Stage 1: Data Collection

Visit one or more commercial blocks in the city (anywhere in the five boroughs) and make systematic observations, focusing on the storefront businesses you find. Follow up by using Social Explorer and other online resources as necessary to identify the dominant racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups who live and/or shop in the area. Collect data in the form of images, videos, charts, maps, counts, or field notes that will help you answer the following question:

1.Who (which social groups) are the shops and restaurants targeting?

• Is there a local immigrant community or a category of visitors or residents who are catered to by the commercial establishments on the block?
• (Hint: In neighborhoods that are undergoing social changes or that have diverse, mixed populations, you may find more than one social group represented on the block.)

2. How are the shops and restaurants targeting these groups?

• What messages are they sending through their signage, décor, the goods or services they offer and the way they display these offerings?

Stage 2: Write Up

The structure of the report is up to you, but it could contain one or more of the following sections:

• Narrative / Overview
• Methodology
• Location / Social Context
• Types of Goods / Services Offered
• Social Messaging

The report should be roughly 5-10 pages of text, plus images. It should be written clearly, with correct spelling and grammar. It should be detailed and convincing. But this does mean it should not be interesting or entertaining. Be funny if you like – this is not an academic writing exercise. You do not have to cite any sources, but if you do, cite them correctly, using APA.