Lou Russell, owner of Lou's Records, says business has been rough.
- Photo by David Rolland

Lou’s Records saw a big boost in sales last Friday when a “cash mob” of about two-dozen shoppers stormed the iconic Leucadia record store. Owner Lou Russell estimates that sales were 25 percent higher than an average Friday.

The shoppers were mobilized by Beau Doiron, a promoter and DJ who put out a call on Facebook last week to assemble the mob as part of an effort to support local businesses. Lou’s Records was targeted because the store has seen a steady decline in business due to the rising popularity of digital music sales and file sharing.

“It’s reminding people that Lou’s Records is there and they’re hurting for business,” Doiron says, adding that he bought DJ equipment and LPs on Friday.

A play on flash mobs, cash mobs have been growing in popularity nationwide in recent months. Another cash mob in San Diego has been planned for an as-yet-undecided business on Sunday, Jan. 8. The next cash mob at Lou’s will be on Valentine’s Day, Doiron says.

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Self-described “mutant-punks” Beaters will release Fishage, their long-awaited debut LP, via Volar Records next month. Beaters garnered a lot of buzz for the “Fishage” 7-inch more than two years ago and nearly finished the album in 2010, but then they went on hiatus for more than a year. The LP is available for pre-order at volarrecords.blogspot.com and is streaming at soundcloud.com/volar-records.

Email peterh@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @peterholslin.