Store Mapper User Guide
Find & Display Local Retailer Data
Updated September 28, 2014
2
Table of Contents
Welcome ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Site tour: Map tools and layers ..................................................................................................................... 5
How do I select my area of interest? ........................................................................................................ 5
Area of Interest ..................................................................................................................................... 5
What are my map tools?........................................................................................................................... 5
Map Tools.............................................................................................................................................. 5
How do I turn on/off other map layers? ................................................................................................... 6
Map Features ........................................................................................................................................ 6
What are my options and how do I change the underlying base map? ................................................... 7
Base Map Options ................................................................................................................................. 7
Map Options ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Retailers .................................................................................................................................................... 8
Measuring density and ‘swamps’.......................................................................................................... 8
How To .................................................................................................................................................. 8
Individual Stores.................................................................................................................................... 9
Overall Density .................................................................................................................................... 10
Tobacco Retailer “Swamps” ................................................................................................................ 11
Why Is Retailer Density Important? .................................................................................................... 12
Tobacco Swamps................................................................................................................................. 12
Youth Access ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Rate of sales to minors........................................................................................................................ 13
How To ................................................................................................................................................ 13
Why Is It Important ............................................................................................................................. 16
Policy Tester ............................................................................................................................................ 19
How To ................................................................................................................................................ 19
FDA Checks .............................................................................................................................................. 22
How To ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Get a Report ............................................................................................................................................ 25
Creating Social Media Content ................................................................................................................... 30
How To ................................................................................................................................................ 30
3
Welcome
Welcome to the Counter Tools Store Mapper User Guide! We trust this document will be helpful to you
as you begin using the Store Mapper. If you have questions or need assistance as you use the Store
Mapper, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
The Store Mapper is a custom-built, interactive mapping website that enables users to find and display
local retailer data. Users of the Store Mapper will be able to easily employ the web-based map tools to
understand the:







Locations of retailers
Density or concentration of retailers
Areas where the density of retailers is disproportionately high
Relationship between demographic variables and retailer location
Proximity of retailers to youth-serving venues such as schools and parks
Rate of sales to minors and the change in this rate over time
Effectiveness or potential reach of point of sale policy solutions
About Counter Tools
Counter Tools is a non-profit organization based in Carrboro, North Carolina. We are a startup venture
out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a collective 48 years of experience in tobacco
control research and practice, largely focused on reducing the public health burden of tobacco by
addressing the sales and marketing of tobacco products in the retail environment.
In 2011, as part of our team’s research activities at UNC, we invented two software tools designed to
help public health practitioners in North Carolina pass local and state level policies to promote health.
One software tool is an interactive, easy-to-use retailer mapping system, and the second software tool is
a mobile data collection system for conducting retail store assessments.
Users of our Store Audit Center© have assessed the tobacco, alcohol and food environments of over
10,000 retail outlets, and more than 30,000 retail outlets are archived in our Store Mapper©. Policy
solutions to public health problems require a local evidence base: our tools help advocates build their
policy case and streamline the policy change process. Our goal is to work in tandem with our clients and
their grantees to understand the current retail landscape through GIS mapping and store observations,
to identify priorities and to set the agenda for health promoting policy, systems and environmental
change.
4
Site tour: Map tools and layers
How do I select my area of interest?
Area of Interest
The area of interest is the area you would like to learn about. To
select your area of interest, find the “Select Your Area” box at the
top of the left-hand column of the site. Choose from the following
options:
1. Type a street address into the textbox and click the “GO”
button
2. Select a school district, city or county from one of the
dropdown lists
The map will zoom in to the selected area.
What are my map tools?
Map Tools
Map tools are displayed in the upper left-hand side of the map at all times. The tools include:






Click the plus button to zoom in
Click the Home button to zoom out to the full extent of the state
Click the minus button to zoom out
Select the Zoom in tool (pictured as a magnifying glass) to draw a rectangle around your
area of interest
Click the right arrow to return to the previous map extent
Click the left arrow to go back to the last map extent
5
How do I turn on/off other map layers?
Map Features
The map features section of the left-hand bar shows the retailer
data layer currently visible in the map along with a description of
its symbols. By default, this layer is displayed. To turn this layer
off, select the check box next to “Currently showing:” to uncheck
the layer.
