Occupy Sioux Falls Supports Local Economy

SIOUX FALLS, SD - Participants of the Occupy Sioux Falls movement strolled downtown with signs in their hands and money in their pockets.

"Spending the money locally benefits the community much more than it would to spend it in chain stores and such," participant Scott Stubbe said.

Stubbe says the recent cash mobs that Occupy Brookings held the past few weekends inspired Occupy Sioux Falls to try something similar.

"Our community loses out every time a small business closes, every time wages are lowered, because of the pressure of a national chain," Stubbe said.

And while the excitement is evident in those taking part in the Occupy Sioux Falls Cash Mob, local downtown businesses are enjoying it as well

"I think it's so exciting that people are downtown supporting local businesses, it's so important to our local economy for people to support local businesses," Nancy Savage said.

And that's exactly why Occupy Sioux Falls is here. Besides the obvious economic impact, protestors believe these Cash Mobs bring awareness to small business itself.

"With local businesses you have a lot more infusion, a lot more of it stays in the tax base a lot more goes to local employees, local vendors, you know the sources of the product," Stubbe said.

And business owners like Nancy Savage hope Saturday's Cash Mob is just the start of more customers heading downtown.

"The small businesses bring so much to the area and I really hope people will keep coming downtown and checking out what we have to offer downtown," Savage said

Providing businesses with the hope that more than just a cash mob can provide some green.