DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY & PLANNING - University of Toronto

GGR 252H1S - MARKETING GEOGRAPHY (Winter 2024 - Swales)

ASSIGNMENT ONE (25%) – RETAIL SUPPLY

A major focus of the course is the provision of private and public services. This assignment
addresses retail supply. It requires that you conduct virtual online fieldwork on two different
types of retail to assess their character, market orientation, and location. First, you will make
virtual field observations for the two retail areas, then you will compare and contrast the two
types of retail using the information you collected. You do not have to visit the locations. Do not
interview anybody or use census data in conducting this assignment; your answers are to draw
from your own virtual fieldwork observations and related material in the textbook only. Read
textbook chapters one, two, and nine for terminology and context. Chapter nine has a typology
of retail supply, including retail strips and ancillary retail which you explore in this assignment.
Chapter 10 discusses post-pandemic prospects. In your textbook reading pay particular
attention to the concepts of ancillary retail, retail strip, BIAs, and the PATH system. The online
textbook has a search function. There is no need to use any other secondary sources. The
combination of your fieldwork and the textbook is sufficient. Read all of this assignment before
you proceed and before you ask questions.

PART A: Virtual Online Field Observations of Two Retail Areas

Select an ancillary retail area and retail strip according to the following schedules.

Ancillary Retail: Select an ancillary retail area according to the first letter of your surname (last
name):
A-G: The Well, Upper Ground
https://thewelltoronto.com/directory/?tab=map&u=UG43&coords=43.64277588095106,-
79.39468748871272#
H-M: ‘Retail Level’ at Union Station. Link to Union Station:
https://torontounion.ca/eatshop/station-map/?location=_x37_3
N-T: Pearson Airport, Terminal 1, Level 2 Departures (All stores and restaurants south of
departure gates E85 and E82) Link to Pearson maps
U-Z: First Canadian Place – ‘Concourse Level’. https://fcpex.ca/stores

Visit the official website for your designated area and explore virtually the nature of the retail.
Each retail area has an online map that you can use as a template for your own map (below). Note
that you may have to hover or zoom over the store to get the name, or click on the name to get
the location on the map. Include medical services, vacant units, named ‘coming soon’ units, and
‘leased’ but not named units. Use the satellite layer function in Google Maps to explore the land
uses above and in the vicinity of the retail area.

Retail Strip: Select the retail strip from the list below according to the last number of your student
number (no exceptions!). Start at the intersection specified.

Virtually navigate the retail strip using the Street View function in Google Maps (you may
have to download Google Maps again if this function is not showing in the bottom right of the
map). Note the retail uses along your retail strip beginning at the assigned intersection. Be sure
you are navigating in the correct direction. In the bottom right of the map note the date of the
image capture.
 Bloor Street W east from Clinton Street (last number of student number 0-1)
Dundas Street W. east from Spadina Avenue (last number of student number 2-3)
College Street west from Clinton Street (last number of student number 4-5)
Gerrard Street East west from Craven Road (last number of student number 6-7)
Danforth Avenue east from Hampton (last number of student number 8-9)

Use the ‘satellite’ image layer in Google Maps to explore nearby land uses.

Create a map of each of the retail areas that should include:

• Approximately 40-45 stores in total on the retail strip (use both sides of the street) and
all the stores in your designated ancillary retail area. Include stores that appear to be
vacant. Name any ‘coming soon’ stores. Also include banks, doctors’ offices, dentists,
hairdressers, spas, and the like.
• Name of each store
• Type of store/outlet (restaurant, female fashion, shoes, dental office, etc.)
• Ownership (retail chain or independent)
• The nature of the nearby land uses (just note these, no need to draw them)

For both the maps above, create a scheme (legend) that concisely portrays the name, type, and
ownership of the stores (consider using colours and symbols for this). Keep each of your maps
to a manageable size - no larger than 8.5 x 11 paper. Note on each of the maps the date you
collected the information and the date of the ‘image capture’ for the retail strip.

Create a table to concisely compare the two retail areas.

The table should have three columns, the first column should be ‘Characteristic’, the second
column the name of the ancillary retail area, and the third the name of the retail strip area.

Populate the table with your observations of the following characteristics:

• How many (and what %) of the stores are retail chain and independent stores?
• The predominant type of retail in each retail area (number & %).
• Nature of the street or mall “furniture” (benches, lamp posts, flower beds, signage, flags,
etc.) you observe (the images of the street and photos attached to the ancillary retail
location in Google Maps may help).
• Type of land use in the immediate vicinity of each retail area.
• Estimation of what you think the demographic composition of the “shoppers” is. What is
your evidence?
• Where do you think the shoppers (market) for this retail come from?

The table component of this assignment should be no more than one type-written page, 12-
point font, single-spaced.

PART B: Discussion

Using the information you generated above, compare and contrast the two types of retailing
activity. Among other things that you think are important, this discussion should address the
location, accessibility, market orientation, degree of specialty, and design and composition of
the retail. Using specific evidence from your observations, also compare the extent to which the
two areas are controlled/managed environments. Is this planned or unplanned retail? Is this
public or private space? Which of the two types of retail is likely to suffer most if a post-
pandemic hybrid work model prevails? Explain your answer. Would an in-person field exploration
of the retail areas be better than your virtual study?

Keep in mind the following in your discussion:

• The work must be your own. The writing and analysis should be original and based on
the information and data you have collected and presented. It is not necessary to go to
secondary sources other than the textbook and lectures.
• You must be presenting and discussing the most recent information available – i.e. the
most recent map from the ancillary retail webpage and the most recent image capture in
street view in the Google map (remember that the image capture date is at the bottom
right of the page).
• Use appropriate specific information that you have collected and presented in your maps
and table to support the observations you make.
• Compare the two retail areas directly.

The discussion component of this assignment (exclusive of maps and table) should be
approximately 5-6 type-written pages (but it is possible to do a good job in less). Use 12-point
font, double-spaced. Do not exceed six pages.

NOTE: Your assignment must be submitted in Quercus by Tuesday 6 February, 11:59 pm

EST.

Late penalties apply. Late penalty: up to one week late 15%; not accepted thereafter without
documented good cause.

Academic Misconduct: Read carefully the guidelines on academic misconduct:

http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/osai/The-rules/what-is-academic-misconduct. It is essential
that you avoid plagiarism and consequential penalties including failing the course.

Otherwise, have a productive and enjoyable experience with this assignment.

Prof. Stephen Swales