Civic association recreates eatery Cash Mob program

Restaurants suffered significantly under the weight of the coronavirus pandemic, but helping them bounce back might require a mob mentality. Like a Cash Mob.

That’s what the Baldwin Civic Association has in mind, creating a Cash Mob promotion to draw attention to restaurants in need.

Cash Mob isn’t a new concept. It’s been used effectively in other areas — especially in New York City — using them to attracts hungry customers on days and times when those eateries don’t necessarily attract a large crowd.

The civic association is taking a different approach, however, offering a chance for a raffle prize to anyone spending more than $20 at select restaurants.

The Baldwin association had hoped to build an incentive program through Split the Bill NY, which launched in November 2020, offering customers reimbursements of up to $25 if they dined at participating restaurants. It provided a significant boost to eateries, especially when Covid-19 curfews were still in effect.

Civic association officials contacted Split the Bill organizers to see if they could help, but came up empty since that program ended last year. So, the civic association turned instead to the Economic Development Committee.

That led to a fundraising effort among local businesses and the Baldwin Parent Teacher Association, some $6,000 was raised — primarily over a pair of PTA popcorn events. In addition, four restaurants provided additional dollars through gift certificate sales.

Civic association president Darien Ward says the businesses want each other to succeed and bounce back. “They’re here and they’re looking to benefit the community.” 

All it takes is to eat in or take out at a designated restaurant on the day they’re offering the promotion. Those include Kitty O’Hara’s, Novi and De Francisco’s Pizzeria & Ristorante on Merrick Road, and Gino’s of Baldwin on Atlantic Avenue.  Spending $20 earns five chances in a $100 raffle. Spending $30 or more results in 10 chances.

Ward hopes to “get some excitement” within the community to give back to restaurants, which in turn boost the local economy. Noting it’s not usually the civic association’s duty to help with the fiscal side of Baldwin affairs, Ward sees frequenting local businesses as a neighborhood responsibility.

“We as a community would like the community to come out and patronize these businesses,” he said. “They’re all Baldwin businesses that employ Baldwin residents, and some others.”

It’s also a way of motivating people to try restaurants they may not have visited before, encouraging them to stay local instead of traveling. That way, Ward can get people “to know what’s happening with Baldwin.”

“We have a tradition in Baldwin of having very different ethnic restaurants that are well-received and well-regarded,” he said. “We wanted people to know about them and frequent them.”

The program not only helps restaurants bounce back from Covid-19 economic stresses, but also makes up for the lack of walkability around town, Ward added. It’s one way to create some foot traffic while the civic association waits for when the Town of Hempstead will start some of its downtown revitalization initiatives.

The Baldwin Chamber of Commerce is planning a similar program of its own this summer. But chamber president Franky Jorge doesn’t see what the civic associations is doing as competition: “We will support anything that can bring business to our Baldwin community.”