All other map layers that can be displayed on the map are listed
below. All map layers can be made visible or not by checking or
unchecking the box directly to the left of the layer name.
Additionally, all boundary layers (School districts, County
boundaries, etc.) have a check box to the right of the layer name to
display the label for each area.
Demographic Information
There is a collapsed segment of map layers titled:
“Demographic Information”. To expand this section, click on
the title or the plus box next to the title.
Click on the radio button beside the layer name to make the
layer visible in the map. Click on the title of the layer to
expand the legend for that layer.
Transparency Bar
A transparency bar is included for any map layer that shades
an entire area based on aggregated data. The bar defaults at
50% transparency. When the layer is displayed at 0%
transparency the Google reference map is completely
covered up.
To change the transparency of the layer, click the red slider
on the bar and drag it in either direction.
6
What are my options and how do I change the underlying base map?
Base Map Options
In the upper right-hand corner of the map is an oval black “Base Map” button. Click on it to open a
window with three options for base map display. These options include:
1. Street map
2. Aerial photo map
3. Hybrid street and aerial photo map
Click on the desired base map option in the Base Map window. The Base Map window will
automatically close and the map will redraw with the selected base map.
7
Map Options
Retailers
Measuring density and ‘swamps’
How To
To the right of the red “Choose an option >” box, you will find four mapping options listed in a blue bar
running across the upper part of the website which say “Tobacco Retailers”, “Youth Access”, “Policy
Tester”, and “FDA Checks”. The first option is “Tobacco Retailers”.
There are three options for viewing the density of retailers:
1. Individual stores (point locations),
2. Overall density (aggregated to an area statistic)
3. Retailer “swamps” (aggregated to an area statistic)
8
Individual Stores
Click on the first option, “Tobacco retailer point locations”, and then click “Close” on the <Substance>
Retailers box. The map will show the point location of all retailers in the state symbolized by red dots.
You can zoom in to your area of interest to look at the distribution and density of retailers in more
detail.
Clicking on any red dot will open up an information box
giving you the name and address of that retailer. Three
icons are also included in the info box.
1. The magnifying glass button zooms the map image
in to the store location
2. The person standing in circles opens up a window
with a street-side view of the store location
3. The pencil icon opens up an email form. This
option allows users to post comments about a
retailer (stores is closed, name has changed, etc.)
9
Overall Density
The overall density of retailers is calculated around the statewide average for retailer density. Retailer
density is calculated as the number of retailers per 1,000 residents. Population statistics are gathered
from the American Community Survey 2013 5-yr estimates. The user can see density of retailers by any
boundary layer included in the mapper. The density for each enumeration unit in the boundary layer
selected (each county, census tract, school district, etc.) is calculated and then divided into 5 categories.
Select a boundary unit in the “Tobacco Retailer Density by:”
section and then click “Close” on the Tobacco Retailers box. The
map will redraw showing retailer density in each of the selected
boundary’s areas.
The data range for the center category, shaded as the cream
color, includes the statewide average for retailer density. Any
area shaded as pink or red has incrementally more retailers per
1,000 residents than the statewide average. Areas shaded as pale blue or dark blue have incrementally
less retailers per 1,000 residents than the statewide average.
10
Tobacco Retailer “Swamps”
Tobacco swamps are defined as areas with greater than 3.0 tobacco retailers per 1,000 residents,
highlighting areas grossly over the national average. Note: It is important to note that this statistic is not
meaningful in areas that are sparsely populated.
Select a boundary unit (county, city, census tract, etc.) in the
“Tobacco retailer swamps by:” section and then click “Close” on
the Tobacco Retailers box. The map will redraw showing retailer
swamps in each of the selected boundary’s areas. Swamps are
shaded as dark brown and those that are not as white. Areas
shaded as gray have no retailers within them.
11
Why Is Retailer Density Important?
Knowing the density of retailers is helpful for determining where policy work can be focused.
Finding Disparities
It is not uncommon to see higher
density rates in neighborhoods with lower median household income or in high minority areas. Density
of retailers can also be correlated with areas of concentrated youth-serving venues (parks, schools, ice
rinks, child care centers). Finding disparities in retailer density could lead to policies restricting the
location of retailers within a specified distance of another retailer.
For more information on how to overlay demographic layers onto a retailer density map, refer to page
6.
