City October 11, 2012 8:48 PM

Buffalo CashMob Heads to El Buen Amigo

Buffalo CashMob Heads to El Buen Amigo
Buffalo Rising
Buffalo Rising 16
The Buffalo Cash Mob is back. And everyone is welcome to join the party at 5:30pm on Friday (October 12th) at El Beun Amigo. 

Cash mobs are meant to help bring attention - and money - to locally-owned small businesses. The brainchild of local blogger Chris Smith, cash mobs have become a global phenomenon and have mobbed local businesses in more than 700 cities across 5 continents. 

Cash mob participants are asked to spend a minimum of $10 at the chosen business. After the cash mob, you're invited to join fellow Cash Mobbers for drinks at Cantina Loco which is steps away from El Buen Amigo and located at the corner of Allen and Elmwood. 

If you're not familiar with El Buen Amigo, it's one of Elmwood's great little jewels. The store offers customers fair trade arts, crafts, clothing and coffee direct from artisans and farmers in Latin America. This business model helps provide impoverished individuals in developing countries earn a living income and the opportunity to maintain a sustainable lifestyle for them and their families. It's truly a win/win business model. 


The details: 

Cash Mob
Spend at least $10 to support a local business
El Buen Amigo 
114 Elmwood Avenue
Friday, October 12th, 5:30pm


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16 Comments Leave a comment
ivan putski jr
October 11, 2012 11:35 PM
ivan putski jr

This end of Elmwood is in dire shape... too bad really.....Sweet Tooth closed down, Cozumel is for sale, and now El Buen Amigo is hurting...parking has always been an issue in Allentown...hope things turn for the better but we'll see....too bad they never built a parking garage down here, it would surely help

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Allentwnguy
October 12, 2012 10:04 AM
Allentwnguy

Sweet Tooth closed due to health reasons I believe. And Cozumel is hurting not for lack of customers but lack of management. On Friday and Saturday there are hundreds of people on this side of Allen St. and they seem to find parking. I don't know what the answer is. But I think part of the problem is the night time people and businesses are catering to them and opening at 4 o'clock. There aren't many places that serve lunch so we don't get that lunch crowd vibe during the day. Maybe as the medical campus grows it will improve.

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replied to ivan putski jr
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BuffaloBobZ
October 12, 2012 9:05 AM
BuffaloBobZ

Cantina Loco is doing fantastic (packed all the time), sweet tooth was replaced immediately by The Buffalo CAkery, and Cozumel is a chipewa bar in allentown. Not that I want to see any business close, but storefronts are being replaced shortly after leaving, which is the sign of a healthy (enough) area. That being said, its still not as secure as upper elmwood, but living in allentown i've notcied it doing better in the past year than the couple before that.

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Polonia
October 12, 2012 9:16 AM
Polonia

Allentown is doing fine. It wears one mask during the day and another at night. When you experience them both, you see it is a healthy neighborhood.

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benfranklin
October 12, 2012 9:57 AM
benfranklin

Allen near the BNMC during the evening could use another patrol car or two.

You have younger professional women walking from Franklin, to Allen, to the BNMC at all hours (for instruction, work, not quite sure...but they are doing it).

Two nights ago, a young black couple was fighting at the corner of Franklin and Allen. It was about 9pm. She wanted to be left alone. I didn't think she was in imminent danger, but I did call the police. They didn't show, when I went back outside, the couple was gone.

So...the arguments and disruptions, to me, part of city life. But now you add young professionals walking the area, well, seems like an added patrol or two wouldn't hurt.

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replied to Polonia
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North Buffalo Girl
October 12, 2012 10:34 AM
North Buffalo Girl

I recently moved out of the area and am happy to be back! I missed Buffalo very much! I am very glad to see the comments and concern for our city. Together, we can all make a difference! I am just a little concerned about benfranklin's comment. It seems he meant well in protecting a woman in our city, but mentions "a young black couple" was arguing. I just feel that if the couple were white, he would have just said "a young couple" and honestly depending on the intesity of the arguement, I doubt he would he notified authorities. Just an observation.

