Local business owners should be on the lookout.

Rumor has it that the mob is coming to town.

But this mob isn’t looking to shake down the business owners. Instead, it’s trying to give them a financial boost by spreading cash around to small businesses.

The Greenville Area Cash Mob is hoping to hit its first business by the end of October, according to organizer Chad McGriff.

“We all know that locally-owned, small businesses have a tough time thriving,” McGriff said. “We see them come in and go out (of business) in 18 months. This is a way we’re hoping we can give them a boost and be a blessing to them.”

So, just what is a cash mob?

It’s a group of people who assemble at a local business at an appointed time and all buy items from that business.

McGriff, who serves on the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, said he is hoping the members of the Greenville Area Cash Mob will each spend at least $20 when the mob visits a business.

“I think if we can do that, it’s going to start a pay-it-forward movement,” McGriff said. “Hopefully after we select our first business to mob, the employees and owners of that business will be inspired to jump on board and pay it forward by mobbing the next business we select.”

McGriff said the goal is to mob one business a month. Each month, via the Greenville Area Cash Mob’s Facebook page, three businesses will be nominated. The cash mob will then select from those three businesses a store to mob.

“We’re not trying to make it a big secret,” McGriff said. “We want the business owners to be able to purchase inventory in the $20 range and have extra employees on hand if they need to in order to serve the number of people that will be in the store. We want this to be a blessing for these business owners and not something that they feel like makes them look bad because they weren’t prepared.”

McGriff said the Greenville Area Cash Mob is currently trying to get a list built of small businesses in the area. When that list is complete, the nominations for the first business to be mobbed will begin.

“If we don’t do it by the end of October, which is our goal, then we’ll certainly do it within the first 10 days of November,” he said.

For more information on getting involved visit the Greenville Area Cash Mob’s Facebook page.