12
Youth Access
Rate of sales to minors
The second retailer mapping option is “Youth Access”. There are three options for viewing retailer
compliance data:
1. Individual compliance check locations,
2. Individual compliance check locations within 1,000 feet of a school and/or park, and
3. Rate of sales to minors aggregated to an area statistic (county, city, school district, or one of
several legislative districts).
Youth Access data is collected during undercover police inspections during which an underage teenager
is sent into a retail outlet to attempt to purchase a tobacco product. Each jurisdiction has set quotas for
the number of inspections they must complete each year. All retailers are NOT inspected each year.
How To
Individual Stores
On the “Youth Access” option, click the first option, “Compliance check point locations”, and then click
“Close” in the Youth Access window. The map will redraw to show youth access compliance data for
each retailer inspected in the most recent year.
13
The retailer inspection symbols are dots coded as green-yellow-red.



Green – never sold to a minor;
Yellow – sold once to a minor;
Orange/Red – sold more than
once to a minor.
TimeView Chart
At the bottom left side of the map screen
there is a “TimeView” chart showing all
the years for which youth access
compliance data is available.
Click on the box showing the years of
interest. The map with redraw showing
those retailers inspected in that time
window.
Click the play button at the top to watch a time lapse sequence as the map redraws for each year of
data collection. The time line will continue replaying until you click the pause button.
Click on any store location to open an information box with the address of the store and a history of all
compliance inspections.
Compliance check point locations near youth-serving venues
Click the second option, “Compliance check point locations with 1,000-ft buffer”, and then click “Close”
in the Youth Access window. The map will redraw to show youth access compliance locations for each
14
retailer inspected in the user specified year (see explanation of TimeView chart above) with a 1,000-ft
pink transparent buffer area drawn each point(*Note: you must zoom in to a local level to be able to see
the buffer zone area).
Users can then to turn on any reference layer (schools, parks, child care centers, etc.) to see if they fall
inside the pink buffer zone. Comparisons can be made to see if there is a relationship between failed
compliance check locations and the location of youth-serving venues.
15
Aggregated Youth Access Rate
Select a boundary unit in the “Rate of sales to minors by:” section and then click “Close” on the Tobacco
Retailers box. The map will redraw to show the rate of sales to minors by the chosen area (county, city,
census tract, etc.).
16
Why Is It Important
The state has a limited budget for youth access enforcement efforts. Knowing where the most violations
are located can help focus these scarce resources in the areas of most need.
Sales rates to minors by ALE district
Sales rates to minors by county
17
Comparing Rockingham and Guilford County compliance data:
Individual retailer compliance
18
Policy Tester
Test buffer zone distances, identify stores near youth venues
The third mapping option is “Policy Tester”. Policy Tester allows users to simulate the effects of three
tobacco bans:
1. Ban tobacco sales in pharmacies
2. Ban tobacco sales within 500 feet of another tobacco retailer
3. Ban tobacco sales within <user specified distance> of schools and/or parks
How To
Ban tobacco sales in pharmacies
Click the first option in the Policy Tester window, “Ban tobacco sales in pharmacies”. Click “Close” in the
Policy Tester window.
The map will redraw to show all tobacco retailers coded as either red or green dots. The red dots are
tobacco retailers with a pharmacy counter and the green dots are all non-pharmacy tobacco retailers. If
a policy were enacted banning the sale of tobacco in pharmacies, all of the red dots would be omitted
from the map.
19
Ban tobacco sales near another tobacco retailer
Click the second option in the Policy Tester window, “Ban tobacco sales within 500 feet of another
tobacco retailer”. Click “Close” in the Policy Tester window.
The map will redraw to show all tobacco retailers with a 500-ft pink transparent buffer area drawn
around each point. (*Note: you must zoom in to a local level to be able to see the buffer zone area.)
Tobacco retailers are coded as either red or green dots. The red dots are the retailers that would
potentially be affected by a ban on tobacco sales within 500 feet of another tobacco retailer. Green dots
are tobacco retailers that are outside all other 500-ft buffer zones.
20
Ban tobacco sales near youth-serving venues
Click the third option in the Policy Tester window, “Ban tobacco sales near <user-specified distance> of a
<school/park>”. Select a buffer distance from the first drop down list. Next, select whether the buffer
should be drawn around parks, schools, or parks and schools. Click “Close” in the Policy Tester window.
21
The map will redraw to show all schools and/or parks with a pink transparent buffer area drawn around
each to the specified distance. All retailers that are inside a buffer zone are coded as red dots, while
those outside the buffer zones are coded as green dots.