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replied to benfranklin
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benfranklin
October 12, 2012 10:53 AM
benfranklin

Wait a minute.... I called the police because I thought the girl was in some amount of danger. If she had said 'help', I would have intervened. The two were having a dispute, as in, 'I don't want to go with you'.

The police dispatcher asked me their race. I don't know if the police response would have been different.

In another thread, an employee in the BNMC says he'd be less likely to go into Allentown for lunch because the area is a bit 'sketchy'. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm letting you know what's going on in the neighborhood.

You're thinking I wouldn't have called the police if they were white? I think the 'racist' response would have been to let them fight, who cares what he does to her.

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replied to North Buffalo Girl
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RaChaCha
October 12, 2012 11:36 PM
RaChaCha

I hear ya. There is a lot of "street drama" (without regard to race) on Allen between Main and Franklin, especially. In fact, when my walking route takes me through there I often find myself heading automatically for the north side of Allen, where it tends to be less prevalent.

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replied to benfranklin
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Sheldon S. Kornpett, D.D.S.
October 12, 2012 11:54 AM
Sheldon S. Kornpett, D.D.S.

I know! Why did he do that?!?! Total racist.

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replied to North Buffalo Girl
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benfranklin
October 12, 2012 1:04 PM
benfranklin

...et tu, Sheldon?

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replied to Sheldon S. Kornpett, D.D.S.
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New2Buffalo
October 12, 2012 1:08 PM
New2Buffalo

There is a large public parking lot(free of charge)in Allentown off of Wadsworth at Arlington Place. Wadsworth turns into Allen right there at Days Park. You can park here and walk wherever you need to go up and down Allen. Only problem with that lot is that it's a bit dark at night even with a couple street lights. Some new bright lights and some signs directing traffic to the lot would be nice. Also, all the streets that shoot off Allen are free parking and not a problem to find it. I used to live right around the corner at Franklin & Cottage.

Compared to the Elmwood Village section of Elmwood Ave yes this area in Allentown is way sketchier. A nightly(yes every single night)looting of cars w/unlocked doors occured over there(had a gps stolen out of a car my driveway). Also on the regular whatever car parked on the corner at College/Cottage got their window smashed in and car looted. Homeless "residents"/drifters in the area do not react kindly when asked not to walk through home owners yards, sleep on their porches, etc.(I know this from complaints from neighbors on Cottage). I think a larger police presence would be a welcomed addition.

Since leaving about 7 months ago I've heard that there is a recent neighborhood watch working with police to try to take back control of that area and that it is improving a bit.

Not having many lunch options despite lots of restaurants on Allen does suck. Note to restaurant owners over there: People are looking to eat lunch in Allentown.

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grad94
October 12, 2012 6:07 PM
grad94

hey, how do you nominate a business for cash mob?

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Polonia
October 12, 2012 8:21 PM
Polonia

a description is not racist. You isolating the word black out of the entire story makes you an uppity guilt ridden whitey. ZING!

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Nickel City Joe
October 12, 2012 10:45 PM
Nickel City Joe

The eastern part of Allen Street is likely to get a major facelift, so hopefully these blocks will be less 'sketchy' soon.

http://www.buffalorising.com/2012/06/higgins-calls-for-creation-of-western-gateway-to-medical-campus.html

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South Buffalo Drifter
October 13, 2012 12:11 PM
South Buffalo Drifter

So all drama aside, can someone comment on how the cash mob went? Was it successful? Would you do it again? What other businesses might benefit from something like this?

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BuffaloQPublic
October 13, 2012 3:25 PM
BuffaloQPublic

I only saw the coverage on the 11 o'clock news.

It appeared very successful for the store owner and for Buffalo as the event will be favorably spotlighted outside of our area. (I think the New York Times??? was mentioned for an upcoming article.)

The inclusion of the Cantina Loco was an additional thoughtful idea.

Tall hats off to the creator, Chris Smith!

(Aside Note – The cake place, across the street from the Cantina Loco, is still missing a little something to make it more inviting or outstanding.)

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