Cash Mob Planned This Weekend for Lakewood's Struggling Nature's Bin

LAKEWOOD, Ohio: A cash mob has been planned at a Lakewood organic grocery store to help it recover from declining patronage this weekend. The event will start Friday, March 18 and run through Sunday, March 20.

Nature's Bin, located at 18120 Sloane Avenue, is said to have experienced a major dip in sales since late last year when a Whole Foods Market opened just a few miles away in nearby Rocky River. Nature's Bin, which has been a staple in the area since 1975, is well known for its diverse selection of organic produce, local meats, and specialty vegan foods.

However, the locally-owned grocery store isn't only a pit stop of healthy food lovers. Nature's Bin is owned by a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency, Cornucopia, Inc., which has helped people with disabilities in the Cleveland area for more than 40 years. Nature's Bin serves as a vocational rehabilitation facility for people with all kinds of disabilities to help them acquire the necessary skills and self confidence to obtain sustainable employment.

Cash mob organizers Dana Aritonovich and Robert Welter say that Nature's Bin isn't just important as a neighborhood grocery store--it's also important as a community resource.

"I've been a Nature's Bin customer for about ten years, and I love the store," Aritonovich told Patch. "I noticed that they'd been going through some changes recently and I wanted to do something. A friend made a comment about a cash mob and I immediately said I'd make a Facebook event for it."

Aritonovich said she shopped at Nature's Bin the following week and noticed how slow it was.

"It made me very sad," she said. "They do such great things there not only with the products they sell, but the vocational program for disabled people. Small businesses have a rough time in today's market, and in Northeast Ohio, grocery stores are very competitive. I just want Nature's Bin to be around for many more years."

Welter shared Aritonovich's sentiments on the neighborhood food market.

"Their work directly helps to improve our community while providing access to healthy foods and ecologically responsible products," he said. "This cash mob is designed to help them both in the short and long runs."

Area residents interested in helping this small business and Lakewood community asset by purchasing groceries or other products can shop at Nature's Bin on Friday, March 18 or Saturday, March 19 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. or on Sunday, March 20 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.