes told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper that the MM is interested in showcasing businesses throughout the entire city stating “we are not going to limit ourselves to one part of the city.”

This past Thursday, the MM hosted a Kickback event at Good Foods, 1966 E. 73rd St.

The Chicago Citizen Newspaper spoke to Good Foods owner, Camilla Alfred about the MM's impact on her business.

“A lot of people weren’t familiar with us even though we’ve been in business here a long time. They helped get the word out about us and we got some of the customers we haven’t seen in a long time.”

Alfred added that she would definitely work with the MM again and has told other businesses about their work.

For more information about the Money Mob visit moneymob.org.

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