Photo Gallery: Cash Mob Hits Big Fun

More than 50 people congregated in front of the in Coventry Thursday night and waited for Andrew Samtoy to announce where the "" would be.

Samtoy started cash mobs in Cleveland in November 2011 to help support local businesses that contribute to their communities, according to his blog.

Wearing a furry monster hat, Samtoy told the crowd to head down to . City Manager Robert Downey and Cleveland Heights-University Heights Member Nancy Peppler were among those who attended the event.

Steve Presser, owner of Big Fun, said he was grateful his store was selected. In just an hour and 15 minutes, the store made $1,454.

"The best part about it, and obviously I’m thankful it was Big Fun, but it was about community, small businesses and people shopping local. This is without a doubt the easiest way for us to get the ball rolling locally and nationally with this buy local movement," Presser said.

The purpose of the cash mob is simple — get a bunch of people together to shop at a local store to boost the merchant's sales and the neighborhood's economy.

"This Cash Mob is special. Last year, by one of the first flash mobs in Cleveland — the destructive kind, the kind that we detest," Samtoy wrote. "However, they're excited to have us visit as our first east side Cash Mob!"

There are rules and guidelines for the cash mob, such as people should spend $20 and the business must have products for men and women.

After shopping at Big Fun, the group grabbed a drink at for the "post-mob." Check out photos above from the event.

"What was nice about last night for me was there were a lot of unfamiliar faces. These people have never been to my store. It makes people familiar with other areas of the city," Presser said. "It was nice for my wife and I to have a beer at La Cave du Vin for the after-party, and to be able to sit down and talk to some of these unfamiliar faces ... This is what it’s about. It brings the community together."