Where Should You Open Your Next Coffee Shop?

One of the thing I thought was not necessary was data on location. I thought everyone was just winging it. If they want a coffee shop, they'll do that regardless of a lot of factors. I mean, even around here, regardless what the data says, we'll probably choose different thing. Recently, I am learning the science of location. Does it matter "where" a business is located? We all know, it does but how? is it based on Fengshui, a hunch? Through something called GIS ( Geographic Information System) We can learn things like " where can I open my next coffee shop?", " where can we market our software?, " where can we charge more for a product?", I mean it's endless. Unlike the typical data science around here that asks, " what", GIS goes into a deep dive of "where".

Using a software called QGIS, I tried to learn how it works and visualize a data that I wanted to know. It's really applicable to any type of business that you wanted. Since I like going around coffee shops, that's the sample project I was using.

Once I configurate the data and download necessary mapping system, I began to create layers and parameters. If you already have a background in data science, SQL, this is pretty similar.

I am using inverted color so the orange hue is actually where a business owner can open a coffee shops but they need to ask more questions.

If you could see the white dots, that's where you can actually build a coffee shop with a few adjustments considering some of them are located inside the heatmap.

So, GIS information is more about supplementing analytical decision on what to do rather than determining the "one" location outright. With this simple data set, I can replace the parameter for different things and already know and help those who want to open any type of business in my little town.

It's only my first day learning about it and I am sure there will be more challenges to come. So, I am sure there will be more time for me to explore StoryMaps and this will be one of my simple project on storymap.

Maybe you want to know where the competition are fiercer, maybe you want to know where to build the next power grid, or where to place the park, I am definitely going to be that person.

Most of the case studies out there aren't geared towards business but because that's where my interest lies, I want to combine that knowledge to help people make better decision especially when it comes to location. Oh and in the future this will help answering questions like " Where should EV chargers be installed?" and that should be in my next installment on this Mapping ideas.

I might need to create a community based on it just a community where one can post their stuff they're learning about. For me, before my semester starts, I want to build a good enough portfolio to show and demonstrate my ability to use GIS software like ArcGIS or QGIS.