22
FDA Checks (Tobacco Mapper only)
Compliance with FDA provisions
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) conducts two types of tobacco retailer inspections: youth access
and advertising and labeling compliance checks. The data is publicly available at the FDA TIMS website.
How To
FDA check data can be viewed in two ways: by retailer, or aggregated to an area level to show
prevalence of violation.
Individual Stores
Select “By retailer”
under “Location of FDA
checks.” The map will
redraw to show FDA
checks symbolized as
red and green dots.


Green – no
violate
Red – violation
Click on any store
location to open an
information box with
23
the name and address of the store as well as the FDA inspection date and results. If a violation was
reported, a link is included in the information window to view the warning letter.
Area Level Aggregates
FDA compliance data can also be shown at an
area level. Prevalence of FDA violations can be
calculated to the county, city, school district, or
political district level.
24
Get a Report
Download local information on any theme
Lastly, you can consolidate your research into a detailed report. Reports can be generated for any of the
Mapping Options: <Substance> Retailers, Youth Access, Policy Tester, and FDA Checks. A report icon is
shown in each of the dropdown boxes in the lower right-hand corner. Click the icon to open the ‘Get a
report’ dialog box specific for the mapping option currently selected.
Open the ‘Get a
report’ dialog box
25
The area of interest for the report can be one unit of any boundary layer included in the Mapper. The
following are common areas of interest:




City,
County,
School district,
Political district boundary
The report can be generated as an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file, Excel spreadsheet (XLSX), or Comma
delimited file (CSV).
26
The ‘Get a Report’ window has two check
boxes. The first check box, “Include
detailed demographics,” includes tables
showing variation in denity measures
according to neighborhood income and
race/ethnicity. The second check box,
“Include retailer & history details,” adds a
list of all retailers located in the area
specified with name and address. If this
option is selected in the Youth Access or
FDA Checks options, compliance history
data is also included.
Once all of the report options are selected, click “Generate Report”. After the report has been
generated, select the link “Click here to download.” If the Report Format is PDF or CSV, a new browser
window will open showing the report. If Excel spreadsheet (XLSX) was specified, the file(s) will
download to your computer.
The first page of the report has a consolidated table of statistics pertaining to the selected map theme
and a map of the area of interest. All reports include data for the chosen area of interest as well as
statewide averages for comparison purposes.
27
Additional pages would be added if either of the check boxes were selected. These pages would include
the detailed demographic tables and/or list of retailers/compliance checks/FDA inspections.
Five census variables are used in the detailer demographic tables: median household income, percent
black, percent Hispanic, percent same-sex partners, and percent urban. Quintiles are determined by
census tract. For each variable, the range of values are divided into 5 categories, with an equal number
of census tracts in each category. The detailed demographic table shows the same overall metrics as
reported in the first page broken out by variable quintiles. This allows users to readily see if there is a
disparity in retailer density, swamp area, percent of retailers near schools/parks, etc. by neighborhood
characteristic. The detailed demographic table below is for Minneapolis, MN and shows the density of
tobacco retailers decreasing as median household income increases.
28
The final pages of the report list the retailers meeting the criteria of the dropdown box. For Tobacco
Retailers, the vendor details include a list of all retailers in the area of interest with name and address.
Youth Access vendor details include a list of all compliance check locations, with name, address, date of
undercover buy, and outcome. Policy Tester vendor details list all retailers that would be affected by
the policy selected, with name and address. Finally, FDA Check vendor details list all FDA inspection
locations, with name, address, inspection date, and inspection outcome.
29
Creating Social Media Content
Share your maps
After investigating your area of interest to:
1. Identify tobacco retailer locations
2. Calculate tobacco retailer density and tobacco ‘swamps’
3. Understand disparities in retailer density
4. Understand proximity of retailers to youth serving venues
5. Test the impact of potential policy solutions
6. Find areas of greatest need for focused youth access enforcement efforts
Share your findings!
How To
A social media link cluster is located in the upper right area of the website
header bar. Click anywhere on the cluster and a media link bar opens. The
bar includes buttons to post a link your map to Facebook, Twitter, or
Pinterest, to embed the map on a website, and to include a link in an email.
It may be necessary to copy and paste the link that is generated using these
media buttons into some media sites.
30