Nicola Twilley on a new project called The Bodega List:
[Jeff Sisson’s] goal is simple: to create a homepage for every single bodega in New York City, most of which currently exist only in the physical world. His methodology relies on using crowd-sourced bodega verification to sort through a longer list of businesses with a permit to sell alcohol for consumption off-site.
As it turns out:
[V]olunteer bodega spotters need never set foot in New York, and can work from the comfort of their homes using Google Street View. Each click on the “Is This A Bodega?” button serves up a random business address from the list, along with a 360º view of the corresponding location. At the bottom of the page are three options: “This is a bodega,” “This is not a bodega,” or “I’m not sure,” plus an optional box to record the name on the awning.
Nicola questions what might emerge given the list: what information might bodega locations suggest if the rise of cupcake shops can be used to predict urban gentrification? Further, because the “Is This A Bodega?” button is randomized, the project can provide a “non-linear tour of the city’s streetscapes as seen from the perspective of local bodegas,” the point of view most likely worth seeing but least likely to be seen on most tours. One thing is certain: check out The Bodega List yourself.
